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University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Defeats Minnesota-Duluth 16-2
3/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota belted out 18 hits on the night against the Bullldogs. The hitting barrage was led by Tony Leseman (St. Paul, Minn.) who was three for four with his first career home run, three runs and two RBI. Luke Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn.) was also three for three with two runs and one RBI.
Minnesota jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when Appert's (Cottage Grove, Minn.) two-out single was misplayed by the Minnesota-Duluth rightfielder, and Appert and Jon Schemmel (Eden Praire, Minn.) came around to score.
The Golden Gophers tacked on two more runs in the third inning to go up 4-0. Minnesota-Duluth scored two runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 4-2, but Minnesota answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 6-2. The inning was highlighted by Lesman's homer.
Minnesota widened the gap with three runs in the fifth to go up 9-2, highlighted by a freshman outfielder Luke MacLean (Bloomington, Minn.) sacrifice fly, an RBI single by Leseman and an RBI double by David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.).
The Golden Gophers moved the score to 11-2 with two runs in the seventh, and poured it on with five in the bottom of the eight for the final 16-2 deficit.
Andy Peters (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) pitched one and a third innings of scoreless relief through the fourth and fifth inning to pick up his first collegiate win and move to 1-0 on the season. Rich Pender gave up seven hits and four runs in three innings to take the loss and fall to 1-1 on the season.
Hrncirik made his first pitching appearance for Minnesota in relief and pitched one scoreless inning with two strikeouts, while Dan Anderson (Shakopee, Minn.) finished the game with two scoreless innings of relief. Anderson also had a sacrifice fly in his first collegiate at bat.
Schemmel and Hrncirik were each two for two on the game. Schemmel also scored a run, while Hrncirik had an RBI and a run.
Minnesota will be back in action at the Metrodome when it takes on No. 2 Cal State Fullerton in a three-game series from Mar. 7-9. The first game will be on Friday, Mar. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Minnesota will also play the second-ranked Titans Saturday, Mar. 8 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Mar. 9 at 12 p.m.
