Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Saint John's baseball opened its 2015 season with a pair of losses, 4-2 and 9-4, to Otterbein (Ohio) on Monday, March 2, in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Johnnies struggled at the plate, batting only .161 (9-for-56), including 1-for-12 (.083) with runners in scoring position and 3-for-21 (.143) with runners on base (0-for-2 with the bases loaded).

SJU gained a 2-0 lead in game one thanks to an RBI single from junior Patrick Strey (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) in the first inning and an RBI groundout from sophomore Derek Schiebel (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) in the second. Strey recorded two of the Johnnies' four hits in the game. The Cardinals (4-0, 0-0 OAC), however, responded with four unanswered runs on four extra-base hits, including a pair of solo homers, to post the 4-2 win.

Senior Collin Felhaber (North St. Paul, Minn.) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings of work for SJU. He struck out six and walked three in the no-decision. Sophomore Derek Graves (Mora, Minn.) surrendered two runs in the sixth inning to take the loss. 

Otterbein found the scoreboard first in game two, which was scheduled for nine innings, with a pair of runs in the top of the second. SJU answered with three runs on no hits in the bottom half of the inning. Senior Tom Druk (Plymouth, Minn./Orono) scored on an infield error, junior Mike Stegora (Red Wing, Minn.) drew a bases-loaded walk and senior Aaron Pfaff (New Ulm, Minn./Cathedral) brought in senior Geno Larkin (Eden Prairie, Minn.) with a sacrifice fly.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Cardinals plated seven runs in the top of the third.

Junior Dan Keller (Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake) ended the scoring with an RBI double, his first varsity at-bat, in the eighth inning.

Senior Tyler Delwiche (Andover, Minn./Totino-Grace) allowed seven runs in 2.1 innings to take the loss. The Johnnies received six innings of scoreless relief from junior Brad Luebbert (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) and sophomores Rhyan Bett (West Covina, Calif./Bishop Amat), Alex Kendall (St. Cloud, Minn./Saint John's Prep) and Blake Langerud (Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy).

The Johnnies take on Alvernia (Pa.) for a 9 a.m. EST doubleheader on Tuesday, March 3, at the Player Development Complex in Fort Myers.