Saint John's (Minn.) 5, Luther (Iowa) 4 (10 innings)
La Crosse, Wis. – Saint John's University (Minn.) advanced at the NCAA Division III Baseball Midwest Regional Championship with a 5-4 win in 10 innings over Luther College (Iowa) Friday night at Copeland Park. The Johnnies improve to 31-13 on the season and will play Concordia University Chicago (Ill.) Saturday, May 21 at noon in an elimination game. Luther (Iowa) ends its season with a record of 34-14.
Saint John's (Minn.) scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. Cole Weaver and Derek Schiebel singled, and Logan Hershey reached on an error to load the bases with no one out. Patrick Strey's sacrifice fly to center field scored Weaver for the first run of the game. Mike Stegora hit an infield single to again load the bases, and Jack Wingerd singled to left field to drive in Schiebel to make it 2-0.
In the fourth, Saint John's (Minn.) increased the lead to 3-0 on an RBI single from Hershey, scoring Weaver, who had walked to open the inning.
Luther College (Iowa) got on the board in the top of the fifth on a solo home run from starting pitcher Cody Reimer, cutting the lead to 3-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Saint John's (Minn.) loaded the bases with no one out when Weaver was hit-by-pitch, bringing in Dan Keller to make it 4-1. Mason Whitham came in to pitch for Luther (Iowa), and after inducing a ground ball that led to a force out at home, Whitham got Hershey to hit into an inning ending double play.
Luther (Iowa) cut the lead to 4-2 in the seventh on a solo home run from Zach Hendrikson. The Norse drew even in the top of the eighth. Jon Opdahl walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He went to third on a ground-out. After Joe Silversmith walked, Hendrikson singled up the middle, driving in Opdahl to make it 4-3. Silversmith scored on a Reimer single through the right side, tying the game at 4-4.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Johnnies' Gabe MacDonald opened the inning with a single through the right side. Max Jackson laid down a bunt and reached base on a throwing error by the pitcher, moving him to second and MacDonald to third. Weaver was intentionally walked to load the bases with no one out. Luther (Iowa) brought in Nate Beckman to face Schiebel, who singled up the middle and knocked in MacDonald for the 5-4 walk-off win.
Nick Noack (8-1) got the win for Saint John's (Minn.), giving up two runs on four hits in 3.0 innings. He struck out four and walked two. Starting pitcher Jack Dickmeyer went 7.0 innings, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out six and walking one.
Schiebel went 4-for-6 for Saint John's (Minn.) with an RBI and a run scored. Weaver and Hershey had two hits and an RBI each, while Strey and Wingerd each drove in a run.
Mason Whitham (2-1) took the loss for Luther (Iowa), giving up a run on three hits in 5.0 innings. He walked one batter. Hendrikson and Reimer were both 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Knippenberg went 3-for-5 with a double.
