University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Splits With Indiana in Big Ten doubleheader
4/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Matt Loberg (Anoka, Minn.) pitched six innings, gave up three hits and two unearned runs to get the victory and move to 4-1. Troy Ragle took the loss in relief for Indiana to fall to 1-2 on the season.
In the second game, Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Scott Welch (Missoula, Mon.) got things started with his third home run of the year to put the Golden Gophers up 1-0. Andy Hunter (West St. Paul, Minn.) walked with on one out and came around to score four batters later on a David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.) RBI single to make it 2-0.
Indiana tied the game in the bottom of the second inning with two runs. Kevin Mahar reached on an error to lead off the inning and came around to score on an RBI single by Seth Bynum to cut the score to 2-1. With two outs and runners on first and third Bynum was caught stealing second, but held up the play long enough to allow Nick Evans to score from third to tie the score at 2-2.
Minnesota broke the tie emphatically in the top of the sixth inning sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs to go up 9-2. Indiana walked the bases loaded and Ben Pattee (Ukiah, Calif.) walked to bring home David Roach (Clearwater, Fla.) to make it 3-2. Luke Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn.) then doubled to bring home two runners to make it 5-2. The Hoosiers chose to intentionally walk clean-up hitter Scott Welch (Missoula, Mon.) to load the bases for Hunter. Hunter then delivered a triple to clear the bases and give Minnesota an 8-2 lead. Hunter came around to score on an RBI single by Matt Fornasiere (Maple Grove, Minn.) to move the score to 9-2.
Pattee hit his second home run in the top of the seventh to put Minnesota up 10-2.
Welch led the way in the second game going two for three with a home run two runs and an RBI. Hunter was one for three with a home run two runs, and three RBI. Hrncirik was two for three with an RBI, while Steidl was two for four with one run. Pattee added a homer and two RBI, while Appert finished with two RBI.
In the first game, Indiana jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Mark Calkins had a one-out single and came around to score on a single by Vasili Spanos for the Hoosiers first run of the game.
In the top of the sixth inning Minnesota got runners on first and third with nobody out when Luke Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn) led off with a walk and Ben Pattee (Ukiah, Calif. singled to advance Appert to third. However, Indiana pitcher Chris Behrens wiggled out of the jam to keep the score at 1-0.
Corby Heckman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to move the Hoosiers lead to 2-0. In the top of the seventh, the Golden Gophers put runners on first and second in Sam Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.) and Luke MacLean (Bloomington, Minn.) with one out. Jon Becker (Plato, Minn.) advanced them to second and third. Appert came up with two outs and hit the ball down the rightfield line for what appeared to be a triple. However, it was called foul after the umpires met with each other to figure out the call. Behrens struck out Appert on the next pitch to give Indiana the 2-0 win.
Jay Gagner (Cumberland, Wis.) pitched five innings, gave up two runs and struck out four batters, but took the loss to drop to 3-4 on the season. Behrens pitched a complete game shutout, giving up six hits and striking out four to pick up the win to move to 4-2 on the season.
Steidl led the way offensively in the first game going two for four with a stolen base.
Minnesota left the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings, and stranded nine runners on base overall.
The Golden Gophers finish up their 10-game road trip when they head to No. 6 Nebraska on Wednesday, Apr. 30 to take on the Cornhuskers at 6:30 p.m. Minnesota will take on Purdue in a four-game series on May 2-4. The first game will take place on Friday, May 2 at 7 p.m. The doubleheader will be played on Saturday, May 3 at 4 p.m. The first game of the doubleheader will be telecast on Fox Sports Net North. The final game of the series is scheduled for May 4 at 1 p.m.
