Saint John's plays host to St. Olaf for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, April 19, at Haugen Field at Becker Park. – Live Stats | Live Video

POSTPONED TO SUNDAY: Sunday's games were originally scheduled for Saturday but were rescheduled for Sunday due to a more favorable weather forecast.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (14-11, 5-5 MIAC) had its win streak snapped in a series split with Gustavus Adolphus on Wednesday (April 15) in St. Peter. The Johnnies held Gustavus to three hits and no runs in a 4-0 shutout in game one before the two teams combined for 25 hits in a 9-6 game-two loss to the Gusties.

SJU left 15 on base and hit .250 (5-for-20) with runners in scoring position on the day, while the home team batted .318 (7-for-22) with runners in scoring position, including a 7-for-17 showing (.411) in game two.  

Game 1 – Saint John's 4, at Gustavus Adolphus 0 
Freshman pitcher Max Edwards (Rockford, Minn.) drove the Johnnies to victory with a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits for his fifth win of the season (5-0 record). He struck out seven batters to just one walk and held the Gusties hitless in five of the seven innings. 

Senior right fielder Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) got on base in the second inning with a tricky single to the Gustie pitcher after SJU stranded two runners on base in the previous inning. Senior left fielder Owen Amrhein (Waconia, Minn.) brought in his teammate, who stole second during the at-bat, for a 1-0 lead.  

Back-to-back bunts from junior center fielder Riley Schwellenbach (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) and freshman shortstop Will Koeppen (Minnetonka, Minn.) loaded the bases before junior Justin Brooks (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) walked in the Johnnies' second run of the day. SJU left the bases loaded in the top of the second. 

The bottom of the lineup delivered again in the top of the sixth, as Hemr delivered a one-out single to right center, followed by an Amrhein double to the left-field fence. Schwellenbach singled down the right-field line to score both for the 4-0 final. 

Amrhein finished 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while four other Johnnies had two hits in game one. 

Game 2 – at Gustavus Adolphus 9, Saint John's 6 
The Johnnies and Gusties were tied at two runs apiece before the wheels came off for SJU in the bottom of the sixth.  

Brooks walked to get on base in the first inning and was sent home by a groundout from junior designated hitter Will Wareham (Lakeville, Minn./North) after junior second baseman Alex Matchey (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) doubled down the left-field line. SJU added another solo run in the top of the second thanks to a Hemr homer to center, his fifth of the season. 

GAC took its first lead of the game after a triple, walk and a double for two runs to start the bottom of the sixth. An RBI single forced a pitching change and a 5-2 lead for the Gusties. 

SJU loaded the bases in the top of the seventh and scored two on two walks. Brooks tied the game at 5-5 on a wild pitch to the short backstop. 

Gustavus took the lead for good after back-to-back singles and a two-RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. Koeppen laced an RBI single to center in the top of the eighth but SJU struck out to end the inning and went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth. 

Junior pitcher Hunter Hoen (Belle Plaine, Minn.) allowed five earned runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work. Senior Jack Dobesh (Edina, Minn.) closed out Hoen's final inning and sophomore Dylan Marciulionis (Esko, Minn.) was credited with the loss after allowing three Gustie runs in the seventh. Senior Vinny Schleper (Shakopee, Minn.) dealt the final five outs with a pair of strikeouts.

NATIONAL STATS: Edwards is currently (through April 16) third in NCAA Division III in ERA (0.88) and WHIP (0.76), and fifth in hits allowed per nine innings (4.39). He is 5-0 with 45 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched (seven appearances, five starts) this spring. As a team, SJU is seventh in Division III in both ERA (3.29) and walks allowed per nine innings (2.91), ninth in WHIP (1.25) and 12th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.68).

STAT COMPARISONS (ranked by conference play) 
Batting Average
1. STO, .358 (.294 overall)
6. SJU, .285 (.298 overall)

Slugging Percentage
1. STO, .564 (.451 overall)
7. SJU, .373 (.419 overall)

On-Base Percentage
1. STO, .444 (.388 overall)
9. SJU, .366 (.388 overall)

ERA
1. SJU, 3.39 (3.29 overall)
10. STO, 7.95 (6.78 overall)

Opponent Batting Average
2. SJU, .248 (.249 overall)
8. STO, .309 (.311 overall)

Fielding Percentage
3. SJU, .970 (.960 overall)
8. STO, .954 (.948 overall)

A LOOK AT THE OLES: St. Olaf (10-18, 5-5 MIAC) dropped two non-conference games to Wisconsin-La Crosse, 5-1 and 7-5, on Wednesday (April 15) in Northfield before completing game two – and a doubleheader sweep – of Carleton with a 12-8 win on Thursday. The game was suspended due to darkness with the score tied at 8-8 in the bottom of the sixth inning on April 9, resumed briefly on April 13 and ended on Thursday. Senior Henry Black leads the Oles in batting (.432), hits (35), doubles (14) and RBI (28). Junior Kanen Kreafle is next with a .360 batting average to go with a team-best 26 runs scored. He is second on the squad with five home runs. Senior Kevin Steel is 2-1 with a team-leading 31 strikeouts (to 22 walks) in 29.0 innings pitched.

