COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Despite holding their foes to just eight hits and five runs on the day, the Carleton College baseball team dropped a pair of tight games with Saint John's University, falling 3-0 and 2-1. Each game ended with the tying or go-ahead run at the plate for the Knights.
Game 1 – Saint John's 3, Carleton 0
A costly throwing error allowed a second-inning run to score for the Johnnies (23-13, 12-6 MIAC). A leadoff walk came around in the third to give Saint John's a 2-0 edge. Carleton (9-24, 6-12 MIAC) could not get its offense going in the middle innings, and a wild pitch gifted the hosts another run in the sixth.
Will Schnepf blistered a double to right-center in the top of the seventh, and
Brandon Damelin worked a walk, bringing a potential tying run to the dish. However, MIAC ERA leader Max Edwards recorded a strikeout to conclude his complete-game shutout.
Xander Stolberg kept the Knights in the ballgame with a complete game of his own, slinging 6.0 innings, conceding three hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out three.
Game 2 – Saint John's 2, Carleton 1
Hurlers Hunter Hoen and
Charlie Werts crossed swords and traded scoreless frames for five innings. Carleton finally broke the deadlock with a
Reece Wellsandt leadoff bloop into right field, a sac bunt from
Andrew Sellers, and a sharp RBI single from
Sam Gossard. Saint John's got to Werts in the sixth as well when Brendan Hemr hit a two-run homer into center field. Carleton got a runner in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth frames but could not push another run across. The final out came on a deep flyout with a pair of Knight baserunners.
Wellsandt went 2-for-3, scoring Carleton's run. Werts twirled 5.2 innings on the hill, allowing four hits and two runs, fanning a trio of Johnnies.
Ryan Kessner relieved him, working the final 2.1 innings. Kessner punched out two and allowed just one baserunner in his scoreless outing.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton wraps up its MIAC portion of the schedule at home on Friday, May 1. The maize and blue will look to play spoiler against Saint Mary's University at 2:00 and 4:30 p.m. at Mel Taube Field.
