Saint John's baseball hits the road for a pair of doubleheaders over the next three days, beginning with a 1 p.m. showdown at Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, April 6, in St. Peter. The Johnnies then face Hamline at 2:30 p.m. Monday, April 8, at CHS Field in St. Paul. – Live Stats (Saturday) | Live Video (Saturday) | Live Stats (Monday) | Live Video (Monday)

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (9-7, 1-1 MIAC) mustered only three hits on the day but salvaged a doubleheader split with Bethel to open the 2024 MIAC schedule on Wednesday (April 3) in Collegeville.
 
Bethel scored eight runs (five earned) – four in each of the first two innings – en route to an 8-1 win in game one. But while Royals pitcher John Solfest threw a nine-inning no-hitter in game two, he did not get the decision. Junior first baseman Jackson Peter (Elrosa, Minn./Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) gave SJU the split with a two-out, walk-off single – the Johnnies' first hit of the game – in the bottom of the 10th inning for the 1-0 victory.
 
The Johnnies batted .058 (3-for-52) on the afternoon, including going 1-for-10 with runners on base and 1-for-17 with two outs. BU did not fare much better as the visitors finished with a .161 average (10-for-62), including finishing 3-for-19 (.158) with runners in scoring position and 1-for-19 with two outs against SJU's pitching staff, which posted 16 strikeouts and 13 walks in 17 innings.

Game 1
The wind (NNW at 20 MPH), free passes and errors proved a disastrous combination for SJU in the first two innings of the opener. A pair of miscues, one of which was wind-aided, and two walks led to four runs (two earned) off senior pitcher Kody Dalen (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen) in the top of the first inning. The Royals tacked on four more (three earned) in the second.
 
Senior left fielder Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) launched his first home run of the season and 12th of his career with one out in the bottom of the fifth for SJU's lone run. A leadoff single from senior second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) in the fourth was the Johnnies' other hit. SJU recorded five lineouts at the plate.
 
Dalen took the loss, his first of the season (2-1 record) and fourth of his career (14-4 career record), allowing the eight runs (five earned) on six hits in three innings. He struck out three and walked three.
 
Senior Quinn Krueger (Woodbury, Minn.) allowed two hits over the final four scoreless innings of relief.

Game 2
Dauk started the bottom of the 10th inning with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) and advanced to third on a groundout from senior center fielder Jordan Amundson (Eden Prairie, Minn.). Peter took his first pitch for a strike before he ripped a groundball past the out-stretched glove of BU shortstop Zach Thompson through the left side of the infield to score Dauk from third. The walk-off hit was Peter's second at home this season. His first was an RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning of SJU's 3-2 win over Wisconsin-Superior in Feb. 26's season opener.
 
Solfest issued a leadoff, four-pitch walk to Amundson in the second inning and plunked Becker on a 2-0 pitch with one out in the fourth. Other than that, the fifth-year pitcher cruised to the nine-inning no-hitter, throwing 103 pitches (68 for strikes). SJU recorded four outs on the first pitch of the at-bat and three more on the second against Solfest.
 
A trio of Johnnies, however, combined for the two-hit shutout. Senior Griffin Larson (Edina, Minn.) made the start and gave up a single in the fourth inning for the no-decision. He struck out seven, but walked seven (one intentionally), in five innings of work. 
 
An infield single was the lone blemish for senior Jeremy Klick (Maple Grove, Minn.), who followed with four scoreless innings and two strikeouts, while junior Connor Hartley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Rosemount) struck out three batters in the 10th inning for the win (2-2 record).

RECORD BOOK UPDATE: Becker is currently third in school history in doubles (35), six from the program record of 41 owned by Matt Butorac '11. Becker is also fifth in RBI (102), tied for seventh in total bases (230), tied for eighth in triples (7) and 10th in home runs (13). The program's all-time leader in hit-by-pitch with 57, senior second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) is also third in SJU history in runs scored (130), tied for fourth in triples (8), fifth in walks (71) and tied for ninth in doubles (29). Dauk needs four runs to tie Wyatt Ulrich '20 for the SJU record. Senior right fielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) is tied for fourth in triples (8), while senior left fielder Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) is tied for sixth in doubles (32).

DIVISION III LEADERS: The Johnnies are currently (through games of April 4) second out of 382 NCAA Division III teams in WHIP (1.12), are fourth in hits allowed per nine innings (6.91) and eighth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.00). Individually, Larson leads Division III in hits allowed per nine innings (2.37), is second in ERA (0.47) and fourth in WHIP (0.68). Hartley, meanwhile, is fifth in both strikeout-to-walk ratio (20.00) and walks allowed per nine innings (0.38).