LAST SPRING: The Johnnies swept last spring's regular-season series in Northfield but fell to the Oles at home in the MIAC Tournament.

Saint John's 6, at St. Olaf 3; Saint John's 15, at St. Olaf 4/7 inn. (April 15, 2025)
Third baseman Joe Becker '24 went 4-for-6 with three home runs and became the program's all-time leader in career hits and runs scored as the Johnnies swept St. Olaf – 6-3 and 15-4 in seven innings – last April 15 (2025).

A two-run homer, Becker's second of the day, in the second inning of game two enabled him to break both records with the same batted ball. He finished with four RBI, four runs scored and walked three times as SJU batted .393 (24-for-61) with nine extra-base hits (five homers and four doubles) on the afternoon.

Game 1 – Saint John's 6, at St. Olaf 3
The Johnnies found the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning with junior right fielder Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) doubled off the center-field fence to score sophomore left fielder Alex Matchey (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) from second base.

The Oles tied the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning, but SJU answered with two runs in the next at-bat. Junior designated hitter Zach Helfmann (St. Louis Park, Minn.) recorded a leadoff single, Matchey reached when his sacrifice-bunt attempt turned into a hit and Hemr loaded the bases with an infield single. Second baseman Ryan Janzen '25 gave the visitors the lead with a sac fly in the ensuing at-bat before Amrhein doubled in another run.

Becker hit his first homer of the day to make it 4-1 in the top of the fifth inning, though STO responded with two runs to cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom half.

SJU pulled away with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Amrhein singled to start the sixth and eventually scored on a wild pitch, while Janzen executed a safety-squeeze bunt for the game's final run in the seventh.

Connor Hartley '25 went the distance, allowing the three runs (two earned) on four hits. He struck out four and walked one. Six of his 21 outs came on the first pitch.

Hemr finished 3-for-3 at the plate, while Amrhein, Becker and Helfmann posted two hits apiece.

Game 2 – Saint John's 15, at St. Olaf 4 (7 inn.)
Senior Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) started the scoring right away in game two when he blasted the first pitch of the game for his second home run of the season. The spark carried over to the second inning where the Johnnies erupted for six runs on six hits.

Amrhein stroked his second RBI double of the day to start the second inning's scoring and another crossed the plate via wild pitch before catcher Blake Mellgren '25 launched a two-run shot for his second homer of the season. Marquardt singled and Becker blasted his record-breaking homer two batters later.

SJU plated a pair of runs with two outs, thanks to an RBI double from Helfmann and an RBI single from Matchey, in the fourth inning and tacked on three more to make it 12-0 in the fifth.

The Oles erased the shutout with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Johnnies added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning which proved to be pivotal for the 10-run rule as the Oles scored two in the bottom half of the frame before the final out was recorded.

Will Fazio '25 improved to 4-1 on the season with the win after he allowed one run on seven hits in five innings of work.

Kade Bowar '25 surrendered three runs (one earned) on six hits in two innings of relief.

SJU took advantage of 11 walks and two hit batsmen (Janzen) in the nightcap and was led by Amrhein, Becker, Marquardt and Mellgren with two hits each. Mellgren drove in four.

St. Olaf 13, at Saint John's 12 (May 9, MIAC Tournament)
SJU ended its 2025 season with a 13-12 loss to St. Olaf last May 9 in the MIAC Tournament in Collegeville. 

St. Olaf erased a 9-6 deficit with three runs in the eighth inning and four in the ninth – all with two outs – and staved off a furious ninth-inning rally by the Johnnies to earn the win. SJU had the tying run on second base with one out and at third base with two.

The Oles batted 8-for-17 with two outs to SJU's 2-for-10 showing. Ten of the visitor's 13 RBI came with two outs.

STO opened the scoring with three two-out runs in the top of the second inning, but SJU answered with six runs on five hits in the bottom half of the frame. Hemr put the home team on the scoreboard with a solo homer, his sixth of the season, and Amrhein followed with a walk. Helfmann smacked a single up the middle before Wareham pulled a double down the left-field line. Marquardt cleared the bases with a triple and Becker made it 6-3 when he crushed his 15th home run of the season in the next at-bat.

The Oles chipped away at the Johnnies' lead with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to tie the game.

Marquardt and Becker walked to start the bottom of the seventh inning and advanced on a sacrifice bunt from first baseman Owen Best '25 . Matchey slapped the first pitch he saw into the right-center field gap for a two-run double and scored on a two-out, RBI single off the bat of Amrhein to give SJU a 9-6 advantage.

Down 13-9 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Matchey started the rally with a single and Hemr walked. Helfmann made it a one-run game when he walloped a 2-2 pitch with one out over the left-field fence for his eighth homer of the season. Schwellenbach greeted the Oles' relief pitcher with a single and stole second base, his 16th of the season. He advanced to third on a flyout from Wareham, but was stranded there with a full-count strikeout to end the game.

Junior Carter Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.) pitched the ninth inning and took the loss after he allowed four runs on three hits.

Fazio made the start and gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked three.

Hemr led the Johnnies with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, while Helfmann and Matchey added two hits apiece.

SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 22-8 against the Oles since 2010, including wins in 16 of the last 21 meetings. SJU is 10-4 in the last seven doubleheaders against STO in Collegeville.