Game 1 Box Score |
Game 2 Box Score
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 18 Gustavus Adolphus handed Saint John's a doubleheader sweep, 17-6 and 12-4, on Sunday, April 6, at Haugen Field at Becker Park.
The Johnnies (12-9, 2-2 MIAC) issued 20 free passes (18 walks and two hit batsmen) in 16 innings and committed six errors. The Gusties (19-4, 5-0 MIAC), meanwhile, batted .419 (18-for-43) with runners on base, including .406 (13-for-32) with runners in scoring position, and .404 (19-for-47) with one out or less on the day.
Game 1 – Gustavus Adolphus 17, Saint John's 6
SJU built a 3-1 lead after three innings thanks to an unearned run in the second inning and a pair of extra-base hits in the third. Senior third baseman
Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) walked with two outs in the third and scored on a triple off the bat of senior first baseman
Owen Best (Aurora, Colo./Regis Jesuit), who crossed the plate on a double from junior right fielder
Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) in the next at-bat.
The Gusties, however, responded with six runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning and broke the game open further with 10 runs in the over the next three frames (two in the fifth and four each in the sixth and seventh).
Becker launched his team-leading sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the seventh inning and drove in the Johnnies' sixth and final run with an RBI single – the 200th hit of his career – with two outs in the seventh.
Senior
Connor Hartley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Rosemount) took the loss for SJU, allowing seven runs on five hits in four innings.
Game 2 – Gustavus Adolphus 12, Saint John's 4
GAC jumped out to a 5-0 lead thanks to five runs (two earned) on four hits, coupled with two SJU errors, in the top of the second inning.
Sophomore designated hitter
Zach Helfmann (St. Louis Park, Minn.) led off the bottom half of the second with a towering homer down the left-field line for his fifth of the season.
The visitors tacked on a homer of their own in the top of the fourth inning and SJU matched it with a manufactured run in the bottom half. Sophomore left fielder
Alex Matchey (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) doubled for his second-consecutive at-bat to start the frame, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly from junior center fielder
Owen Amrhein (Waconia, Minn.).
SJU cut its deficit to 6-3 with a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Gusties responded with six runs over the next three innings to put the game away.
Best ended the game's scoring with a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The home team was 3-for-20 with runners on base, including 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, in the loss.
Senior
Will Fazio (Minneapolis, Minn./Blake) suffered his first loss of the season (3-1), allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits in five innings.
Matchey led SJU's bats with a 3-for-4 performance in the nightcap.
Becker (3-for-6) and Hemr (3-for-9) matched Matchey with three hits on the afternoon. Hemr extended his reached-base streak to 15 games, including a hit in 13-straight contests.
The Johnnies are likely to reschedule their trip to Carleton – which was postponed from April 1 – for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, in Northfield. SJU is scheduled to host Hamline at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, and Minnesota-Morris for a non-conference game at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10.
