Saint John's baseball plays host to St. Scholastica for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 27, and Crown for a nine-inning non-conference game at 2:30 p.m. Monday, April 29, at Haugen Field at Becker Park. – Live Stats | Live Video

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (20-11, 9-5 MIAC) settled for its third-straight MIAC split on Tuesday (April 23) at Concordia. The Johnnies tallied a pair of five-run innings in a 14-7 win in game one to clinch their 10th-straight season with 20 wins or more. The visitors batted 7-for-15 with runners in scoring position and 5-for-11 with two outs in the victory.

SJU hit four home runs in game two but gave up a six-run third inning in a 9-6 loss in the nightcap. The specialty stats slowed to a 2-for-10 showing with runners in scoring position and 1-for-9 with two outs. 

Sophomore shortstop Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) led SJU with a 5-for-7 performance at the plate with three doubles, four runs scored and two RBI. Five different Johnnies homered in the twin bill.

Game 1 (Saint John's 14, at Concordia 7)
Senior left fielder Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) started the scoring for SJU with a solo home run, his third of the season and 14th of his career, with one out in the top of the second inning.

A hit batsmen and three walks tied the game at 1-1 for Concordia (11-19, 8-8 MIAC) in the bottom of the second inning before SJU exploded for five runs in the top of the third. Junior catcher Blake Mellgren (Northfield, Minn.) walked to start the frame and scored on an RBI double from Marquardt. Senior right fielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) reached on an error, which moved Marquardt to third. Senior second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) walked and Marquardt scored on the wild ball four. Both baserunners advanced a base on a failed pickoff attempt before senior third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) roped a two-run double down the left-field line for a 5-1 lead. Becker gained third base on a wild pitch and scored the inning's fifth run on a sacrifice fly from Schleper.

A leadoff double and two walks in the bottom of the fifth inning ended senior Griffin Larson's (Edina, Minn.) day before David Dorsey hit a 1-0 pitch from senior Quinn Krueger (Woodbury, Minn.) over the right-field fence for a grand slam to cut CC's deficit to 6-5. Dorsey hit three home runs in the doubleheader.

The Johnnies, however, answered with six runs in the top of the sixth. Junior first baseman Jackson Peter (Elrosa, Minn./Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) walked to start the inning and advanced to third on a double from Mellgren. Marquardt stroked an RBI single to right field on his second pitch from the new Cobber reliever and Mellgren scored when the catcher dropped the ball at the plate on a fielder's choice off the bat of Erickson. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Dauk walked to load the bases before Becker followed with a sac fly. Schleper and senior designated hitter Owen Best (Aurora, Colo./Regis Jesuit) made it 11-5 with back-to-back RBI singles with two outs.

Two Concordia hits that combined to travel 10 feet came around to score on a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth inning against senior Kody Dalen (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen), but the Johnnies responded once again with three more runs in the top of the seventh. Marquardt doubled with one out and Erickson followed with a single. Dauk plated Marquardt on an RBI groundout before Becker and Schleper tallied RBI singles.

Larson moved his season record to 5-0 with the win, allowing four runs on two hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out three and walked five.

Marquardt finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two doubles and two RBI, while Becker (2-for-4) and Schleper (3-for-4) drove in four runs each.

Game 2 (at Concordia 9, Saint John's 6)
Like Schleper in game one, Dauk gave SJU a quick 1-0 lead with a solo shot, his fifth home run of the season and 16th of his career, in the first inning. The lead was short-lived, however, as Dorsey hit his second home run of the day – this time a two-run blast – in the bottom half of the inning.

Senior designated hitter Andrew Mahlke (Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen) tied the game for SJU with his first collegiate home run in the top of the second inning.

Marquardt started the third with his third double of the day but did not score, which served as an omen for the bottom half of the inning when CC scored five runs without an out and added another for an 8-2 lead.

The Johnnies started the fourth inning in a similar fashion to the third, in that Schleper led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Peter then smacked a two-run homer, his fourth of the season and seventh as a Johnnie, with one out to cut the deficit to 8-4.

Erickson led off the fifth inning with a solo blast down the left-field line for his third homer of the season and ninth of his career, and Becker cut CC's lead to 8-6 with a two-out, RBI single in the seventh.

Mahlke doubled with one out in the eighth inning but the Johnnies struck out in the next two at-bats. Dorsey, meanwhile, gave the Cobbers some insurance with a two-out, solo homer to end the game's scoring in the bottom half.

Senior Wyatt Rudolf (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen) took the loss, allowing eight runs on seven hits in two innings. 

Junior Will Fazio (Minneapolis, Minn./Blake) pitched a dazzling six innings in relief. The lone blemish was the solo homer with two outs in the eighth. He struck out five and surrendered four hits.

