From the Dugout: Fall Baseball Is in the Books!

Fall baseball is officially in the books, and it was a fun and competitive couple of months for our guys. We finished up our fall with the annual Fall World Series on October 19.

This year, we went with a best-of-three series between the Blue Team and the Pinstripe Team. The Blue Team came out on top and earned Gary’s Pizza, while the Pinstripe Team had to settle for hot dogs!

Our fall schedule consists of practices, intersquad scrimmages, and ultimately the Fall World Series. It is always fun to watch the guys compete, but more importantly, it is rewarding to see the growth that takes place throughout the fall. We saw a lot of development from our players, both individually and as a team. Tons of create goes to coaches, Jason Spohn, Brian Hansen, Brian Skluzacek, Scott Becker and Thom Woodward and student coaches Jeff Solorz and Jacob Perry. Josh Bungum will join us in the spring. He coaches football in the Fall.

Fall baseball gives us an opportunity to evaluate where we are, identify areas we need to improve, and continue building the foundation for our spring season. I was really pleased with the way our guys competed this fall, and we are excited to continue moving forward.

Inside the Program

With fall baseball now finished, our guys have more time to focus on strength and conditioning with Justin Rost, Strength and conditioning coach. Our players are now working with Justin four days a week — three days of lifting and one day dedicated to speed training.

This is an important time of year for our program because we start to see a lot of physical development in our guys. The work they put in during the fall and winter can make a huge difference when we get back on the field in the spring.

At the same time, classes are in full swing. Our guys have been balancing practices and workouts with papers, projects, exams, and everything else that comes with being a college student. As we get deeper into the semester, there are also times when we have to give our guys some space to focus on their academics.

That doesn't mean the work stops. Our guys have plenty of opportunities to continue working on their own, whether that means getting in the weight room, throwing, hitting, or getting on the field when we can.

When the Minnesota weather doesn't cooperate, it’s great that we have our dome. Our student-athletes help put the dome up each fall, and we are extremely fortunate that we have it available in mid-October. Many schools have to wait until their football season is finished before they can use their indoor space. Hopefully, we don't have to wait for that anytime soon!

Having the dome gives our guys an opportunity to continue working and developing throughout the winter months, regardless of what Mother Nature has planned for us.

Senior Spotlight

What’s your name, position, and major at Saint John’s?

Zach Helfmann, outfield/DH, nursing major.

Where are you from, and what high school did you attend?

I’m from St. Louis Park and went to St. Louis Park High School.

What made you choose Saint John’s University and Johnnie Baseball?

I chose St. John’s because I loved the campus and the community. I chose baseball because I knew some of the guys joining me, and the facilities are great.

What does being a part of Johnnie Baseball mean to you?

I’ve always got teammates who believe in me and will back me up whenever I need them.

How has Johnnie Baseball helped you grow as a person?

It has helped me become more resilient, learn how to work with a team, and be able to lean on teammates when needed.

How do you lead as a senior?

I am a big lead-by-example type of person, whether that is in the weight room, on the field, or in the classroom.

What are your goals for your final season?

My main goal is for us to win the MIAC Championship but also grow more as a player.

What’s next for you after graduation (career plans, grad school, etc.)?

I plan on trying to get a job at a hospital in the Cities and eventually go back to school to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

What advice would you give to younger players in the program or incoming first years?

Work hard and take every opportunity you can to learn.

What will you miss most about Saint John’s and Johnnie Baseball?

My teammates and my roommates.

Hidden talent or hobby outside of baseball?

Started getting into golf this summer, but far from a hidden talent.

Senior Spotlight

What’s your name, position, and major at Saint John’s?

Brady Drkula, pitcher, major accounting with a concentration in public accounting

Where are you from, and what high school did you attend?

I’m from Cottage Grove, MN. I went to Park of Cottage Grove.

What made you choose Saint John’s University and Johnnie Baseball?

I chose Saint John’s for its strong accounting program and close-knit community. I wanted a school where I could grow academically while building strong relationships and building connections with all the great alums. Johnnie Baseball also gave me the opportunity to keep playing the sport I love while developing teamwork, leadership, and discipline. I also had a teammate from my club baseball team commit here (Tanner Hoemann) and he told me all about it.

What does being a part of Johnnie Baseball mean to you?

Being part of Johnnie Baseball means being part of a family that pushes each other to improve both on and off the field. It’s about building friendships, competing together, and representing Saint John’s and what it stands for. Creating these lifelong friends and connections though Johnnie baseball alums create such an amazing community.

How do you lead as a senior?

As a senior, I lead by setting a good example, working hard every day, and holding myself accountable. I try to support my teammates and help the youngers get better on and off the field if that is helping get stronger or better on the mound or with help with classes or meeting new connections.

What are your goals for your final season?

My goals for my final season are to be a strong leader, help our team win a conference championship, and make a deep playoff run. I want to leave the program better than I found it and make the most of my final year with my teammates.

What’s next for you after graduation (career plans, grad school, etc.)?

After graduation, I plan to begin my career in public accounting and gain real-world experience while continuing to develop my skills. One of my biggest goals is to study for and earn my CPA license to help me grow in the profession and open up more opportunities in the future.

