Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Saint John's dropped a pair of two-run games, 7-5 and 6-4, at Bethel on Wednesday, April 8, in Arden Hills.

SJU out-hit the Royals 20-17 on the day, but issued 12 walks and once again struggled with runners in scoring position, batting .222 (4-for-18). The Johnnies have scored only 17 runs on 41 hits in their last four games (0-4 record), due in large part to a .174 batting average (8-for-46) with runners in scoring position. The team entered the recent four-game skid batting .384 (83-for-216) with RBI opportunities at the plate in the season's first 18 games.

Junior shortstop Logan Hershey (Maple Grove, Minn.) gave SJU (11-11, 2-4 MIAC) a quick 1-0 lead with his second home run of the season in the top of the first inning of game one. The Royals (16-4, 5-1 MIAC) answered emphatically, however, with five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Four of the five runs scored with two outs, including two bases-loaded walks.

The Johnnies cut their deficit to 5-4 with three runs in the top of the second inning. Junior catcher Gabe MacDonald (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) hammered his first collegiate home run over the left-field fence and senior centerfielder Aaron Pfaff (New Ulm, Minn./Cathedral) drove in senior second baseman Brett Becker (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) with a two-out, RBI single. Pfaff advanced to second base on the throw to the plate and scored on a double from sophomore third baseman Derek Schiebel (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview). 

BU added an unearned run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but Becker gave the run back to SJU with an RBI single with two outs in the top of the sixth.

Brett Neuville pushed the cushion back to two runs (7-5) with a two-out, solo homer in the bottom of the sixth.

Senior Tyler Delwiche (Andover, Minn./Totino-Grace) went the distance, allowing the seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked five. Three of the five walks eventually scored.

The Royals scored four runs off senior Collin Felhaber (North St. Paul, Minn.) in the first inning of game two and added two unearned runs in the fourth.

Senior catcher Kurt Jantscher (Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) cut SJU's deficit in half with a three-run homer, his team-leading third of the season, in the top of the eighth inning.

Becker and Pfaff singled with one out in the top of the ninth and Schiebel reached base on a fielder's choice after Pfaff dislodged the ball during the play at second base. Hershey made it 6-4 with a bases-loaded walk, but BU's Kelvin Minning struck out Jantscher and induced a flyout from senior designated hitter Tom Druk (Plymouth, Minn./Orono) to end the game.

Felhaber allowed six runs (four earned) on eight hits in six innings pitched. He walked seven and struck out three. Felhaber started the game with 10 walks in 26 innings pitched this season.

Junior Brad Luebbert (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) and sophomore Blake Langerud (Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy) pitched a scoreless inning of relief each.

Becker led the Johnnies with a 4-for-6 performance and two runs scored at the plate, while Hershey and Schiebel added three hits apiece.

The Johnnies return home to host Augsburg for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 11, in Collegeville.