Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Saint John's baseball earned the series win at Simpson with a doubleheader sweep – 20-9 and 4-1 – on Sunday, March 8.

The Johnnies (4-2 overall) tied a program record with 25 hits, including 10 for extra bases, in the 20-9 win. Junior second baseman Alex Matchey (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) became the fifth Johnnie to record five hits in a game – the first since Dominick Schleper '18 on April 29, 2018 at St. Scholastica – with a 5-for-6 performance and nine total bases (two doubles and a triple) at the plate.

Game 1 – Saint John's 20, at Simpson 9
The Johnnies, similar to yesterday's 5-4 loss to the Storm (3-3 overall), fell behind 3-0 after the first two innings. This time, however, the visitors batted around three times with five crooked innings – five runs in the third and fourth, and six in the sixth – to blow open the game.

The Johnnies' top-three hitters in the lineup combined to go 10-for-17 with eight runs scored, four RBI and five extra-base hits.

Junior catcher Will Wareham (Lakeville, Minn./North) collected a career-high four hits (4-for-7) with two RBI, while senior right fielder Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) went 3-for-6 with a double, home run, five RBI and three runs scored.

Senior Noah Jensen (St. Cloud, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) was awarded his first collegiate win in relief, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts over the game's final four innings.

Junior Hunter Hoen (Belle Plaine, Minn.) made the start and surrendered six runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings. He struck out six and issued four free passes (two walks and two hit batsmen). 

Senior Vinny Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) gave up two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings, while classmate and fellow student teacher Jack Dobesh (Edina, Minn.) forced an inning-ending double play.

Game 2 – Saint John's 4, at Simpson 1
Junior Matthew Magnuson (Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska) allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts in six innings to lead SJU to the Sunday sweep. Simpson scored its only run of the game on a solo homer in the fifth inning.

Junior center fielder Riley Schwellenbach (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) got SJU on the board, scoring on a wild pitch after smacking his second triple of the season in the third inning. He added an RBI single in the top of the fifth to score pinch runner Owen Amrhein (Waconia, Minn.). Matchey drove in another on a two-out RBI single for a 3-0 lead.

After a pair of strikeouts opened the eighth inning, SJU singled in four-consecutive at-bats, capped with an RBI from junior infielder Justin Brooks (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) for the 4-1 final.

Freshman Max Edwards (Rockford, Minn.) recorded his first collegiate save with no hits and a strikeout in three innings of work.

The Johnnies begin their eight-game trip over spring break against Ohio Northern this Saturday, March 14, in Winter Haven, Fla.