Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

WINONA, Minn. – The rust showed for Saint John's in its first baseball games in 30 days (since March 7 in Fort Myers, Fla.), but the Johnnies salvaged a doubleheader split at Saint Mary's in the conference opener for both teams on Sunday, April 6, in Winona.

SMU scored four runs with two outs and SJU was 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in game one's 4-2 loss, but the Johnnies salvaged the split with four unanswered runs, two unearned, to earn a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.

Senior first baseman Josh Groth (Fridley, Minn.) gave SJU (9-2, 1-1 MIAC) a quick 2-0 lead in game one with a two-run homer, his first of the season and fourth of his career, in the top of the first inning. SMU (6-11, 2-1 MIAC) cut its deficit in half in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff single, stolen base and two groundouts, and took advantage of a leadoff walk in the second with a two-out RBI single to tie it at 2-2.

The Cardinals added two more runs with two outs in the bottom of the third.

SJU loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but did not score and senior outfielder Dylan Graves (Mora, Minn.) started the sixth with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was stranded.

Senior outfielder Joe Lampe (Osceola, Iowa/Clarke) blasted a double, into the wind and off the top of the right-field fence, to start the seventh and advanced to third on a flyout from junior outfielder Aaron Pfaff (New Ulm, Minn./Cathedral). He ended the game, however, stranded 90 feet from the plate.

Sophomore Joe Stanton (Stillwater, Minn.), making first appearance on the hill since March 6, was saddled with the loss (1-1 record), allowing all four runs on five singles. He walked four and struck out three with two wild pitches. Junior Jack Hamilton (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) made quick work of the Cardinals with four groundouts in relief.

The Johnnies gave SMU a taste of its own medicine with a pair of two-out runs in game two. Pfaff started the second contest with a single and scored on a single from Graves to give SJU, like game one, an early lead. Sophomore shortstop Logan Hershey (Maple Grove, Minn.) started the second inning with a single, advanced to second on a walk by sophomore catcher Gabe MacDonald (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's), to third on a flyout from Lampe and scored on an RBI single by Pfaff to make it 2-0.

SMU broke up junior Collin Felhaber's (North St. Paul, Minn.) no-hit bid and gained a 3-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Senior third baseman Luke Larson (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) singled to start the sixth and advanced to second when Hershey's sac bunt turned into a hit. A sac bunt from junior first baseman Geno Larkin (Eden Prairie, Minn.) advanced the runners before MacDonald tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single. Lampe gave SJU the lead with a fielder's-choice RBI.

Hershey reached base and advanced to second on an error to start the eighth inning and scored on MacDonald's second RBI single of the game.

Junior infielder Alex Toninato (Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray) led-off the ninth with a pinch-hit single and scored, unearned, on an RBI single by Hershey.

Felhaber improved to 2-0 on the young season, allowing the three runs on four hits in a team-high eight innings of work. He struck out six and walked two. Senior catcher and closer Justin Thompson (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) walked one and struck out two in a scoreless ninth to pick up his third save of the season.

Hershey and Pfaff each went 3-for-5 in game two to lead the SJU bats. Pfaff finished the day 4-for-9 with two runs scored and Hershey posted a 3-for-6 afternoon with three runs scored and was hit-by-pitch twice.

SJU's pitching staff combined for a 4.20 ERA but allowed only nine hits (.173 average), one for extra bases (double), in 15 innings. The double was SMU's first extra-base hit against the Johnnies since 2012 and was just the sixth allowed in 84 innings so far this season (all doubles).

The Johnnies play host to Bethel for their home opener at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at Saint John's Field in Collegeville.