SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University baseball team hosted Saint John's (Minn.) (DH) in a MIAC showdown at CHS Field on Monday. Jack Rheineck broke a 1-1 tie with a pinch-hit grand slam in the sixth inning that gave Hamline a 5-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish en route to a game-one win. A six-run first inning gave the Johnnies enough cushion in an 8-4 victory over the Pipers.
Hamline moved to 10-16, 3-5 MIAC, while Saint John's ended the day 12-8, 4-2 MIAC.
Hamline 5, Saint John's 1 (Game One)
Tyler Johnson sparked two-out magic in the opening frame with a single, and a steal at second base. This set up Finn Melchior's RBI single that gave Hamline a 1-0 lead they maintained until the sixth frame. Jack Schleper led off with a double, advanced to third on Owen Best's groundout, and scored off Spencer Mellgren's single that knotted the score at 1-1.
Nick Zezulka, Cade McGraw, and Braeden Bourne each drew back-to-back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom of the sixth, which provoked a pitching change.Â
New pitcher. Pinch Hitter. One Pitch. No Problem.
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Jack Rheineck drove the first pitch he saw over the right field fence to push Hamline's lead to 5-1.
McGraw and Johnson each had two hits and a run scored for the Pipers, who outhit the Johnnies 6-5.Â
Hans Christensen V allowed five hits, one run, and notched five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings of a no-decision, before Josh Cary tossed a perfect 1 2/3 innings to secure the winning decision.
Saint John's 8, Hamline 4 (Game Two)
A six-run first frame put Saint John's in the driver's seat for good, but that didn't stop the Pipers from putting up a fight with a four-run fifth inning.
Hamline strung together four hits in the fifth inning. It was highlighted by RBI doubles from Tyler Johnson and Mac Enlow as well as Caden Erickson's one-run single and Finn Melchior's sacrifice bunt RBI that cut the score to 6-4.
The Johnnies put the nail in the coffin with a two-run eighth inning that locked an 8-4 win.
Max Gerstner went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Five other Pipers notched a hit, which included doubles from Johnson and Enlow.
Hamline utilized six pitchers in the contest.Â
The Pipers will face North Central (Minn.) in a neutral-site game in River Falls, Wisconsin on Wednesday, April 10 at 12 p.m.