Erickson (4-for-10) and Schleper (4-for-8) totaled four hits apiece. Erickson scored four runs, while Schleper posted four RBI and extended his hit streak to 14 games.

APPROACHING THE RBI RECORD: Becker led the team with five RBI on Tuesday and now has 48 on the year, four from the SJU single-season record of 52 set by Ryan Roder '97 in 1997. He is also two home runs from the SJU record of 13 set by former teammate Ethan Roe '22 in 2021 and is five from the career record of 25 also owned by Roe. Becker is also third in program history in total bases (271), fourth in doubles (37), fifth in runs scored (117), tied for eighth in hits (160) and tied for ninth in triples (7).

He is batting .474 (9-for-19) with two home runs, a double, 11 RBI and seven runs scored over the Johnnies' last five games.

HIT STREAK: Schleper is batting .442 (23-for-52) with two home runs, eight doubles, 17 RBI and 12 runs scored during a current 14-game hit streak. He needs one double to tie the program record of 41 owned by Matt Butorac '11 and is also tied for fifth in total bases (252), tied for ninth in home runs (14) and 10th in RBI (94).

RECORD BOOK UPDATE: In addition to Becker and Schleper in the SJU record book, Dauk is tied for third in walks (76), tied with Amundson for fifth in triples (8) and is eighth in three categories: home runs (16), doubles (31) and total bases (245). Erickson is tied with Wyatt Ulrich '20 for second in program history with 10 triples, one from the record of 11 held by Matt Boys '11, and is sixth in runs scored (114). Dalen is third in strikeouts with 171, one behind former teammate Casey Trapp '23 in second (172) and 30 from the program record of 201 owned by Joel Swenson '99. 

HOME COOKING: The Johnnies are batting .338, while holding the opposition to a .222 average, with 17 home runs and 30 other extra-base hits (27 doubles and three triples) through the team's first 11 home games (a 9-2 record). Dauk leads the way with a .474 batting average (18-for-38) – including .650 (13-for-20) with runners on base, .692 (9-for-13) with runners in scoring position and .667 (4-for-6) with two outs – with three homers, three doubles, 18 RBI and 16 runs scored. Becker, meanwhile, has a .410 average (16-for-39) that includes a .563 mark (9-for-16) with runners in scoring position and .467 (7-for-15) with two outs. He has five homers, four doubles, 21 RBI and 13 runs scored so far on the home diamond. The pitching staff has a .387 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 86 innings.

NATIONAL STATS: SJU is currently (through April 25) eighth in NCAA Division III in WHIP (1.27), 11th in hits allowed per nine innings (7.89) and 17th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.53). Individually, Larson is third nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (4.86), while junior Connor Hartley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Rosemount) is eighth in walks allowed per nine innings (1.00) and 11th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.00). Becker is 15th in both home runs (11) and RBI (48).

STAT COMPARISONS
Batting Average
-CSS, .334 (.303 in MIAC play)
-CRO, .317
-SJU, .300 (.298 in MIAC play)

Slugging Percentage
-CRO, .522
-CSS, .503 (.425 in MIAC play)
-SJU, .496 (.526 in MIAC play)

On-Base Percentage
-CSS, .418 (.373 in MIAC play)
-CRO, .402
-SJU, .379 (.388 in MIAC play)

ERA
-SJU, 4.49 (5.65 in MIAC play)
-CSS, 4.84 (5.20 in MIAC play)
-CRO, 7.88

Opponent Batting Average
-SJU, .233 (.263 in MIAC play)
-CSS, .264 (.277 in MIAC play)
-CRO, .312

Fielding Percentage
-CSS, .966 (.958 in MIAC play)
-SJU, .956 (.961 in MIAC play)
-CRO, .937

A LOOK AT THE SAINTS: St. Scholastica (20-11, 7-7 MIAC) ended a 10-game homestand with 7-3 record thanks to a 14-4 win in seven innings over Wisconsin-Superior on Wednesday (April 24). Fifth-year senior Jake Schelonka is batting .395 and leads the Saints in nearly every offensive category: runs scored (36), hits (45), doubles (12), home runs (9), RBI (45), slugging percentage (.789) and stolen bases (14-for-16). He is also 1-2 with a 3.80 ERA, .227 opponent batting average and 28 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched (five starts). Another fifth-year senior, Grant Taival, leads CSS with a 4-1 record, 2.88 ERA, .200 opponent batting average and 36 strikeouts in 34.1 innings. Junior Payton Jeffries leads the squad in both innings pitched (43.1) and strikeouts (41). CSS is ninth in Division III in triples (18).

LAST SEASON: doubleheader sweep of St. Scholastica – 4-3 and 13-1 in seven innings back on May 2 in Collegeville. The Johnnies held the Saints to four hits in game one's close decision and erupted for 14 hits for the lopsided win in game two.

