Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Saint John's baseball launched five home runs in a doubleheader sweep of Bethel, 8-0 and 5-4, on Wednesday, April 21, at Hargis Park.

Junior catcher Ethan Roe (Golden Valley, Minn./Blake) hit two home runs in game one, his second and third homers in five at-bats going back to Sunday's 11-5 win over Augsburg, and senior Nick Penick (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) pitched the complete-game shutout for SJU (17-8, 7-7 MIAC).

Roe now has 11 home runs in 23 games this spring, which ties him with Brent Schloe '00 for the second-most in an SJU season, one behind the record of 12 set by former teammate Joey Stock '20 in 2019.

The Johnnies came back from two, two-run deficits and crushed three homers in game two.

Game 1
Roe blasted his first homer on the first pitch he saw with one out in the top of the second inning and made it 3-0 with a two-out, two-run shot in the top of the fourth. 

Sophomore second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) walked to start the fifth, moved to third on a double from junior outfielder Soren Roe (Golden Valley, Minn./Blake), and both runners scored on one-out, two-run single from freshman outfielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury).

A two-out, two-run double from Soren Roe and an RBI single from sophomore shortstop Matt Hayford (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) ended the game's scoring in the top of the sixth inning.

Penick allowed five hits, all singles, and struck out four in the shutout. The Royals threatened in the bottom of the fifth when a leadoff single advanced to second on a wild pitch with nobody out. Penick, however, struck out two and coaxed a groundout to end the inning. He is now 5-0 with a 2.40 ERA, .197 opponent batting average and 36 strikeouts in a team-leading 41.1 innings this season.

Although he struck out six in five innings, SJU tagged BU's Matthew Bohlke with five runs on five hits. He entered Wednesday's start with a 3-0 record, 2.10 ERA and a .192 opponent batting average in 34.1 innings pitched this spring.

Game 2
The Royals (15-9, 9-5 MIAC) gained a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of unearned runs off sophomore Casey Trapp (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) in the bottom of the first inning.

Soren Roe tied the game with a two-out homer in the top of the third inning, but BU regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

The long ball came in handy for SJU once again, as freshman third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) and sophomore designated hitter Max Nyrop (Alameda, Calif.) hit back-to-back homers with two outs to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning.

Sophomore shortstop Lucas Ammons (Minneapolis, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) brought in what proved to be the game-winning run with a two-out single in the top of the seventh. 

Trapp earned his first win of the season (1-4 record), allowing the four runs (two earned) on seven hits in seven innings. He now touts a 1.83 ERA, .188 opponent batting average and a team-high 45 strikeouts in 39.1 innings this spring.

Junior Nathan Brandecker (South St. Paul, Minn.) struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning and sophomore Alex Otto (Monticello, Minn.) pitched a scoreless ninth to record his second save of the season.

The tying run reached third (with the go-ahead run on second) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Otto induced a groundball to end the game.

BU left 17 men on base and batted .167 (3-for-18) with runners in scoring position on the day.

Soren Roe led SJU's bats with a 4-for-6 performance, including the homer and two doubles. His twin brother, Ethan, scored four runs and also posted a double with the two dingers. 

The Johnnies are now 44-28 against BU since 1988, including wins in each of the last five games at Hargis Park.

SJU plays host to Carleton for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 24, at Becker Park and visits the Knights for a nine-inning game at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 25, in Northfield.