Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

DULUTH, Minn. – Saint John's baseball spoiled a complete-game, one-hitter from junior lefty Casey Trapp (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) and settled for a doubleheader split with St. Scholastica on Tuesday, April 19, at Wade Stadium in Duluth. 

The Johnnies (16-14, 8-4 MIAC) took the opener with an 8-2 victory and out-hit St. Scholastica (7-11, 2-4 MIAC) by a 7-1 margin, including four doubles, but batted 0-for-9  with runners in scoring position (1-for-15 with runners on base) in a 2-1 defeat in the nightcap. The feels-like temperature dipped into the upper 20's during the loss, which was SJU's sixth by one run this season. CSS batted .096 (5-for-52) on the day.

Game 1
SJU gained a 3-0 lead thanks to three hits and an error in the top of the first inning. Sophomore third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) and junior first baseman Max Nyrop (Alameda, Calif.) reached via infield singles before senior right fielder Soren Roe (Golden Valley, Minn./Blake) opened the scoring with an RBI double. Sophomore center fielder Jordan Amundson (Eden Prairie, Minn.) made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat and Roe came around to score on an error off the bat of his twin brother, senior catcher Ethan Roe (Golden Valley, Minn./Blake).

The Saints tallied back-to-back RBI hits, a single and a double, with two outs to cut its deficit to one run in the bottom half of the first inning. Nyrop, however, gave a run back to the visitors with an RBI single of his own with two outs in the top of the second.

The Johnnies padded their lead with four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Nyrop came through once again with an RBI double and moved to third on a flyout from Soren Roe. He then scored on Amundson's RBI single. Following a balk, Ethan Roe reached on an infield single and both runners scored on a two-out double from sophomore designated hitter Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.).

Senior Nathan Brandecker (South St. Paul, Minn.) improved to 5-1 with the victory. He allowed the two runs on four hits in six innings of work. Trapp, the reigning MIAC Pitcher of the Week, recorded the final three outs in relief.

Game 2
Trapp cruised to two outs in the bottom of the third inning before the Saints tacked on two unearned runs thanks to three walks, an error and two wild pitches. Scholastica's lone hit of the game came with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.

Amundson doubled to start the seventh inning, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on sophomore left fielder Rodney Erickson's (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) sac fly with one out.

The Johnnies threatened again in the eighth and ninth innings, but could not score the tying run. Junior shortstop Matthew Hayford (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) doubled to start the eighth and moved to third on a flyout from Becker, but was stranded. Amundson and Erickson reached with infield singles in the ninth, but were left on second and first base, respectively.

Trapp struck out seven and walked four (plus a hit batter) in eight innings, his first loss (3-1 record) and fourth complete game of the season.

Amundson (3-for-6) and Nyrop (4-for-8) both batted .500 with two RBI on the day. Nyrop roped two doubles to Amundson's one. 

The Johnnies play host to Macalester for Alumni Day at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in Collegeville.