SJU batted .356 (21-for-59) with seven extra-base hits on the day, to the Saints' .204 (10-for-49), including .455 (10-for-22) with two outs.

First baseman Max Nyrop '23 and Becker collected four hits apiece and combined for seven runs scored. Becker fell a home run shy of the cycle in the doubleheader.

Game 1 (at Saint John's 4, St. Scholastica 3)
The score swung between tied and in SJU's favor each of the first three innings. Becker tripled with one out in the bottom of the first inning and scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Nyrop to open the day's scoring. CSS tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the second inning, but the home team re-gained the lead with an unearned run of its own in the bottom half. A leadoff double came around to score on an RBI groundout for the Saints in the third inning and Erickson made it 3-2 with a solo home run, his third of the season and fifth of his career, to start the bottom of the third. 

A leadoff double came across to tie the game for St. Scholastica in the top of the fifth inning, but the Johnnies came through with what proved to be the game-winning run in the bottom half of the frame. Becker singled with two outs to start the rally, followed by an infield single from Nyrop and Amundson drove an 0-2 pitch through the right side for the RBI single.

Dalen improved to 3-2 with the victory after he allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. He struck out seven and walked three in 5.2 innings.

Jack Haring '23 relieved Dalen with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the sixth inning, but coaxed a three-pitch strikeout to end the Saints' threat.

Game 2 (at Saint John's 13, St. Scholastica 1; 7 inn.)
CSS struck first in game two on a two-out, solo homer in the top of the first inning. That was all the visitors would muster, however, as SJU broke out with a seven-run third inning and added three runs in both the fourth and fifth to induce the 10-run rule. Only two of the seven runs in the third were earned.

Dauk started the offensive blitz with a three-run blast, his third homer of the season and 11th of his career, in the bottom of the third.

Six Johnnies totaled two hits each in game two: Becker, Dauk, Nyrop, Best, Schleper and catcher Zach Selchow '23. Dauk and Peter posted three RBI apiece.

Erickson made the defensive play of the day in the top of the fifth in game two when he ran down a deep flyball up against the fence in the right-center gap and threw a one-hop throw to double up the baserunner at first base to end the inning.

Casey Trapp '23 evened his season record at 3-3 with the win. He allowed the lone run on five hits and struck out four in six innings of work. Jordon Huwe '23 completed the sweep with a scoreless seventh inning.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 11-3 all-time against Saints, including a 4-2 record in Collegeville. 

A LOOK AT THE POLARS: Crown (13-16, 11-5 UMAC) opened a three-game series against Martin Luther yesterday (April 25) with a 19-2 road win in seven innings. The two teams meet for a doubleheader on Saturday before the Polars visit SJU Monday. Fifth-year senior Howie Hatton leads the team in batting average (.395) and hits (45), while senior Mason Brock is first for Crown in runs scored (34), home runs (9) and RBI (31). Fifth-year senior Tristan Camp struck out 12 in Thursday's win and is 4-3 with a 4.58 ERA and 51 punchouts in 37.1 innings this spring. The Polars have hit 41 home runs so far this season and are sixth in Division III in homers per game (1.41) and eighth in slugging percentage (.522).

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 4-0 all-time against Crown on the baseball diamond, of which all four games were held in Collegeville: March 7, 2021 (W, 13-10); March 20, 2022 (W, 3-1 and W, 6-5); and Marh 25, 2023 (W, 12-9).

A YEAR AGO: earned a 12-9 non-conference win over Crown in the 2023 home opener last March 25. The Johnnies built a 10-2 lead thanks to a seven-run sixth inning, but the Polars hit a solo home run in the seventh and plated six in the eighth inning to cut the lead to one. SJU extended the lead to three with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The home team jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of RBI singles with two outs from Best and Schleper in the bottom of the first inning. Crown chipped away to tie the game at 2-2 with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but Becker gave the lead back to SJU with his second double of the game in the fifth ahead of the seven-run sixth.

Selchow started the scoring in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly and the Johnnies scored the remaining six runs with two outs. Dauk singled in Peter, Becker scored on a wild pitch and Nyrop and Amundson followed with RBI singles. Schleper brought in the final two runs with a single.

Crown matched the Johnnies' two-out effort in the eighth as all six runs (four earned) came across home plate after the second out was recorded thanks to three singles and a three-run homer.

Nyrop started the bottom of the eighth inning with his second double of the game and his pinch runner, junior Ryan Janzen (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral), scored on a sac fly from Peter. Amundson made it 12-9 on a wild pitch, Crown's sixth of the game.

Dalen made the start and was sharp in his first appearance of the season (due to injury) and allowed one hit with three strikeouts in two innings. Trapp pitched the next three innings and picked up the win. He gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits and struck out six. 

Nyrop led SJU with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, while Becker (2-for-4) and Schleper (2-for-3) added two hits apiece.