Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

WINONA, Minn. – Saint John's and Saint Mary's exchanged strong pitching outings for a doubleheader split on Sunday, April 10, in Winona.

SJU (14-8, 2-3 MIAC) recorded only three hits in a 5-2 loss in game one but bounced back with an 8-6 victory in the nightcap.

The top four hitters in the lineup proved to be the difference in game one, as the Johnnies' went 0-for-12, while the top four went 7-for-13 for SMU (14-10, 2-4 MIAC).

The Cardinals erupted for four runs in the fourth inning thanks to a three-run homer from Tyler Lursen, his fourth extra-base hit in 23 games (72 at-bats).

Senior outfielder Dan Keller (Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake) put SJU on the scoreboard with his second home run of the season in the top of the second inning, but SMU answered with a two-out RBI single in the bottom half of the inning.

Senior catcher Gabe MacDonald (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) drove in what proved to be the final run of the game with an RBI single in the top of the third inning.

Senior Patrick Strey (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) was saddled with the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits in five innings of work. He struck out six and walked two. He entered the game with a 3-1 record, 2.17 ERA, a .274 opponent batting average and four walks in 29 innings.

Freshman Jake Dickmeyer (Woodbury, Minn.) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning of relief.

The Cardinals' Steph Scatassa issued six free passes (four walks and two hit-by-pitch) but surrendered only two hits and induced two double plays to earn the win. He entered Sunday's start with a combined four earned runs allowed on 11 hits in his previous three starts (20.2 innings pitched), all wins, against the Johnnies.

The pitching roles reversed for game two as junior Alex Kendall (St. Cloud, Minn./Saint John's Prep) pitched a gem to earn his third win of the season (3-2) for SJU. He allowed only one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in eight innings. Kendall now has a 1.49 ERA, .182 opponent batting average and 31 strikeouts (to three walks) in 36.1 innings this spring (1.20 ERA and .137 average in 15 MIAC innings).

The Johnnies built an 8-1 lead in game two until the bullpen allowed five runs in the ninth inning.

Strey gave the visitors a 2-0 lead with his second home run of the season in the first inning. He now has 28 RBI in 23 games this season (including an RBI in the halted game at Carleton from April 6).

SMU cut its deficit in half with an RBI groundout in the bottom half of the first inning and attempted to tie the game in the second on a groundball to third baseman Derek Schiebel (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview), but the junior threw the runner out at the plate.

The Johnnies took that momentum to the fourth inning where they plated three runs on four hits. Strey walked to start the inning and scored following back-to-back singles from MacDonald and freshman outfielder Max Jackson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham). MacDonald was thrown out at the plate on an attempted double steal for the first out of the inning before senior outfielder Mike Stegora (Red Wing, Minn.) brought in Jackson with an RBI single. Junior outfielder Blake Langerud (Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy) plated Stegora with a well-place double down the right-field line.

Following a leadoff double by Jack Cherry in the third inning, Kendall recorded 14 straight outs before he walked Lursen on four pitches with two outs in the seventh. 

SJU broke the game open with three runs with two outs in the eighth inning. MacDonald singled with two outs and Stegora walked before Keller brought in both with a two-run double to right. Keller advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball for the eighth run.

The three-run eighth inning proved to be pivotal as the home team plated five and left two on base in the bottom of the ninth. SMU loaded the bases with nobody out off sophomore Nick Noack (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake) before Lursen launched a grand slam over the left-field fence to cut SJU's lead to three, 8-5. 

Sophomore Ted Christian (Le Center, Minn./Tri-City United) relieved Noack and recorded two strikeouts but allowed a run. Freshman Cameron Jurek (Foley, Minn.) entered the game and hit the first man he faced, on a 0-1 pitch, but induced a groundball to record the third out and earn his second save of the season.

The Johnnies end their stretch of three consecutive MIAC road doubleheaders at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at Macalester in St. Paul.