What will you miss most about Saint John’s and Johnnie Baseball?

I’ll miss the relationships I’ve built with my teammates, coaches, and friends the most. Johnnie Baseball has given me so many great memories and lifelong friendships, and I’ll miss the everyday time spent with the team, from practices and games to the little moments in between. Saint John’s has been a huge part of my life, and I’m grateful for the people and experiences that have helped me grow both on and off the field.

Hidden talent or hobby outside of baseball?

A hidden talent of mine is bowling. I’m proud to have bowled multiple perfect 300 games. Outside of baseball, I also enjoy golfing whenever I get the chance. Both are fun ways for me to compete, challenge myself, and spend time with friends.

Alum Spotlight – Joe Butorac (outfielder; former J-Club Board member)

Our October alum spotlight comes from a Johnnie outfielder who graduated in 1983. Joe shares some great memories from his time at SJU, including spring trips, teammates, coaching, and what being a Johnnie alumnus has meant to him throughout his life. Joe also played football.

Playing Days

I graduated in 1983 and was an outfielder.

I have lots of fun memories from my days playing both football and baseball for the Johnnies. Like most guys my age, the best memories are spending all that time with your teammates and not so much how the games turned out.

In those days, our spring trip consisted of us driving in the school vans down to Nebraska and Kansas to look for warm weather. My senior year there was a massive snowstorm in that area, and I don’t think we got to play a single game. I think playing catch in the parking lot of the hotel was as close as we got to actual baseball. Maybe that is why our record wasn’t very good that year!

I often joke with Mike Randall and Kevin Fitzgerald, two classmates of mine who were pitchers on our team, that I still have the scars on my back from trying to chase down flyballs that were hit a long way off of them and running into the snow fence that was our outfield fence. Actually, they were both good pitchers, but that doesn’t make for nearly as good a story.

I think back to those guys I played with, and you realize SJU had some terrific athletes. Steve Ferry, Rick Bell, Dennis Schleper, Mike Smith, and many others. All these guys were better baseball players than I was, but it was sure fun to be on the field with them.

Life After SJU

After graduation, I went to Europe for a year, then came home and started a career as a financial advisor. I started my own company, Butorac, Johnson and Associates, in 1993, and I am still hard at it.

I just hired my son Matt ‘11, also a former Johnnie baseball player, and hopefully, he will take over one day. A lot of former Johnnies are clients of mine, and of course, all of the best ones!

I did quite a bit of coaching in my earlier years. Everything from coach-pitch to travel baseball with Matt and my younger son Danny. I also coached five years of high school baseball at Cooper High School, my alma mater.

What It Means to Me to Be a Johnnie Alumnus

Being a Johnnie alum means a great deal to me.

When I was a senior, I was struggling a bit to come up with the money for my senior year. Jerry Haugen said I could be the baseball secretary for him and that he would put in a work-study request to pay me $1,000. I thought that I had hit the jackpot, as $1,000 was about half a year’s tuition back then.

Between that $1,000 and working as a bartender at the Midway a few nights a week, I was able to make it through my senior year. I may have been a worse baseball secretary than I was a baseball player. After a few weeks on the job, Jerry said I really didn’t need to show up anymore and he would still pay me. I have never had as good a job as that one!

Seriously though, that kindness that Jerry showed me back then is why I was excited to help when John Young and Scott Becker were putting together the funds for the baseball clubhouse. I am very proud to be one of the sponsors of the clubhouse and hope the new players realize what great facilities SJU has for them.

SJU has done more for me than I can ever repay, and I will always be proud to be a Johnnie!

Home Field Advantage Podcast

Our latest podcast will be available on Soundcloud via Johnnie Bennie Media, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. In Episode 11, we visit with seniors Alex Matchey and Tanner Hoemann. Volunteer coach Thom Woodward continues to take the lead on Home Field Advantage. Once again this year, he will highlight seniors and talk with them about their experiences and the different paths they have taken during their time at Saint John’s.

Here is the link - https://soundcloud.com/johnnie_bennie_media/sets/hfa?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

A big thank you to Woody for continuing to put the time into the podcast and helping tell the stories of Johnnie Baseball.

Coach’s Final Word

Homecoming on October 17 was a blast. There were so many people down at the baseball tailgate, and it was great seeing so many alumni, parents, families, and friends of the program back around the clubhouse.

One of the things I enjoy most about Homecoming is seeing Johnnies come back to campus and reconnect with the program. If you are on campus and would like to see the clubhouse, I would be more than happy to show you around. We are proud of the space and want our baseball alumni and friends of the program to see what we have built.

We are proud of what the clubhouse represents and the support from so many Johnnie Baseball alumni that helped make it possible. It is a special place for our program, and we love having former Johnnies come back and see it.

As we move into November, our focus shifts toward getting better physically, academically, and as a team. The work we put in during these next few months will help prepare us for the spring.

We talk a lot about championship effort and championship mindset, and this is the time of year when those things really matter. There are no games, no crowds, and not a lot of outside attention. It is simply about putting in the work and continuing to get better.

Thank you, as always, to everyone who continues to support Johnnie Baseball. We are grateful for our alumni, parents, families, friends, and everyone who continues to invest in our program.

Go Johnnies!