Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Gustavus Adolphus handed No. 22 Saint John's two defeats, 9-3 and 7-2, on Saturday, April 3, in Collegeville.

The Gusties (9-1, 4-1 MIAC) broke game one open with a four-run fifth inning and dissolved a 2-2 stalemate with five runs in the eighth inning of game two.

The Johnnies totaled 20 strikeouts at the plate, left 20 men on base and batted 6-for-31 (.194) with runners on base (4-for-16 with runners in scoring position) in the two games.

Game 1
The Gusties coaxed three groundball singles for a run in the first inning and put together back-to-back singles with two outs for another in the second. Cole Pengilly singled to start the third inning, stole second and scored when Ethan Mocchi's line drive went off junior pitcher Nathan Brandecker (South St. Paul, Minn.) and into right field. It was that kind of day for GAC.

The Johnnies (10-4, 0-3 MIAC) tallied two unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning, but Pengilly hit a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to give the visitors a 5-2 lead. The Gusties added four runs, three earned, in the fifth.

Sophomore designated hitter Max Nyrop (Alameda, Calif.) ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Nyrop finished 2-for-2 in game one and 4-for-6 in the doubleheader.

Brandecker was saddled with the loss (0-1 record), allowing four runs on nine hits in three innings. Freshman Kody Dalen (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen) was tagged for five runs, four earned, on five hits in two innings. Sophomore Sam Hanson (Sartell, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) held the Gusties off the scoreboard for the final two innings.

Game 2
Senior pitcher Nick Penick (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) held Gustavus, which recorded 27 hits in the series' first two games, to two runs (one earned) on six hits in the first seven innings for the no-decision.

GAC manufactured a run in the fifth inning thanks to a bloop single, infield single and a fielder's choice. The Gusties made it 2-0 in the sixth inning on consecutive errors by SJU and a chop single to the shortstop.

SJU answered in the bottom half of the sixth when freshman third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) ripped a two-out, RBI single up the middle for his first collegiate hit.

The Johnnies tied the game at 2-2 with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Gusties responded with five runs – in which four were unearned – in the top of the eighth.

Sophomore Matt Herold (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) took the loss in game two. He surrendered five runs (one earned) on two hits, but one was a three-run homer off the bat of the reigning MIAC Player of the Week, Jack Hanson.

Sophomore Hunter Ault (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) struck out two in a scoreless ninth.

The Johnnies travel to face Concordia for a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday, April 7, in Moorhead.