Box Score

FT. MYERS, Fla. – Saint John's baseball recorded 18 hits but dropped its fourth-straight game with a 16-10 defeat to Hiram (Ohio) on Thursday, March 7.

The hit parade consisted of 15 singles, a double and two triples for the Johnnies (3-4 overall), who batted 7-for-17 (.412) with runners in scoring position but went 2-for-11 (.182) with two outs and left 12 men on base. All of Hiram's 16 hits were singles, four of which never left the infield.

Three Johnnie seniors – center fielder Jordan Amundson (Eden Prairie, Minn.), second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) and left fielder Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) – recorded three hits apiece. Amundson and Dauk each went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Schleper was 3-for-5 with four RBI. 

The game was originally scheduled for 9 a.m. ET Thursday morning but was postponed to a 2 p.m. ET start due to weather.

Hiram (3-3 overall) started the game's scoring with three runs on four singles in the top of the first inning and SJU answered with two runs on three-straight hits in the bottom half. Senior right fielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) singled and scored on Dauk's triple, his second of the season and seventh of his career. Senior designated hitter Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) then brought in Dauk with an RBI single.

The Johnnies took the lead – 6-3 – with four runs on six hits in the bottom of the third inning. Dauk sparked the offense with his second extra-base hit of the afternoon, a double and moved to third on another single from Becker. Amundson tied the game with an RBI single and both he and Becker moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt from junior third baseman Jackson Peter (Elrosa, Minn./Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa). Schleper plated both baserunners with a single and sophomore shortstop Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) followed with a single before junior catcher Blake Mellgren (Northfield, Minn.) ended the scoring with an RBI, infield single with two outs.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Terriers scored five runs on five singles and two free passes in the top of the fourth inning and added four more on just two hits to gain a 12-6 lead in the top of the fifth. Back-to-back walks and a two-out single extended the margin to 13-6 in the top of the sixth.

SJU tallied two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dauk was hit by a pitch and scored on an Amundson triple and Peter followed with an RBI single. Hiram responded with a two-out run, thanks to two walks and two singles, in the top of the seventh and added two more with two outs in the top of the eighth.

Schleper brought SJU to within six (16-10) with a one-out, two-run single in the bottom of the eighth. A fielding error on the play enabled him to reach third base, but he was stranded there. Schleper is now 5-for-9 with five RBI over his last two games.

Freshman Carter Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.) made his first collegiate start (second appearance) and took the loss. He allowed eight runs on nine hits and struck out five in four innings.

The Johnnies play a doubleheader against Baruch (N.Y.) at 3 p.m. ET Friday, March 8.