University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gopher Baseball Continues Tradition of Pro Alumni Game
1/31/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
"It is a great opportunity to celebrate the deep tradition of Golden Gopher baseball. It also presents a chance for the current players in the program to reflect on what some of the past tradition has been, what those people represent and the values they bring to the family here at the University of Minnesota," Head Coach John Anderson said. "They are real people, and our players get opportunities to meet those people and to understand who they are and why it's so special to be part of our family at the University of Minnesota. I think it is probably the best thing we do all year, in terms of trying to pass the `tradition' torch."
The Pro-Alumni team holds a 6-4-1 advantage in the series against the varsity team. Last season 1,436 fans witnessed the 2002 varsity squad hand the Pro-Alumni an 11-3 loss, the most lopsided in the history of the event. Senior outfielder Chris Guetzlaff scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior Jason Kennedy in the bottom of the first inning to give the varsity squad the early 1-0 lead. The Pro-Alumni tied the game in the fifth 1-1 when Ryan Lefebvre scored on a single into centerfield by Rick Brosseau. Matt Scanlon followed that up with RBI groundout that scored Steve Huls to give the visiting veterans a 2-1 lead.
The Maroon and Gold answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 4-2. Freshman catcher Jake Elder delivered an RBI single to tie the score at 2-2. Junior third baseman Ben Pattee and junior second baseman Luke Appert added RBI singles to give the Golden Gophers the two-run lead. Seattle Mariner catcher Dan Wilson trimmed the lead to 4-3 with a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. After adding on a single run in the bottom of the sixth to go up 5-3, the varsity squad opened it up with four runs in the bottom of the seventh. David Hrncirik scored the first run of the inning on a Dan Thompson RBI single to put the Golden Gophers up 6-3. With two outs and the bases loaded sophomore centerfield Sam Steidl delivered a single that brought home Thompson and Gary Dick to put the varsity squad up 8-3. Kennedy added his second RBI single of the game to push the score to 9-3.
The Golden Gophers tacked on their final runs of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Jon Becker and an RBI triple off the bat of Dick for the final margin of 11-3.
Matt Loberg picked up the win for the varsity squad. C.J. Woodrow pitched four scoreless innings for the Golden Gophers to open the game. Craig Molldrem and Chad Drexler both held the Pro-Alumni scoreless in their relief appearances.
Guetzlaff paced the varsity squad by scoring three runs and going two for five from behind the plate. Steidl and Kennedy each had two RBI for the Golden Gophers. Wilson led the Pro-Alumni going three for three with the game only home run.
Inaugurated in 1992, the Pro-Alumni Game has brought back Major Leaguers who have donned Maroon and Gold, including members of the 3,000-hit club in Dave Winfield and 1993 World Series MVP Paul Molitor and Major League All-Stars Denny Neagle, Greg Olson and Dan Wilson. Proceeds from the game go to the Dick Siebert Scholarship Endowment fund.
1992 - Pro-Alumni 5, Golden Gophers 2
1993 - Pro-Alumni 4, Golden Gophers 4
1994 - Pro-Alumni 9, Golden Gophers 2
1995 - Pro-Alumni 6, Golden Gophers 3
1996 - Pro-Alumni 5, Golden Gophers 2
1997 - Golden Gophers 9, Pro-Alumni 5
1998 - Pro-Alumni 10, Golden Gophers 8
1999 - Golden Gophers 9, Pro-Alumni 7
2000 - Golden Gophers 7, Pro-Alumni 6
2001 - Pro-Alumni 4, Golden Gophers 0
2002 - Golden Gophers 11, Pro-Alumni 3
Pro-Alumni Team leads series 6-4-1
Every February, the University of Minnesota baseball team hosts the Galyan's Gopher Pro-Alumni Game. The yearly event creates a bond between current and former players by allowing the Golden Gophers to compete against some of the greatest players to come through the Minnesota baseball program.
"It is a great opportunity to celebrate the deep tradition of Golden Gopher baseball. It also presents a chance for the current players in the program to reflect on what some of the past tradition has been, what those people represent and the values they bring to the family here at the University of Minnesota," Head Coach John Anderson said. "They are real people, and our players get opportunities to meet those people and to understand who they are and why it's so special to be part of our family at the University of Minnesota. I think it is probably the best thing we do all year, in terms of trying to pass the `tradition' torch."
The Pro-Alumni team holds a 6-4-1 advantage in the series against the varsity team. Last season 1,436 fans witnessed the 2002 varsity squad hand the Pro-Alumni an 11-3 loss, the most lopsided in the history of the event. Senior outfielder Chris Guetzlaff scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior Jason Kennedy in the bottom of the first inning to give the varsity squad the early 1-0 lead. The Pro-Alumni tied the game in the fifth 1-1 when Ryan Lefebvre scored on a single into centerfield by Rick Brosseau. Matt Scanlon followed that up with RBI groundout that scored Steve Huls to give the visiting veterans a 2-1 lead.
The Maroon and Gold answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 4-2. Freshman catcher Jake Elder delivered an RBI single to tie the score at 2-2. Junior third baseman Ben Pattee and junior second baseman Luke Appert added RBI singles to give the Golden Gophers the two-run lead. Seattle Mariner catcher Dan Wilson trimmed the lead to 4-3 with a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. After adding on a single run in the bottom of the sixth to go up 5-3, the varsity squad opened it up with four runs in the bottom of the seventh. David Hrncirik scored the first run of the inning on a Dan Thompson RBI single to put the Golden Gophers up 6-3. With two outs and the bases loaded sophomore centerfield Sam Steidl delivered a single that brought home Thompson and Gary Dick to put the varsity squad up 8-3. Kennedy added his second RBI single of the game to push the score to 9-3.
The Golden Gophers tacked on their final runs of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Jon Becker and an RBI triple off the bat of Dick for the final margin of 11-3.
Matt Loberg picked up the win for the varsity squad. C.J. Woodrow pitched four scoreless innings for the Golden Gophers to open the game. Craig Molldrem and Chad Drexler both held the Pro-Alumni scoreless in their relief appearances.
Guetzlaff paced the varsity squad by scoring three runs and going two for five from behind the plate. Steidl and Kennedy each had two RBI for the Golden Gophers. Wilson led the Pro-Alumni going three for three with the game only home run.
Inaugurated in 1992, the Pro-Alumni Game has brought back Major Leaguers who have donned Maroon and Gold, including members of the 3,000-hit club in Dave Winfield and 1993 World Series MVP Paul Molitor and Major League All-Stars Denny Neagle, Greg Olson and Dan Wilson. Proceeds from the game go to the Dick Siebert Scholarship Endowment fund.
1992 - Pro-Alumni 5, Golden Gophers 2
1993 - Pro-Alumni 4, Golden Gophers 4
1994 - Pro-Alumni 9, Golden Gophers 2
1995 - Pro-Alumni 6, Golden Gophers 3
1996 - Pro-Alumni 5, Golden Gophers 2
1997 - Golden Gophers 9, Pro-Alumni 5
1998 - Pro-Alumni 10, Golden Gophers 8
1999 - Golden Gophers 9, Pro-Alumni 7
2000 - Golden Gophers 7, Pro-Alumni 6
2001 - Pro-Alumni 4, Golden Gophers 0
2002 - Golden Gophers 11, Pro-Alumni 3
Pro-Alumni Team leads series 6-4-1
