University of Minnesota Athletics
GOLDEN GOPHERS DROP DOUBLEHEADER TO WILDCATS 4-2, 8-2
4/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
In the first game, the Golden Gophers got solo home runs from Jason Kennedy and Luke Appert, but that was all the runs Minnesota would generate in the game. Northwestern pitcher Gabe Ribas scattered just two other hits in the game en route to his sixth victory of the season. Ribas retired 11 in a row from the third inning on until Apperts homer in the sixth broke up the string. The Wildcat right-hander finished the game striking out four while walking just one.
Minnesota starting pitcher Kelly Werner (4-4) sent the Wildcats down in order in the first inning, but struggled from that point on. Northwestern threatened in the second inning with runners on first and third and two outs, but Werner struck out centerfielder Eric Roeder to end the Wildcat threat in the second.
Werner again ran into trouble in the third inning as he gave up a lead-off single to third baseman Frank Favia, and after a fly out to right field by Jeremy Kurella, gave up two straight singles to give Northwestern a 1-0 lead. A Pat Thompson sacrifice fly gave Northwestern a 2-0 after the third inning. The two runs in the third inning broke a string of 28 consecutive innings that Werner had not allowed an earned run.
The problems continued for Werner in the fourth inning, as Werner hit the leadoff batter, his first of two hit batsmen in the inning. With the bases loaded, Frank Favia slapped a two-RBI single to left field giving Northwestern a 4-1 after four innings.
In the second game, another solid pitching performance from a Wildcat pitcher once again silenced the Golden Gopher bats. Northwestern lefthander Dan Padgett went the distance to collect his third win of the season in an 8-2 victory. In the game, Padgett went seven innings, struck out six and yielded just five hits to pick up the third consecutive complete game for the Wildcats this weekend.
Minnesota RHP Chadd Clarey struggled from the mound for the Golden Gophers as he allowed seven runs on seven hits and was pulled after just 1 1/3 innings of work. Northwestern got all the runs they would need in the first inning as they sent nine batters to the plate scoring three runs. Northwestern opened up a 7-0 lead after the bottom of the second inning after sending eight more batters to the plate to score four more runs.
The Golden Gophers were shutout until the seventh inning when they put together three straight singles. A two-run single by Mike Arlt put Minnesota on the board finally and broke up Padgett's bid for the shutout. But the Wildcat pitcher struckout the final two batters he faced to end the game.
Minnesota and Northwestern will play the fourth game of the four-game series Sunday at noon. The game time has been changed in an attempt to get the game in before some possible rain reaches the Evanston area.
Game One 123 456 7 R H E Minnesota 010 001 0 2 4 0 Northwestern 002 200 x 4 8 0 UM-Werner, Perbsy (4) and Negen and Holthaus. NU-Ribas and Hietpas. WP - Ribas (6-2) LP - Werner (4-4). HR - UM: Kennedy (5), Appert (5). LOB: UM: 2. NU: 6. T: 1:40. A: 268. Game Two 123 456 7 R H E Minnesota 000 000 2 2 5 1 Northwestern 340 010 x 8 10 1 UM-Clarey, Gangl (2), McCauley (5) and Negen. NU-Padgett and Hietpas. WP - Padgett (3-2) LP - Clarey (4-3). HR - None. LOB: UM: 5. NU: 8. T: 1:48. A: 268.
