University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Wins Second Straight Big Ten Regular Season Title
5/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
2003 Big Ten Regular Season Champions
Freshman lefthander Glen Perkins (Stillwater, Minn.) broke a school record with his eighth Big Ten victory of the season as the Minnesota Baseball Team (35-17, 22-5) defeated Ohio State 9-2 to clinch its second straight Big Ten title on Friday, May 16 at Siebert Field. With the victory the Golden Gophers clinched the right to host the Big Ten Tournament, which will take place at Siebert Field from Wednesday, May 21 to Sunday May 25.
Minnesota also claimed its first back-to-back regular season titles in non-divisional play since the 1973-74 seasons, marking only the fourth time in school history it has accomplished the feat. The Golden Gophers became the first team in the Big Ten to win back-to-back regular season titles since Ohio State won three in a row from 1993-95.
Perkins pitched his sixth complete game of the season going nine innings, giving up one earned run and striking out nine on the night. From the fourth inning on he retired 16 of the final 17 Buckeye batters. With the win Perkins moved to 9-1 overall and 8-0 in conference play.
Minnesota also handed Ohio State ace Scott Lewis his first loss since March 24, 2002 snapping Lewis' 15-game winning streak. It was also Lewis' first career loss in Big Ten play dropping him to 10-1 in Big Ten play in his career. The Golden Gophers got five hits, and six runs, three unearned off Lewis in three and two third innings.
Minnesota spotted the Buckeyes an early lead as Ohio State scored once in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Steve Caravati to go up 1-0. The Buckeyes struck again in the top of the third when Mike Rabin scored on a fielding error to make it 2-0.
The Golden Gophers came right back in the bottom of the third inning with three runs to take a 3-2 lead. David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.) reached on a leadoff walk, and Tony Leseman (West St. Paul, Minn.) singled with one out. Sam Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.) moved the runners up to second and third and Ben Pattee (Ukiah, Calif.) laced a two-run single into right field to tie the game at 2-2. Luke Appert (Cottage Grove, Minn.) drilled a double to deep centerfield to bring Pattee home and give Minnesota the lead at 3-2.
Jon Becker (Plato, Minn.) started things again in the bottom of the fourth inning when he reached on a one-out error. After stealing second, Becker scored on a two-out double by David Roach (Clearwater, Fla.) to make the score 4-2. Roach then came home on Leseman's triple to make it 5-2. Leseman came around to score on a wild pitch by relief pitched Kyle Brown to move it to 6-2.
Minnesota added two in the bottom of the sixth inning to go up 8-2 on an RBI triple by Roach and a fielder's choice RBI by Steidl. The Golden Gophers capped their scoring in the bottom of the seventh when Scott Welch (Missoula, Mon.) scored on an Andy Hunter RBI double to make the score 9-2.
"I am so happy for this team," said Minnesota head coach John Anderson. "From day one this team has set goals for itself and kept very focused when it has come to the means to achieving them. Winning the regular season title this season is a testament to how hard this team has worked to succeed at their goals this season."
The Golden Gophers were led offensively by Leseman who was three for three with two runs and one RBI. Roach was two for four with two runs and two RBI. Appert was also two for four with on RBI, while Pattee drove in two runs for Minnesota. Eight of the nine batters in the starting lineup reached base on the night for the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota is now 13-0 at Siebert Field in Big Ten play this season.
The Golden Gophers will be in action on Saturday, May 17 at 4 p.m. when they take on Ohio State in a Big Ten doubleheader. Before the first game there will be a ceremony to retire the legendary Paul Giel's No. 34. The two teams will wrap up the Big Ten season on Sunday, May 18 at 1 p.m.
