Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Saint John's baseball battled Hamline to a doubleheader split on Monday, April 8, at CHS Field.

A pinch-hit grand slam with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning lifted Hamline (10-16, 3-5 MIAC) to a 5-1 win in game one but SJU (12-8, 4-2 MIAC) batted 8-for-17 with runners on base and 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the 8-4 victory in the nightcap. The Johnnies left nine men on base and batted only 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position (2-for-13 with runners on) in the loss.

Game 1 (at Hamline 5, Saint John's 1)
An infield single with two outs – a pitch after the umpire flinched on calling strike three to end the inning – came around to score on an RBI single to give Hamline a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

SJU left the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings, and left the tying run on third base in the fifth. The Johnnies final broke through with the game-tying run in the top of the sixth inning. Senior left fielder Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) started the frame with a double and advanced to third on a groundout from senior designated hitter Owen Best (Aurora, Colo./Regis Jesuit). Junior first baseman Jackson Peter (Elrosa, Minn./Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) walked before junior catcher Blake Mellgren (Northfield, Minn.) roped an RBI single through the left side of the infield to tie the game at 1-1. A strikeout and groundout ended the threat, however.

The strike zone shrunk for Kody Dalen (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen), as the senior issued three-straight walks to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Jeremy Klick (Maple Grove, Minn.) came on in relief, but pinch hitter Jack Rheineck smacked the first pitch he saw over the right-field wall for the go-ahead grand slam.

Dalen took the loss (2-2 record), allowing four runs on five hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out four and walked five. Dalen is now fourth in program history with 161 career strikeouts, 40 from the record of 201 owned by Joel Swenson '99. 

Game 2 (Saint John's 8, at Hamline 4)
SJU broke out of the gate with seven hits and scored six two-out runs in the top of the first inning. Senior center fielder Jordan Amundson (Eden Prairie, Minn.) tripled home a run and scored when the throw skipped into the SJU dugout. Schleper followed with his second double of the day (35th of his career) and scored on an RBI single off the bat of senior designated hitter Andrew Mahlke (Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen). Peter reached on an infield single and Mellgren tallied his second RBI single of the afternoon to make it 4-0. Sophomore shortstop Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) ended the scoring with a two-run double.

The Pipers loaded the bases with a single and two walks (one intentional) with nobody out in the bottom of the second inning, but senior pitcher Griffin Larson (Edina, Minn.) tallied three-straight strikeouts to end the inning. HU later cut its deficit to 6-4 with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth inning.

SJU tacked on some insurance with another two-out rally in the top of the eighth inning. Marquardt followed a walk from Mellgren with a single, his career-high third of the game, before senior right fielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) made it 7-4 with an RBI single. A wild pitch plated Marquardt for the four-run lead (8-4). The visitors finished 9-for-22 (.409) with two outs on the day.

Larson improved to 3-0 on the year with the win, allowing the four runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three. Larson entered the day as the NCAA Division III leader in both ERA (0.47) and hits allowed per nine innings (2.37) and was fourth in WHIP (0.68).

Senior Quinn Krueger (Woodbury, Minn.) held HU in check for the four-inning save. He allowed only one hit with five strikeouts in relief.

Marquardt led the Johnnies' bats with a 4-for-7 performance in the twin bill, while Amundson and Mellgren added three hits apiece.

The Johnnies return home to host Minnesota-Morris (9-11, 4-2 UMAC) for a 9-inning non-conference game at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at Haugen Field at Becker Park.