Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Saint John's baseball dropped a pair of games to The College of New Jersey, 11-3 and 5-2, on Tuesday, March 18.

The Johnnies (7-4 overall) issued 12 free passes (six walks and six hit batsmen) and three wild pitches as TCNJ (7-5 overall) scored eight runs over the final three innings to take game one, 11-3. Six of the Lions' 11 runs scored reached base via walk or hit-by-pitch. The Lions broke a 2-2 tie with three runs (two unearned) in the bottom of the sixth inning in game two to complete the doubleheader sweep.

SJU entered the day batting .387 through the season's first nine games but posted a .200 average (10-for-50) with 17 strikeouts at the plate in Tuesday's 14 innings. The Johnnies batted .133 (2-for-15) with both runners in scoring position and with two outs (2-for-15), and .136 (3-for-22) with runners on base. The Lions, meanwhile, batted .365 (19-for-52) and took advantage of 17 free passes (11 walks and six hit batsmen) and four wild pitches.

Game 1 – The College of New Jersey 11, Saint John's 3
TCNJ scored  three runs on one hit to gain the lead in the top of the third inning, but senior third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) cut the Johnnies' deficit to one with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning. The home run, Becker's fourth of the season, tied him with Ethan Roe's '23 program record of 25 for a career. Becker batted 3-for-5 with the homer, two RBI and a triple in the doubleheader.

The Lions scored two runs in the fifth and sixth innings to make it 7-2. Junior right fielder Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) tripled with one out in the bottom of the sixth and scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore left fielder Alex Matchey (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area). TCNJ, however, pushed the margin out of reach with four more runs in the seventh.

Junior Vinny Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) took the loss, allowing three runs on two hits in three innings. 

Game 2 – The College of New Jersey 5, Saint John's 2
The nightcap proved to be a close, back-and-forth tilt until the three runs proved to be the difference in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Sophomore center fielder Riley Schwellenbach (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) singled to start the third inning, stole second base and scored on an RBI double from sophomore catcher Will Wareham (Lakeville, Minn./North) for a 1-0 lead.

A leadoff double eventually scored on a sac fly to tie the game for TCNJ in the bottom of the fourth inning, but SJU answered right away with another single run in the fifth to regain the lead. Schwellenbach reached on a fielder's choice, again stole second base and scored when the Lions' third baseman overthrew first on Matchey's bunt single. Schwellenbach scored two of his team's five runs on the day and stole three bases.

Another TCNJ double, however, found its way home to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning ahead of the three-run sixth.

Freshman Ben Rudser (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) made his collegiate debut in relief and took the loss, allowing the three runs (one earned) on three hits with three strikeouts.

Sophomore Brady Drkula (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) made the start and gave up two runs on six hits in five innings.

The Johnnies return from their off day by starting a stretch of three-straight games against nationally ranked opponents with a nine-inning game against No. 19/25 Rutgers-Camden (N.J.) at 3:45 p.m. ET Thursday, March 20, in Davenport, Fla. SJU then faces No. 2 Johns Hopkins (Md.) and No. 7 Denison (Ohio) on Friday, March 21, in Winter Haven, Fla.