MINNEAPOLIS—The Bethany Lutheran baseball team opened the season at the US Bank Wednesday for a doubleheader against Saint John's. The Johnnies won both games 2-1 in eight innings.

In the opener, the Johnnies used a solo home run into the left field bleachers in the fourth to take the 1-0 lead.

In the fifth, junior Carter Wendlandt (Minneapolis) hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a flyout and scored on a bases loaded walk to even it at one all. The Vikings were unable to score in their seventh to send it to extra innings.

In the eighth, SJU had a leadoff single, and later scored on a wild pitch. BLC was retired in order in the bottom of the frame to give the first win to the Johnnies.

Junior Adam Fjerstad (Hayfield, Minn.) had a career-high seven strikeouts in his 3.2 innings of work. Wendlandt led the team at the plate as he went 2-3.

The second game was scoreless until the sixth when Reed Brown scored from second on Wendlandt's single to left to give Bethany the 1-0 lead.

The Johnnies were being no-hit until the sixth inning. SJU tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run to left. The Vikings had runners on first and third with two outs. The next batter struck out to end the rally, which sent this game into extra innings.

The Johnnies won the game on a leadoff homerun that hit the tarp in right centerfield.

Bethany returns to action Saturday when it hosts Minnesota State University-Mankato at 2 p.m.