COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University junior Hayden Zimmerman (New Richmond, Wis.) proved the notion that if one ever needs to get back on track, go home. Zimmerman pitched a no-hitter in game one's 3-0 victory over Saint Mary's and the Johnnies posted a 5-4 win in game two to complete the MIAC sweep on Thursday, April 21.
The no-hitter is the first for SJU since Andy Schneider no-hit St. Olaf in a 10-0 win on April 11, 1998, and is the fourth by a Johnnie under head coach Jerry Haugen's 34-year tenure.
Zimmerman returned to All-Region form, striking out four and walking none. He entered the game with a 0-3 record and 11.12 ERA in five road starts (22.2 IP), a far cry from his 8-3 record and five saves in a school-record 75 innings pitched last season.
The SJU defense provided some fine help, including a nice diving catch by sophomore Ian Goldsmith (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) in the fifth. At other times, however, "defense" was not the case as the Johnnies committed a total of five errors. Back-to-back errors in the top of the sixth put runners on second and third with nobody out, but Zimmerman proceeded to record a strikeout and two consecutive unassisted outs at first to end the inning.
Another error in the seventh placed a Cardinal on second base with two outs, but Zimmerman got Luke Larson to fly out to left for the final out.
SMU's Gary Seifert rivaled Zimmerman with a no-hitter of his own until the Johnnies' sixth. Goldsmith started the inning with a double, followed by a bunt single from sophomore Alex Powell (Hopkins, Minn.). Goldsmith then scored on a fielder's choice by senior Brian Skluzacek (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori). Fellow senior Matt Butorac (Maple Grove, Minn.) reached on an infield single but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice. Sophomore Connor Cline (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) was hit by a pitch to load the bases before senior Brett Kramer (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) dropped a two-run double to leftfield.
Saint John's (13-8, 7-3 MIAC) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two. Powell doubled to start the Johnnies' first inning, advanced to third on a flyout from Skluzacek and scored on a sac fly from Butorac. Cline reached after getting hit by a pitch and advanced to third on another double from Kramer. Junior Bert Marsnik (Annandale, Minn.) then laced a two-run single to centerfield.
The Cardinals (8-20, 2-10 MIAC), however, answered with four runs in the second to take the lead. SMU loaded the bases with two infield singles and a hit batsman. Larson then hit a seeing-eye single under the glove of a diving Kramer at second to score a pair of runs. Jake Lechner then hit an RBI double and Joe O'Neill plated another run on a groundout to short.
SJU tied the game in the bottom of the second as Powell started the inning with another hit, stole second and advanced to third on a flyout by Butorac. He then scored on a fielder's choice by Cline.
The Johnnies scored what proved to be the winning run, unearned, in the fifth. Freshman Joey Long (Belvidere, Ill./Rockford Boylan) hit a sac fly to left with the bases loaded, scoring Cline.
Sophomore Max Forster (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) induced 10 groundballs, five of which were Cardinal hits. He improved to 2-1 on the year, allowing all four runs on seven hits with one strikeout and no walks. Long allowed one hit and struck out two for a scoreless seventh and his third save. He now has a 0.79 ERA in 11.1 innings of relief (0.00 ERA in 7.0 MIAC innings).
The Johnnies travel to face Augsburg this Saturday, April 23. The doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis.