University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Continues Skid, Losing to Fresno State 4-2
3/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The ball game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Fresno State struck first. The Bulldogs had the bases loaded with no outs when center fielder Scott Beshears hit a sac fly to left field. The out turned into a double play when third baseman Casey McGehee was tagged out while trying to return to second. Minnesota starter Matt Loberg (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) got out of the jam with the next batter, Aaron Kempster, flying out to right.
Fresno State tacked on three more runs in the fifth to increase their lead to 4-0. The inning including a two-out two-run homer over the left field wall by Tory Davis.
Second baseman Luke Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park Cottage Grove) kept the game close with his third homerun of the year over the right field wall. The homer drove in center fielder Sam Steidl (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria) from second base to move the score to 4-2 where it would stand as a final.
In his second start of the season, Loberg threw for six and a third innings allowing four earned runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. The loss was his first of the year, dropping to 2-1. Loberg was relieved by freshman Brian Bull (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep) who finished the game with no runs and only one hit.
The Gophers were led by Appert who was 1-for-3 on the day with a run scored and two RBI. The Bulldogs' top hitter was Davis who went 2-for- 3 with two RBI and two runs. Fresno State starting pitcher Donnie Bair picked up his second win of the year, throwing five innings and holding Minnesota scoreless with two hits.
Minnesota will wrap up their nine-game 10-day California road trip Sunday afternoon with their final game against Fresno State at 1:05 p.m. PT.
