University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Sweeps Indiana in Big Ten doubleheader
4/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota scored in the first inning for the 21st time in 39 games, going up 2-0 in the top of the first. Sam Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.) reached on a lead-off double to left centerfield and came around to score on a Ben Pattee (Ukiah, Calif.) RBI single to put the Golden Gophers up 1-0. Pattee came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Scott Welch (Missoula, Mon.) to make it 2-0.
In the top of the fourth Jake Elder (Delta, British Columbia) led off with a single. Elder advanced to second when he stole second base on a hit and run play. David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.) sacrificed him to third base, and David Roach (Clearwater, Fla.) hit a single to centerfield to bring Elder home and make the score 3-0. Minnesota added another run in the top of the fifth inning when Pattee led off with a double and came around to score to make it 4-0 when Andy Hunter (West St. Paul, Minn.) grounded into a double play.
With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Tony Leseman (St. Paul, Minn.) doubled to rightfield and came home on a Steidl RBI single to make it 5-0. Indiana scored a run in the bottom of the sixth when Ryan Parker singled home Vasili Spanos with one out to make it 5-1.
Minnesota was led, in the first game, by Pattee who was two for four with two runs and one RBI. Steidl was also two for four with one run and an RBI, while Hrncirik (2-2) and Leseman (2-3) also had two hit games for the Golden Gophers.
In the second game, Minnesota got on the board in the top of the third with two runs to go up 2-0. Tony Leseman had a one-out bunt single and advanced to second on a fielder's choice by Sam Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.). Leseman came around to score on an RBI single by Ben Pattee (Ukiah, Calif.) to make it 1-0. Steidl came around to score when Luke Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn.) grounded out to the first baseman to make it 2-0.
Indiana cut the score to 2-1 on an RBI single by Nick Evans, which brought home Vasili Spanos. Seth Bynum then brought home Kevin Mahar with an RBI suicide squeeze bunt to tie the game at 2-2.
Minnesota struck for three runs in the top of the sixth inning to go up 5-2. Appert led off the inning with a double and came home on a Scott Welch (Missoula, Mon.) RBI single to put the Golden Gophers up 3-2. Andy Hunter (West St. Paul, Minn.) then delivered his fourth home run in seven games with two-run homer to make it 5-2.
Indiana cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Nick Evans delivered an RBI double with no one out in the inning. The Hoosiers had runners on second and third with nobody out, but junior reliever Jeff Moen (Glenwood, Minn.) came in relief to retire all the next three batters and strand the runners.
Moen ended up pitching two innings of scoreless relief to pick up his fifth save of the season. C.J. Woodrow (Plymouth, Minn.) pitched five innings, gave up three runs and struck out four to pick up the win and move to 5-3 on the season. Josh Lewis gave up four runs in five innings to take his first loss, dropping to 2-1 on the season.
Hunter was one for three with a home run and two RBI. Welch, Appert and Pattee each had one RBI on the game, while Leseman was two for three with a run.
The Golden Gophers will finish the series with Indiana on Sunday, Apr. 26 when the two teams play in a doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Both games of that doubleheader will be broadcast on KCCO (950 AM).
