Andrew Mahlke CHS_Graham Miller
Senior Andrew Mahlke (center) hit two doubles and drove in three runs in the loss (image courtesy of Graham Miller).
7
Saint John's Univ. SJU 24-15
17
Winner Bethel University BU 23-14
Saint John's Univ. SJU
24-15
7
Final
17
Bethel University BU
23-14
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Saint John's Univ. SJU 2 0 2 3 0 0 0 0 7 13 7
Bethel University BU 0 0 0 2 3 2 3 7 17 12 0

W: Jordan Axberg (4-0) L: Fazio, Will (2-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Ryan Klinkner, SJU Athletic Media Relations Director

Lead Slips Away for SJU in Postseason Opener


Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Third-seeded Saint John's baseball built a 7-0 lead but second-seeded Bethel scored 17-straight runs to hand the Johnnies a 17-7 defeat in eight innings at the first day of the MIAC Tournament on Thursday night, May 9, at CHS Field.

The Johnnies (24-15, 13-7 MIAC) face fourth-seeded Saint Mary's (20-17, 13-7 MIAC), which fell to top-seeded St. Olaf 11-1 in seven innings earlier today, in an elimination game at noon Friday, May 10, in St. Paul.

SJU out-hit BU (23-14, 13-7 MIAC) 13-12 but issued 12 free passes (nine walks and three hit batsmen) and committed seven errors, which led to eight unearned runs, in the loss.

Senior third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) broke SJU's single-season record for RBI on a two-run home run – his 12th of the season – in the top of the first inning. The two RBI pushed his season total to 53, which eclipsed the previous record of 52 set by Ryan Roder '97 in 1997.

Senior right fielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) started the game with his 14th double of the season, but was picked off at second base. Senior second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) followed with a single and Becker smashed the two-run homer to left for the early lead.

After Bethel loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning and did not score, SJU tacked on two more runs, all with two outs, in the top of the third. Senior left fielder Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) reached on a fielder's choice for the second out and senior designated hitter Andrew Mahlke (Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen) dropped a Texas-league double into no-man's land in center field to extend the inning. Senior center fielder Jordan Amundson (Eden Prairie, Minn.) then followed with a two-strike, two-run single to right center.

Sophomore shortstop Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) started the fourth inning with a single, Erickson walked and Dauk was hit by a pitch for the 70th time of his career to load the bases with nobody out. BU starting pitcher Ty Koehn was able to get two-straight outs, but Mahlke laced a bases-clearing double to right-center for a 7-0 lead.

The Royals erased the shoutout with two unearned runs in the bottom half of the fourth and cut their deficit to 7-5 on a two-out, three-run double from Noah Wenberg in the bottom of the fifth. The double was the third of the season for Wenberg, BU's No. 9 batter in the lineup.

A pair of hit batsmen came around to score, one unearned, to tie the game for BU in the bottom of the sixth inning and another two-out, bases-clearing double gave the Royals a 10-7 lead in the bottom of the seventh. An infield single with two outs, followed by two walks, loaded the bases before Xavier Lortie dropped a double into the right-field corner.

BU batted around in the eighth inning, scoring seven runs on just one hit thanks to four errors and four free passes (three walks and a hit batter), to invoke the 10-run rule.

Junior lefty Will Fazio (Minneapolis, Minn./Blake) took the loss (2-2 record), allowing six runs (five earned) on two hits with four walks in an inning pitched.

Junior Connor Hartley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Rosemount) made the start and gave up three runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings for the no-decision.

Five Johnnies – Amundson, Becker, Mahlke, Marquardt and junior first baseman Jackson Peter (Elrosa, Minn./Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) – all had two hits apiece.



 
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