Saint John's baseball returns south for another three-game series at Simpson this Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, in Indianola, Iowa.

LIVE COVERAGE
-Saturday at 1 p.m. (DH): Live Stats (Game 1) | Live Stats (Game 2) | Live Video (Both Games)
-Sunday at 1 p.m. (9-inn.): Live Stats | Live Video

IF RAIN PERSISTS: If weather affects playing conditions this weekend, Saturday's doubleheader would move to a 9-inning game at 3 p.m. and an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Sunday.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (2-1 overall) opened its 2026 season by taking two out of three games against Buena Vista (Iowa) last weekend (Feb. 27-28) at the Mid-America Sports Complex in Shawnee, Kan.

The two teams combined for nine errors as Buena Vista took Friday's opener, 13-8. Only seven of the 21 total runs were earned. The Johnnies (2-1 overall) bounced back, however, by scoring seven runs in the first two innings, including five in the first, while a pair of pitchers combined to allow one run on six hits in an 11-1 win – the first of first-year head coach Scott Lieser's career – in the nightcap.

SJU closed the series Saturday with an 18-0 victory thanks to a 14-run fifth inning. Three pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts (to one walk) and seven hits allowed in the nine-inning shutout.

SJU batted .347 (26-for-75) with runners on base, including .393 (22-for-56) with runners in scoring position, and .357 (15-for-42) with two outs. Nearly half (16 of 33) of the team's RBI in the series came with two outs.
    
Senior right fielder Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) batted .385 (5-for-13) in the series and led SJU with seven runs scored to go with two doubles.

Senior third baseman Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) and junior center fielder Riley Schwellenbach (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) drove in six runs apiece, while Marquardt scored six runs and cracked three doubles. 

Freshman shortstop Will Koeppen (Minnetonka, Minn.) led SJU with seven RBI and 11 assists in the field.

Game 1 – Buena Vista 13, Saint John's 8 (Friday)
The Beavers built a 13-4 lead thanks to a six-run fifth inning. The Johnnies rallied for four unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning, including a bases-clearing triple from Schwellenbach, but BVU held on for the win.

Junior Carter Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.) took the loss, allowing 11 runs (five earned) on 11 hits in four innings. He struck out two and walked three. Senior Vinny Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) pitched the final four innings of relief and surrendered two unearned runs on two hits with four strikeouts.

Schwellenbach and senior first baseman Collin Kray (Little Falls, Minn.) led SJU with two hits apiece.

Game 2 – Saint John's 11, Buena Vista 1 (Friday)
The Johnnies wasted no time getting after their first win of the season with seven runs and seven hits in the first two innings of game two.

SJU added some insurance with four runs in the eighth inning, sparked by a two-run double off the bat of Hemr and an RBI single from junior first baseman Tanner Hoemann (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View).

Junior Hunter Hoen (Belle Plaine, Minn.) took care of the rest, allowing the one run on six hits in seven innings of work for the win. He struck out a career-high eight and walked three.

Sophomore Ben Rudser (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) pitched the final two scoreless innings. He issued a walk for the lone baserunner and stuck out three.

Game 3 – Saint John's 18, Buena Vista 0 (Saturday)
SJU and Buena Vista played two scoreless innings before Koeppen delivered an RBI single in the third inning.

Junior designated hitter Zach Helfmann (St. Louis Park, Minn.) doubled the 1-0 lead with his first home run of the season and ninth of his career in the fourth inning. 

The wheels fell off for BVU in the fifth, as the Beavers committed two errors, surrendered two passed balls and a balk. Four Johnnies were walked by three different pitchers, and SJU worked its way through the lineup twice. 

Two of Marquardt's three doubles came in the fifth, driving in five total runs, while junior catcher Mason McCurdy (Lake Elmo, Minn./Stillwater Area) also doubled to score two teammates. 

Koeppen hit a two-out RBI single in the top of the eighth for the 18-0 final.

Junior Matthew Magnuson (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) made his first collegiate start and pitching appearance, allowing five hits in four innings and striking out five. 

Freshman Max Edwards (Rockford, Minn.) earned the win in his collegiate debut with four strikeouts and just two hits in four innings, while senior Jack Dobesh (Edina, Minn.) struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

A LOOK AT THE STORM: Simpson (2-1 overall) took two out of three games at home against Wisconsin-Eau Claire to open its season last weekend (Feb. 27-28). The Storm dropped the opener by a 6-5 score after letting up two Blugold runs in the top of the ninth, but bounced back with a decisive 5-1 win in game two and held on for a 9-7 victory in the finale. Senior Dalton Ferrin went 6-for-8 at the plate, while senior Sam Campin clubbed three extra-base hits – two doubles and a home run – with three RBI. Junior Charlie Thomas was the lone starter to earn a win on the bump. He hurled 5.0 innings, producing six strikeouts to four hits and one earned run in game two. Simpson finished fifth in the American Rivers Conference with an 11-13 record (17-23 overall) last spring and was picked to finished ninth (last place) in the 2026 preseason coaches' poll. 

LAST SPRING: SJU opened its nine-game spring-break trip with a shortened, 6-0 win over Simpson. The game entered a lightning delay at the end of the fifth inning, resumed play and ended – due to thunderstorms – with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. 

The reigning MIAC Baseball Player of the Week at the time, third baseman Joe Becker '25 went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. Becker's two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning broke the scoreless stalemate.

Connor Hartley '25 and Will Fazio '25 combined for the two-hit shutout on the mound. 

Helfmann made it 3-0 with a solo homer, his second of the season, to start the bottom of the fourth inning before SJU broke the game open with three runs in the fifth. Marquardt doubled with one out and scored on an RBI single from Becker. First baseman Owen Best '25 followed with a double and Hemr brought in both baserunners with a two-out double. 

Hartley handled the rest, allowing two hits to the Storm and struck out seven in five innings. Fazio relieved him after the lightning delay and set down all six batters in order. 

SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 3-0 all-time against Simpson. Prior to last year's meeting, the Johnnies own a doubleheader sweep – 3-1 and 6-2 – over the Storm on March 22, 1985, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.