Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - Saint John's baseball dropped two games at Bethel on Sunday, April 10, at Hargis Park.

The Johnnies (11-13, 3-3 MIAC) lost a 3-0 lead by allowing four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one's 4-3 defeat, SJU's fifth one-run loss of the season, and suffered a 13-3 loss in seven innings in the nightcap. SJU committed four errors in game two and batted .125 with runners on base (3-for-24) and with runners in scoring position (2-for-16) on the day. The Royals (18-3, 5-1 MIAC), meanwhile, went 8-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Fifteen of BU's 17 runs scored came in three innings.

Game 1
The Johnnies broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore designated hitter Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) put the first run on the scoreboard with a leadoff home run, his fourth of the season and seventh of his career. Sophomore third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) doubled with one out and junior first baseman Max Nyrop (Alameda, Calif.) brought him in with a double of his own with two outs.

Senior catcher Ethan Roe (Golden Valley, Minn./Blake) followed Schleper's lead with a leadoff home run, his sixth of the season and second in as many games, in the top of the sixth inning. The homer moved Roe into a tie with Matt Ode '98 for second in program history with 19, one behind the record of 20 held by Jed Riegelman '04.

Becker doubled to start the top of the seventh inning, but was stranded on third base. SJU finished 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Sophomore Kody Dalen (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen) walked the leadoff batter in the bottom seventh and was relieved by sophomore Griffin Larson (Edina, Minn.). Larson recorded the first out, a fielder's choice groundout, but hit the next batter on a 0-2 count and followed that with a walk to load the bases. Noah Wenberg recorded an RBI single and Justin Winterfeldt tied the game with a two-run double. SJU elected to re-load the bases with an intentional walk before Marcus Krupke ended the game with a sacrifice fly to left field.

SJU out-hit BU by a 9-7 margin, but issued nine free passes (six walks and three hit batsmen). The Johnnies' defense turned three double plays.

Dalen was credited with one earned run on five hits in the no-decision. He struck out two and walked four in six innings.

BU starting pitcher Ty Koehn allowed two runs on six hits (three doubles and a homer), in five innings. He struck out 10, including five in the first trip through the lineup, and walked one.

Game 2
Bethel broke the scoreless game open with six runs on six hits in the bottom of the third inning. Koehn hit a leadoff, wind-aided home run to make it 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth and the Royals added five more runs (only one was earned), including a grand slam, in the sixth.

Sophomore outfielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) erased the shutout with a solo home run, his first of the season and second of his career, with one out in the top of the seventh inning. Junior shortstop Matthew Hayford (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) singled with two outs and scored on a two-run homer off the bat of Becker to make it 12-3. The dinger was Becker's fifth of the season.

Nick Kulseth reached second base on an error to start the bottom of the seventh and scored on an RBI single from Keenan Hodgkin to end the game via the 10-run rule.

Sophomore Quinn Krueger (Woodbury, Minn.) made his first collegiate start and took the loss (2-2 record), allowing six runs on seven hits in three innings. 

BU's Max Sutter entered the game with a 5-0 record, 0.73 ERA, .221 opponent batting average and 40 strikeouts in 37 innings.

Hayford led SJU's bats in game two with two hits, including a double.

Becker went 3-for-8, in which all three hits were for extra bases (two doubles and the homer), on the day.

The Johnnies play host to Hamline for a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday, April 13, in Collegeville.