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University of Minnesota Athletics
NO. 21 CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS DEFEAT GOLDEN GOPHERS 11-8
3/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota jumped on the board first in the top of the second as Jack Hannnahan's ground out scored Scott Welch from third. Jeremy Negen then reached on an error by Bluejay shortstop Ken Sarna that scored Jason Kennedy from third giving Minnesota their only lead of the game at 2-0 lead.
Creighton struck back in the bottom of the second inning when they had three hits and converted two Minnesota errors into five runs on the scoreboard. They would add a run in the bottom of the third and five more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take an 11-3 lead.
The Bluejays would have to hold on the rest of the way as Minnesota put runs on the board in the fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth innings to close the gap to 11-8. The Golden Gophers had opportunities to make the game closer in the eighth and ninth innings, but they left two runners on base in both innings to seal their fate. Minnesota stranded 11 base runners on the basepads in the game.
The lone bright spot for Minnesota was the play of true freshman designated hitter Luke Appert, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. The Cottage Grove, Minn. native stroked his second homer of the year to right center field in the seventh inning and punched his third homer of the season in the ninth inning to straight-away center field to keep the Gophers alive. Junior Rick Brosseau also had a good day going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Sophomore Mike Kobow (1-2) took the loss for Minnesota while Bluejay starter Cory Slining (4-1) picked up his fourth win of the season.
The same two teams will square off tomorrow afternoon in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at noon.
123 456 789 R H E Minnesota 020 112 101 8 12 4 Creighton 051 500 00x 11 13 2 UM-Kobow, Kitzerow (4), Bennett and Shupe (6), McCauley (7), Gangl (8) and Negen, Holthaus and Beaulieu. CU-Slining, Neneman (6), Ringleb (8) and Rowley . WP - Slining (4-1). LP - Kobow (1-2). HR - UM: Appert, 2. CU: Lawler. T: 3:14. A: 223
