Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's baseball ended its 2024 season with a 19-4 loss in seven innings to Saint Mary's on Friday, May 10, in the MIAC Tournament at CHS Field.

Fourteen hours after issuing 12 free passes (nine walks and three hit batsmen) in Thursday night's loss to open the tourney, Saint John's (24-16, 13-7 MIAC) handed out 13 more (eight walks and five hit batsmen) in Friday's season-ending defeat.

The Cardinals (21-17, 13-7 MIAC) gained a quick 2-0 lead thanks to three hits in the top of the first inning and made it 5-0 with three more in the second. A hit and two free passes (a hit batsmen and walk) loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly gave SMU 3-0 advantage for the second out. Another walk re-loaded the bases and a slow groundball through the infield's left side plated two more runs.

A two-run homer from Daniel Sherman, his first of the season, gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead the third inning to end senior pitcher Griffin Larson's (Edina, Minn.) day. Senior Wyatt Rudolf (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen) walked his first two batters and a two-out, RBI single made it 8-0.

SJU finally broke through to erase the no-hitter and shutout with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the third. Sophomore shortstop Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) and senior right fielder Rodney Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Woodbury) singled with one out and a fielder's choice served as the second out and put runners on the corners before senior third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) walked to load the bases. Senior left field Jack Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) roped a two-run double off the right-field wall in the next at-bat.

The momentum stalled, however, as Saint Mary's scored six runs on just two hits with five free passes (two walks and three hit batsmen) in the top of the fourth inning. SMU started the frame with two singles and a hit batsmen to load the bases. Four-consecutive free passes (two walks and two hit batsmen) brought in four runs before a fielder's choice and throwing error gave SMU a 14-2 lead.

The Cardinals scored five unearned runs in the top of the fifth for a 19-2 advantage and SJU ended the game's scoring with two runs on three, two-out hits in the bottom of the seventh. Senior second baseman Owen Dauk (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) singled and scored on a triple from Becker, and Schleper followed with an RBI single.

Larson took the loss, his first of the season (6-1 record), after allowing seven runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings. He entered the day with a 3.29 ERA and .178 opponent batting average in 38.1 innings pitched.

Senior Kody Dalen (Carver, Minn./Chanhassen) surrendered five unearned runs on five hits in three innings of relief. He totaled four strikeouts to end his career second in SJU history with 179.

Senior Jeremy Klick (Maple Grove, Minn.) pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Becker went 2-for-2 and reached base safely all four times he went to the plate and Schleper posted a 2-for-4 performance with three RBI. Becker ended his Johnnie career as the program's all-time leader in RBI, both in a single season (54) and career (136). He was also second all-time in total bases (291), third in home runs (21), tied for third in doubles (39), fourth in runs scored (126), tied for fifth in triples (8), sixth in hits (173) and seventh in walks (54).

Schleper, meanwhile, is SJU's all-time leader in doubles with 44 and finished second in at-bats (554), third in games played (159), fourth in total bases (268), fifth in RBI (105), eighth in hits (167), ninth in home runs (15) and tied for ninth in runs scored (107).