Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

MOORHEAD, Minn. – Offense was at a premium for Saint John's in a pair of losses, 2-1 and 6-2, at Concordia on Monday, March 29, in Moorhead.

The Johnnies (9-10, 0-4 MIAC) batted just .193 (11-for-57) with two extra-base hits on the day. The visitors were .192 (5-for-26) with runners on base, including a 1-for-14 (.071) showing with runners in scoring position, and .158 (3-for-19) with two outs.

The Cobbers (8-9, 3-1 MIAC), meanwhile, batted .381 (8-for-21) with runners in scoring position and .444 (12-for-27) with two outs to record their first home sweep of SJU since 2003. Six of CC's eight RBI in the doubleheader came with two outs.

Game 1 – at Concordia 2, Saint John's 1
Concordia manufactured the game-winning run, which was unearned, all with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Junior Matthew Magnuson (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) had allowed only one run on two hits through the first 6.2 innings, but the Cobbers got to him after the first two batters flew out with a single, walk and a throwing error to load the bases. Senior Jack Dobesh (Edina, Minn.) came on in relief, but freshman Alex Anderson stroked a single to left field for the walk-off win.

Sophomore Mason Henry gave the home team a 1-0 lead with the game's first hit – a two-out RBI single – in the bottom of the third inning.

The Johnnies tied the game thanks to a Cobber error with two outs in the top of the sixth inning. Freshman shortstop Will Koeppen (Minnetonka, Minn.) singled to start the frame and was thrown out on a fielder's choice off the bat of junior second baseman Alex Matchey (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area). Matchey moved to second on a throwing error and again to third on a wild pitch. Junior designated hitter Zach Helfmann (St. Louis Park, Minn.) walked with two outs before junior catcher Mason McCurdy (Lake Elmo, Minn./Stillwater Area) reached on the throwing error to plate Matchey.

Magnuson dropped his season record to 2-2 with the loss. He now has a 1.27 ERA, .227 opponent batting average and 18 strikeouts in 28.1 innings this spring.

Game 2 – at Concordia 6, Saint John's 2
CC plated two runs on four hits, all with two outs, in the bottom of the first inning and tacked on two more on a double from Anderson in the bottom of the second for an early 4-0 lead.

SJU finally broke through with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to cut its deficit in half, 4-2. Senior third baseman Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) singled to start the inning and scored on a triple from senior right fielder Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) in the next at-bat. Junior catcher Will Wareham (Lakeville, Minn./North) brought Hemr in with a double but was left on base.

The Cobbers answered with two runs of their own on four hits in the bottom half of the inning to end the game's scoring.

Junior Carter Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.) took the loss (1-2 record), allowing the first four runs on six hits in 1.1 innings.

Freshman southpaw Dylan Bloom (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) struck out a career-high nine and surrendered two runs on six hits over the next 5.2 innings of relief.

Senior Vinny Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Marquardt and Matchey led SJU with two hits apiece in the nightcap.

The Johnnies return to competition in eight days by hosting St. Scholastica for a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. next Tuesday, March 7, in Collegeville.