Game 1 Box Score |
Game 2 Box Score
TUCSON, Ariz. – Saint John's baseball ended its six-game trip in Arizona with a doubleheader sweep of Oberlin (Ohio), 12-2 and 10-4, on Monday, March 20, in Tucson.
The Johnnies (8-8 overall) took advantage of 20 walks (with three batsmen) and batted .350 (21-for-60) with seven doubles on the day. SJU broke open game one with an eight-run first inning and erased a 3-0 deficit with 10-straight runs over the final four innings.
Game 1: Saint John's 12, Oberlin 2
The Johnnies answered Oberlin's single scored in the top of the first inning with eight on just three hits, thanks to five free passes (four walks and a hit batsman) and an error, in the bottom half. The Yeomen walked in the first run before junior first baseman
Owen Best (Aurora, Colo./Regis Jesuit) cleared the bases with a double. Two more runs came in on groundouts – a fielding error and fielder's choice – and senior second baseman
Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) executed a squeeze bunt to make it 7-1. Junior third baseman
Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) ended the inning's scoring with an RBI single.
Best doubled again in the second inning and scored on the ensuing RBI single from junior left fielder
Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) and senior centerfielder
Luke McElroy (St. Paul, Minn./Central) brought in a run with a groundout in the fourth. Senior catcher
Zach Selchow (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) plated two on a two-out single in the fifth to end SJU's scoring.
Senior
Cade Marsolek (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) took care of the rest, allowing two unearned runs on four hits in his first start of the season (seventh of his career). He struck out six and walked one in six innings for the win (2-0 record). Sophomore
Kade Bowar (Burnsville, Minn.) pitched a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts.
Game 2: Saint John's 10, Oberlin 4
The Yeomen (2-5 overall) gained a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but the Johnnies started their rally with two outs in the top of the fourth. Senior catcher
Matt Herold (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) walked, junior right fielder
Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) doubled and Dauk walked to load the bases before Becker put SJU on the scoreboard with an RBI single. Erickson then scored on a wild pitch.
Two walks and a single loaded the bases for SJU in the fifth and Herold tied the game with a fielder's choice groundout. Back-to-back, RBI doubles off the bats of junior centerfielder
Jordan Amundson (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Best gave the Johnnies the lead for good in the sixth as they added five more in the seventh. Becker and junior first baseman
Andrew Mahlke (Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen) recorded two-run singles and Schleper ended the scoring with an RBI single of his own.
Senior
Jack Haring (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) made his ninth relief appearance – filling in for junior
Alex Gwost (Little Falls, Minn.) with two runners on base and nobody out in the second inning – and recorded the three outs to end the threat. Sophomore
Connor Hartley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Rosemount) entered the game in the third inning and earned his first collegiate win in relief. He struck out three and gave up one hit in four scoreless innings.
Becker (4-for-8) and Best (4-for-7) led the Johnnies with four hits and four RBI each in the sweep. Best collected three doubles and five runs scored. Sophomore shortstop
Jackson Peter (Elrosa, Minn./Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) went 3-for-5 with a double and reached base four other times via walk.
For the trip, Becker batted .458 (11-for-24) and led SJU in RBI (9) and runs scored (8).
The Johnnies are scheduled to host Crown for their home opener at 1 p.m. this Saturday, March 25, in Collegeville.
