Nick Penick_Nick Gilman
Senior pitcher Nick Penick, pictured here from earlier this season in Collegeville, allowed three hits and struck out seven in nine innings (image courtesy of Nick Gilman).
1
Saint John's Univ. SJU 27-11
2
Winner Hamline University HU 14-24
Saint John's Univ. SJU
27-11
1
Final
2
Hamline University HU
14-24
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Saint John's Univ. SJU 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0
Hamline University HU 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 5 1

W: Schneider, Braden (2-3) L: Trapp, Casey (2-5)

Game Recap: Baseball |

SJU Drops Series Opener in 10 Innings, 2-1


Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Saint John's baseball opened the MIAC play-in series with a 2-1 loss in 10 innings at Hamline on Saturday, May 15, at CHS Field.

The fourth-seeded Johnnies (27-11 overall) host the series' final two games, both nine-inning contests, beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 16, in Collegeville. SJU needs to win both games to continue its season.

The Johnnies, who scored 10 runs or more in the three MIAC meetings against the Pipers two weeks ago, collected three hits in 10 innings - all for extra bases - and gave away 14 at-bats (11 strikeouts and three foulouts). SJU batted 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, 1-for-15 with runners on base and 0-for-10 with two outs. 

Senior Nick Penick (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) pitched a gem of a performance in the no-decision. He allowed three groundball singles and struck out seven, to two walks, in nine innings. He now touts a 6-0 record, 2.38 ERA, .200 opponent batting average and 56 strikeouts in a team-leading 64.1 innings this season.

Owen Christenson singled for HU (14-24 overall) through the right side with one out off sophomore Casey Trapp (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) in the bottom of the 10th and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Braeden Bourne, who entered the game batting .209 on the year, then ripped a 1-0 pitch into the left-field corner for the walk-off win.

Both teams' single runs came via RBI groundouts in the second inning. Junior outfielder Soren Roe (Golden Valley, Minn./Blake) was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved to third on a ground-rule double from his twin brother, Ethan Roe. Freshman outfielder Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) brought in Soren with an RBI groundout in the ensuing at-bat, but Ethan was stranded at third.

HU's Logan Tollefson reached on an infield single to second base in the bottom of the frame, stole second, moved to third on a sac bunt and scored on a groundout from Max Gerstner.

The Johnnies stranded a leadoff double from sophomore shortstop Matt Hayford (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) in the third inning and a one-out triple from freshman outfielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) in the fifth.

HU starting pitcher Zach Branson entered the game with a 3-6 record, 4.95 ERA, .293 opponent batting average and 49 strikeouts in 60 innings. He struck out nine, with four walks, and tossed 146 pitches Saturday.



 
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