Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's baseball earned its second doubleheader sweep in as many days, thanks to a dramatic walk-off win in the nightcap, over Hamline on Wednesday, April 9, at Haugen Field at Becker Park.

The Johnnies (16-9, 6-2 MIAC) built a 5-1 lead in a 7-4 win in game one and overcame an 11-3 deficit with eight runs over the final three innings for a 12-11 victory in game two.

Senior third baseman Joe Becker (New Prague, Minn.) went 4-for-6 with a home run, two doubles, four RBI, five runs and three walks on the day. He is now tied with former teammate Owen Dauk '23 for the program record with 158 runs scored and is two hits from the record of 209 owned by Max Jackson '19.

Sophomore designated hitter Zach Helfmann (St. Louis Park, Minn.) went 2-for-2 with a home run, double and five RBI in game one. In game two, senior second baseman Ryan Janzen (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) was 4-for-5 with two triples, a double, two RBI and three runs scored, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Game 1 – Saint John's 7, Hamline 4
Hamline (5-17, 0-4 MIAC) manufactured a run in the top of the first inning before the Johnnies answered with a two-run double in the bottom half of the frame and a three-run blast in the third - both off the bat of Helfmann - for a 5-1 advantage.

The Pipers added their second run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and made it a one-run game (5-4) with a pair of doubles and another sac fly in the sixth.

Senior catcher Blake Mellgren (Northfield, Minn.) added some insurance with a one-out homer, his first of the season and fifth of his career, in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Johnnies tacked on an unearned run four batters later.

Freshman Drew Lange (Albany, Minn./Holdingford) earned the win, allowing four runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out two and walked two to improve to 2-0 on the year.

Senior Kade Bowar (Burnsville, Minn.) pitched the remaining 1.2 innings of hitless, scoreless relief with two strikeouts for his second save of the season.



Game 2 – Saint John's 12, Hamline 11
The two teams combined for 36 hits. HU recorded 16 hits through the first four innings, while SJU cracked 11 over the final four frames.

Janzen started the bottom of the ninth inning with a beautiful bunt single and moved to second base on junior first baseman Collin Kray's (Little Falls, Minn.) two-strike sac bunt. Janzen advanced to third on a wild pitch before sophomore catcher Will Wareham (Lakeville, Minn./North) chopped a 2-2 pitch to the third baseman. Janzen left third base on contact and slid head-first home for the game-winning run before the Pipers' third baseman could make a play.

Junior shortstop Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) started the bottom of the first inning with a triple and scored on Becker's team-leading seventh home run of the season (28th of his career). Janzen then recorded his first triple of the game in the second inning and scored on Mellgren's two-out single for a quick 3-0 lead.

HU, however, batted around in both the third and fourth innings - totaling 11 runs on 12 hits - to take a commanding 11-3 lead. Tyler Johnson hit a three-run shot in the third and Grant Peltier clubbed a grand slam in the fourth to lead the way.

SJU started the comeback with one run in the sixth inning and two in the seventh before erupting for five to tie the game in the eighth.

Senior first baseman Owen Best (Aurora, Colo./Regis Jesuit) smacked his team-leading ninth double to start the bottom of the sixth inning and scored on a two-bagger down the right-field line from Janzen. Marquardt singled with one out in the sixth inning and scored from first on Becker's double down the left-field line. Becker moved to third on a groundout and scored, unearned, on a passed ball.

Junior right fielder Jake Slipka (St. Paul, Minn./Centennial) singled to open the bottom of the eighth inning and scored on Janzen's second triple of the game. Janzen crossed the plate on a single from Wareham, who moved from first to third on a single from Marquardt and scored on another Becker double. Best tied the game with a two-run single through the right side.

Senior Connor Hartley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Rosemount) collected his fourth win of the season (4-3 record) in relief after he recorded the final three outs. He stepped in for freshman Ben Rudser (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) following a leadoff single in the top of the ninth inning. Rudser allowed three hits in 4.2 scoreless innings of relief.

SJU hosts Minnesota-Morris (9-14, 6-3 UMAC) tomorrow (Thursday, April 10) for a nine-inning non-conference contest at 4:30 p.m. in Collegeville.