Box Score

NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Saint John's baseball completed the series sweep of Carleton with its 20th win of the season, 12-2 in seven innings, on Monday, April 26, at Mel Taube Field.

The game was originally scheduled for Sunday (April 25), following the Johnnies' doubleheader sweep (5-3 and 12-2) on Saturday in Collegeville, but was postponed to Monday due to weather. 

The Johnnies (20-8, 10-7 MIAC) took advantage of 12 free passes, nine walks and three hit batsmen, to earn their eighth consecutive win.

Freshman outfielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury), who hit a ground-rule double to start both games of Saturday's doubleheader against the Knights, tripled to start the contest. He scored on an RBI double off the bat of sophomore designated hitter Max Nyrop (Alameda, Calif.) to give the visitors a quick 1-0 advantage three batters in. A balk increased the lead to 2-0, and sophomore catcher Zach Selchow  (Apple Valley, Minn.) and junior outfielder Soren Roe (Golden Valley, Minn./Blake) walked to re-load the bases. Sophomore second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) earned an RBI the hard way, a hit-by-pitch, and two more runs crossed the plate on bases-loaded walks by freshman shortstop Landon Peterson (Minneapolis, Minn./Blake) and Erickson. A new Carleton pitcher recorded the third and final out.

Carleton (2-13, 0-13 MIAC) scored a run thanks to a triple and ensuing single in the bottom of the second, and added another in the sixth before loading the bases with nobody out. Sophomore Hunter Ault (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) took the call from the bullpen and ended the threat with three straight outs: a soft lineout, strikeout and groundout.

SJU gained the 10-run advantage with seven runs, all with two outs, in the top of the seventh inning. Peterson brought in the first of the seven runs with a bases-loaded walk, his second of the game, and a passed ball made it 7-2. Erickson followed with a 2-run single and freshman third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) walked before Nyrop hit a 3-run homer off the top of the right-centerfield fence. The blast was the sixth of the season for Nyrop, who now has a team-leading 34 RBI in 28 games this spring.

Sophomore Cade Marsolek (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) allowed two runs on eight hits for his first collegiate win. He struck out six in five innings. Sophomore Alex Otto (Monticello, Minn.) pitched a scoreless seventh to close the game.

Erickson ended the day 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs scored and two walks. He finished 6-for-10 with seven RBI, five walks, four runs and three doubles from the leadoff spot in the three-game series.

The Johnnies play host to Macalester (6-12, 6-12 MIAC) for a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday, April 28, at Becker Park.