No-no highlights Johnnies sweep
| St. John's sports information |
Saint John's junior Hayden Zimmerman 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 (Minn.) 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 Saint John'ssince 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 Saint John's defense provided some fine help, including a nice
diving catch by sophomore Ian Goldsmith 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.
St. Mary'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.
Goldsmith then scored on a fielder's choice by senior Brian
Skluzacek. Fellow senior Matt Butorac reached on an infield single
but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice. Sophomore
Connor Cline was hit by a pitch to load the bases before senior
Brett Kramer dropped a two-run double to leftfield.