STAT COMPARISONS
Batting Average
-GAC, .360
-HU, .291
-SJU, .253

Opponent Batting Average
-SJU, .208
-GAC, .251
-HU, .324

Slugging Percentage
-GAC, .557
-SJU, .397
-HU, .382

On-Base Percentage
-GAC, .459
-HU, .395
-SJU, .329

ERA
-SJU, 3.65
-GAC, 4.98
-HU, 6.75

Fielding Percentage
-GAC, .971
-SJU, .948
-HU, .931

A LOOK AT THE GUSTIES: Gustavus Adolphus (10-7, 2-0 MIAC) suffered a pair of home losses – 7-1 and 12-9 – to No. 8 Wisconsin-La Crosse yesterday (April 4). The Eagles broke open a 3-1 game with four runs in the top of the seventh and final inning in game one and tallied 10 runs after the sixth inning in game two. GAC leads Division III in batting average (.360) and slugging percentage (.557) and is second in on-base percentage (.459). Senior first baseman Chris Knowles leads the team with a .426 batting average (26-for-61), six home runs and 27 RBI. The 27 RBI are good for fourth in Division III. The 2023 MIAC Pitcher of the Year, senior Mitch Casperson is 4-1 with a 3.45 ERA, .254 opponent batting average and 33 strikeouts in 28.2 innings so far this spring.

LAST SPRING: The two teams split the regular-season series in 2023 before Gustavus topped SJU in the MIAC Tournament.

at Saint John's 7, Gustavus 2; Gustavus 11, at Saint John's 2 – April 30, 2023
Fueled by three RBI each from first baseman Max Nyrop '23 and Schleper, the Johnnies posted a 7-2 win in game one. SJU, however, left 10 men on base and allowed seven runs after the seventh inning in an 11-2 loss to the Gusties in the nightcap. The home team batted only .174 (4-for-23) with runners in scoring position and .125 (2-for-16) with two outs on the day.

Game 1
GAC gained an early 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a wind-aided homer and a two-out, RBI single. The lead lasted 15 minutes as Schleper roped a two-run double into the right-center gap in the bottom half of the inning.

The Johnnies took advantage of back-to-back walks to start the bottom of the third inning and Schleper smacked an RBI single up the middle for the go-ahead run.

Erickson made it 4-1 with a solo homer, his second of the season and fourth of his career, in the fourth inning and Nyrop drove in another with a two-out double. Nyrop ended the scoring with a two-run double in the sixth.

Hartley picked up the win in relief (2-1 record). He allowed only one hit and struck out three in three scoreless innings. 

Senior Wyatt Rudolf (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen) made the start and surrendered the two runs on four hits in three innings for the no-decision. 

The Johnnies handed GAC's Luke Siegle his first loss of the season (7-1). The sophomore righty entered the start with a 1.77 ERA and a .175 opponent batting average, but SJU tagged him with five runs on just three hits. He walked four and struck out three in 3.1 innings.

Game 2
Becker and Nyrop hit back-to-back doubles off the right-field fence in the first inning and Amundson brought in the game's first run with an infield, RBI single in the ensuing at-bat. 

Junior lefty Will Fazio (Minneapolis, Minn./Blake) started the game with three, no-hit innings before GAC broke through to tie the game in the fourth with a leadoff single and a two-out, RBI single. The Gusties added three solo homers – one to start the fifth inning and back-to-back with two outs in the sixth – to end Fazio's day.

Gustavus broke the 4-2 game open with six runs on seven hits in the eighth inning and plated another for good measure in the ninth.

Nyrop led SJU at the plate by going 4-for-8 with three doubles and three RBI on the afternoon. Becker and Peter followed with three hits apiece.

Gustavus 3, at Saint John's 2 – May 11, 2023 (MIAC Tournament)
SJU ended its 2023 season with a heart-breaking 3-2 loss to Gustavus in the MIAC Tournament in Collegeville. Knowles walked to start the bottom of the ninth, stole second and moved to third base on the second out of the inning (a flyout from Nick Azar). The strike zone shrunk as the next two GAC batters walked will full counts. Bryce Novak hit a 0-1 pitch to left-center for the walk-off single.

The Johnnies left eight men on base and batted 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position in the loss to finish 1-for-23 in the two playoff games.

Catcher Matt Herold '23 singled to start the third inning and moved to third base on back-to-back wild pitches. He was left on third base, however, as the Johnnies struck out twice and flew out to left to end the threat.

SJU loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, thanks to a leadoff walk from Becker and back-to-back hit batsmen, but went down via strikeout and groundout.

Gustavus broke the stalemate with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Patrick Timmer hit a double down the left-field line with one out and scored on a two-out single from Novak. Novak advanced two bases two third on a wild pitch and scored on another – a 2-2 pitch – to give GAC a 2-0 lead.

