University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Falls to Nebraska 9-2
4/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nebraska jumped to an early lead scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning on a balk by Minnesota starter Craig Molldrem (Boscobel, Wis./Boscobel). The Gophers struck back in the top of the third inning when right fielder Ben Pattee (Ukiah, Calif./Mendocino J.C.) hit a single up the middle to drive home first baseman David Roach (Clearwater, Fla./Clearwater) to tie the score at 1-1.
Minnesota added another run in the fourth to move ahead 2-1. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Gophers hit into two fielder's choices to get runners out at home. Freshman Matt Fornasiere (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) stepped in to pinch-hit and drew a 5-pitch walk to move shortstop Scott Welch home and give Minnesota the lead.
The Huskers pulled ahead in the bottom of the fifth starting with a one-run triple by Jeff Leise. The extra-base hit was followed by a single up the middle by Matt Hopper to score Leise and take a 3-2 lead. Nebraska added a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to move the score to 6-2. In the bottom of the eighth with no-outs, the Huskers tallied three more runs to more runs to increase their lead to 9-2, where it would stand as a final.
Golden Gopher reliever and Nebraska-native Brian Bull (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep) took the loss to move his record to 4-2 on the year. Husker reliever Zach Kroenke earned the win to also move to 4-2.
Minnesota will face Purdue this weekend in a four-game series at Siebert Field with games being played Friday at 7 p.m., a doubleheader on Saturday starting a 4 p.m., and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
