Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's baseball earned its second consecutive MIAC sweep, in nail-biting fashion, over Concordia-Moorhead on Wednesday, April 25, at Becker Park.

The Johnnies (21-5, 7-3 MIAC) won game one 4-2 and built a 7-0 lead in the nightcap, but Concordia (12-13, 5-5 MIAC) scored seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game. 



SJU loaded the bases with three walks, one intentional, in the bottom of the eighth inning before sophomore shortstop Michael Gruber (Glenwood, Minn./Minnewaska Area) lifted an RBI single over the right-fielder's head for his fifth RBI of the game and the walk-off win. The game-winning, walk-off hit was the second of Gruber's career. His first was the Johnnies' most recent (5-4 over Macalester on May 2, 2017, in Collegeville).

Gruber ended the day 3-for-6 with two doubles and five RBI on the day.

Saint John's 4, Concordia 2
Sophomore outfielder Wyatt Ulrich (Indus, Minn./International Falls) started the game with a double, moved to third on a bunt single from junior centerfielder Max Jackson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and scored when Jackson stole second base. Jackson advanced to third on an errant throw from the catcher and scored, unearned, on an infield single from senior first baseman Jeron Terres (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori).  

SJU added another unearned run in the second inning, but CC's Turner Storm cut into the home team's lead with a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the third.

Gruber doubled to start the bottom of the sixth inning, moved up to third on a single from senior second baseman Brennan Swan (Plymouth, Minn./Totino-Grace) and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ulrich for an insurance run.

Junior Danny Kuhn (Alexandria, Minn.) improved to 5-0 with the win, allowing two runs on six hits in five innings. Senior Ben Etzell (Greenbank, Wash./Coupeville) allowed one hit in a scoreless sixth inning and junior Jake Dickmeyer (Woodbury, Minn.) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh for his second save of the season.

Saint John's 8, Concordia 7 (8 inn.)
The Johnnies loaded the bases in each of the first four innings and gained a 7-0 lead after four. Concordia issued 13 free passes (10 walks, three hit batsmen) in game two and SJU left 13 men on base (including three when the game ended).

Junior designated hitter Thomas Meland (Northfield, Minn.) recorded a sac fly in each of the first two innings and Gruber cleared the bases with a double in the first to give SJU a quick 4-0 lead.

Brett Swanson started the seventh inning with a pinch-hit triple and scored on a groundout in the ensuing at-bat. Grant Toivonen walked, followed by six consecutive singles for the Cobbers. SJU used three pitchers in the seventh. With runners on second and third, Jackson ended the inning with a diving catch in the right-centerfield gap to keep the score at 7-7.

Junior Bennett Wiggins (St. Anthony, Minn.) entered the game in eighth and stranded runners on first and second. He improved to 2-2 on the year with the win.

Terres fouled off three pitches with a full count to coax a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth and moved to second on a sac bunt from Meland. The Cobbers chose to intentionally walk sophomore third baseman Jack Schramel (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral), but senior catcher Dominick Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) worked an 11-pitch at-bat to his favor, a walk, to load the bases. 

Gruber took a first-pitch ball from CC's Colin Richards, a former teammate at Minnewaska Area High School, and drove the second pitch over the drawn-in right-fielder for the walkoff RBI.

Dickmeyer surrendered two hits in five shutout innings and did not earn the win. He now has a 1.18 ERA and a .194 opponent batting average in 38 innings pitched this season.

Sophomore Taylor Fourre (Albany, Minn.) gave up one hit in a scoreless sixth inning.

The Johnnies host Augsburg (11-11, 3-5 MIAC) for a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader on Friday, April 27.