Box Score
TUCSON, Ariz. – Saint John's baseball started its Tucson trip with a 12-6 win over NAIA Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU)-American Indian College on Saturday, March 16.
The Johnnies (7-4 overall) clubbed eight extra-base hits, including six doubles, and batted .500 (8-for-16) with two outs and .438 (7-for-16) with runners in scoring position on the day. Seven of the team's 11 RBI came with two outs.
Senior pitcher
Quinn Krueger (Woodbury, Minn.) earned the win with an impressive performance in relief. He allowed two hits and struck out seven in the final 5.2, scoreless innings.
SJU gained an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when senior second baseman
Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single off the bat of senior center fielder
Jordan Amundson (Eden Prairie, Minn.).
The scoring spilled over to the second inning for two more runs and a 3-0 lead. Senior designated hitter
Owen Best (Aurora, Colo./Regis Jesuit) reached on a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a one-out, bunt single from sophomore shortstop
Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes). Both runners moved up a base via wild pitch before senior right fielder
Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) roped an RBI single and Dauk added a sacrifice fly.
The Warriors (6-15 overall) cut their deficit to one – 3-2 – thanks to three-straight hits with one out in the top of the third inning. SJU earned a run back with a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a single from senior left fielder
Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) followed by a double from Best.
SAGU gained a 6-4 lead with four runs (three earned) on four hits in the top of the fourth inning, but the Johnnies scored eight unanswered runs over the final five innings, beginning with a two-run blast from senior third baseman
Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) with two outs in the bottom half of the fourth. The game-tying homer (6-6) was Becker's third long ball of the season and 12th of his career, which tied him with four others for 10th in program history.
Becker doubled with two outs in his next at-bat in the sixth inning and scored on another RBI single from Amundson for what proved to be the game-winning run. SJU added two more runs in the seventh and plated three in the eighth.
Schleper started the bottom of the seventh with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice from Best. Junior catcher
Blake Mellgren (Northfield, Minn.) doubled in the next at-bat and Erickson brought in Best with an infield single with two outs. Another wild pitch enabled Mellgren to score.
Becker opened the bottom of the eighth inning with a triple and crossed the plate on a double from Amundson, who scored on a sacrifice fly from Schleper. Marquardt ended the scoring with a two-out, RBI single.
Becker and Amundson both went 3-for-5 at the plate. Becker collected nine total bases, two RBI and three runs scored, while Amundson led the team with three RBI.
Freshman
Carter Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.) made his second collegiate start and allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits in 3.1 innings for the no-decision.
SJU faces Wesleyan (Conn.) for a 9:30 a.m. PT doubleheader on Sunday, March 17.
