University of Minnesota Athletics
GOLDEN GOPHERS SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER FROM MICHIGAN
3/25/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Birk pitched masterfully in the first game walking only one batter and striking out four in his first complete-game win since May 14, 1998. He worked out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the first inning striking out rightfielder Gino Lollio and getting leftfielder Bob Bodeda to pop out to end the Michigan threat. The only hit off of Birk came in the fourth inning off the bat of Michigan catcher David Parrish who singled to left field. Birk retired the final 10 batters he faced in his longest outing of the season thus far.
Minnesota was able to convert three Michigan errors into four runs in the top of the second inning. Mike Arlt singled to right field scoring Chris Guetzlaff, who had walked to start the inning, and was safe at second on an error by Michigan shortstop Scott Tousa. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Jeremy Negen doubled down the left-field line scoring Arlt and Rob LaRue. Jason Kennedy then reached first on the third Michigan error of the inning scoring Jack Hannahan from third.
The Golden Gophers added four more runs in the fifth inning with two Michigan errors helping Minnesota extend the inning. Hannahan would make the Wolverines pay for their mistakes later in the inning as he would smack a three-run homer, his first of the year, to push the Minnesota lead to 8-0. The bottom third of the Minnesota batting order accounted for seven RBIs on the day. Hannahan collected three of those going 2-for-4.
In the second game, Minnesota continued to capitalize on Michigan mistakes scoring a single run in the second inning on two Wolverine errors and five run runs in the third inning on two more Michigan errors. The Wolverines committed 11 errors in the two games.
The Golden Gophers loaded the bases in the third, setting up a Mike Arlt two-run double down the right field line scoring Luke Appert and Hannahan. Arlt, along with Scott Welch, would later score on single by Jason Kennedy to give Minnesota a 6-0 lead. Michigan would get on the board in the bottom of the third inning when with the bases loaded, catcher David Parrish doubled to the gap in left-center field, clearing the bases to make the score 6-3.
Minnesota added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning on Rob LaRue's two-run triple to left centerfield scoring Hannahan and Josh Holthaus, who reached base on Michigan's sixth error of the game. LaRue would later score on a suicide squeeze. The Golden Gophers would hold off a bottom of the seventh inning rally by the Wolverines to end the game.
Senior pitcher Chadd Clarey pitched six strong innings for the Maroon and Gold scattering five Wolverine hits, yielding only three runs, and striking out five in earning his second victory of the season.
Game One 123 456 7 R H E Minnesota 040 040 0 8 6 2 Michigan 000 000 0 0 1 5 UM-Birk and Negen. MICH-Cranson, McCloskey (6) and Parrish . WP - Birk (1-2) LP - Cranson (2-2). HR - UM: Hannahan (1). LOB: UM: 6. MICH: 5. T: 1:56. A: 900. Game Two 123 456 7 R H E Minnesota 015 000 3 9 7 1 Michigan 003 000 2 5 6 6 UM-Clarey, Persby (7) and Negen. MICH-Leveque, Alexander (3) and Parrish . WP - Clarey (2-2) LP - Leveque (1-2). HR - None. LOB: UM: 7. MICH: 6. T: 2:22. A: 900.