Nyrop doubled to start the sixth but was left on base with a groundout and two strikeouts.

Center fielder Luke McElroy '23 walked with one out in the top of the seventh inning and stole second base. Erickson followed with SJU's lone hit with runners in scoring, a single that took off the glove of GAC pitcher Damon Rademacher. McElroy cut SJU's deficit in half when Rademacher's pick-off throw went wide of first base.

Nyrop reached on an error to start the eighth inning, moved to third on a double from Peter and scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Schleper to tie the game.

Dalen allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings for the no-decision. He struck out a career-high 11 batters, including seven looking, and finished with 89 pitches (67 strikes).

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies lead the series with a 44-35 record since 1988, but just 19-16 during that span in St. Peter.

A LOOK AT THE PIPERS: Hamline (9-13, 2-2 MIAC) snapped a five-game losing streak and opened a six-game homestand with a sweep of Macalester, 2-1 and 4-0, yesterday (April 4) at CHS Field. Senior first baseman Tyler Johnson leads the Pipers in batting average (.407), OPS (1.162), hits (35-for-86), doubles (12), home runs (5) and RBI (34). The rest of the team is batting .275 this spring. Johnson's six sacrifice flies are second-most in Division III, while the 12 doubles are fifth nationally. On the mound, junior Parker Leipzig has made eight starts already this season and is 2-3 with a 4.83 ERA, .343 opponent batting average and 18 strikeouts (to 18 walks) in 31.2 innings pitched. HU plays host to Concordia Saturday before facing the Johnnies Monday.

LAST SEASON: SJU saw its eight-game win streak end with a pair of losses, 6-4 and 7-5, to Hamline last April 12 (2023) at CHS Field. The Johnnies, who entered the doubleheader batting .397 (50-for-126) over their previous four games, went just 14-for-64 (.219) at the plate against the Pipers. Opponents had batted nearly 100 points better (.318) vs. HU in the previous 21 games. 

SJU's leadoff batter reached base safely only once in the doubleheader's 16 innings, to HU's 9-for-14 showing. The Johnnies batted .444 with runners in scoring position, but only in nine opportunities (4-for-9), while the Pipers were 8-for-25 (.320).

Game 1
Hamline struck first when a leadoff walk came around to score – following a sacrifice bunt, stolen base and RBI groundout – in the bottom of the first inning.

Peter tied the game at 1-1 when he started the second inning with his second home run of the season, but the Pipers took advantage of a Texas-league single to start the bottom half of the inning, which scored on a double from Owen Christenson. HU added another run in the third inning on a two-out, RBI single from Mac Enlow and plated three more in the fifth for a 6-1 lead.

SJU cut its deficit to 6-4 with three two-out runs in the top of the sixth inning. Back-to-back doubles from Peter and Schleper gave the Johnnies their first run since the second inning and Herold followed with his second homer of the season.

HU's Zach Branson, who entered the game at 1-5 with a 9.42 ERA and a .358 opponent batting average in 28.2 innings this spring, earned the complete-game win. He surrendered the four runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one free pass (a walk). SJU recorded three infield pop-ups and four foul-outs in game one.

Dalen took the loss, allowing the six runs – his first of the season (first 8.1 innings were scoreless) – on eight hits. He struck out five and walked two. Junior Kade Bowar (Burnsville, Minn.) pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief.

Game 2
SJU gained an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI groundout from Amundson and Nyrop scored on a passed ball, but the Pipers scored three runs – two unearned – with two outs in the bottom half.

Erickson clubbed his first homer of the season (third of his career) with two outs in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 3-3. The deadlock did not last long as HU re-gained the lead with an unearned, two-out run in the bottom half of the second.

The back-and-forth game continued in the third as the Johnnies plated two runs – an RBI double from Amundson and an RBI single from Schleper – to go ahead 5-4. HU tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the fourth and picked up its third lead of the game, 7-5, with two runs in the fifth.

Casey Trapp '23 took the loss (2-3 record), allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts in four innings. Jack Haring '23 surrendered an RBI double and recorded the three outs to finish the fifth inning. Cade Marsolek '23 gave up one hit and struck out four over the final three scoreless innings.

Amundson (3-for-8) and Schleper (3-for-7) led SJU's bats with a double and two RBI each on the afternoon.

SERIES HISTORY: SJU boasts a 46-19 lead in the series against Hamline since 1993, but is just 17-13 on the Pipers' home diamond. Hamline's sweep of the Johnnies last season was its first in 10 years (April 27, 2013; 4-1 and 2-1 at Midway Stadium).