University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Defeats West Virginia 8-3 in Dairy Queen Opener
3/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota fell behind 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning, but David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.) delivered a two-out bases-loaded double in the bottom of the inning to give the Golden Gophers a 5-3 lead. Matt Fornasiere (Maple Grove, Minn.) added an RBI double in the sixth inning to give Minnesota a 6-3 lead. Mike Mee (Richfield, Minn.) delivered a two-run home run, his second of the year, to put the game at the final score of 8-3.
The Golden Gopher's bullpen only gave up only one baserunner, on an error, in four and two thirds innings of relief. Brian Bull (Omaha, Neb.) pitched two and two thirds innings of scoreless baseball with his only baserunner reaching on the error. Bull picked up the win to move to 1-1 on the season. Craig Molldrem (Boscobel, Wis.) pitched two perfect innings to close out the game and picked up his first save of the season.
West Virginia jumped ahead 1-0 on a Grant Psomas RBI single in the top of the first inning. Minnesota reclaimed the lead at 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Andy Hunter (West St. Paul, Minn.) singled home Mee and Fornasiere.
The Mountaineers tied the game on a Travis D'Amico solo home run in the top of the second inning. West Virginia claimed the lead back at 3-2 on a Lee Fritz RBI groundout.
With two outs, Mee got things going in the bottom of the fifth inning with a double. Jake Elder (Delta, British Columbia) got hit by a pitch and Hunter walked to load the bases. Hrncirik then put Minnesota ahead 5-3 when he drilled a 3-2 pitch down the leftfield line for a double that cleared the bases.
The Golden Gophers added a single run on Fornasiere's RBI double in the sixth inning to go up 6-3, and tacked on two runs in the eighth on the Mee homer.
West Virginia's Shawn Miller took the loss to fall to 1-2, as he pitched five and a third innings, gave up four hits, five runs and walked seven batters. Josh Krogman (St. Cloud, Minn.) started and got the no-decision, as he pitched four and a third innings, giving up six hits, three runs and striking out two batters.
Mee led the way offensively for Minnesota going two-for-four with three runs, two RBI and a home run. Hunter was two-for-four with two RBI, while Sam Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.) reached base three times going two-for-three with one run. Hrncirik had three RBI, while Fornasiere was two-for-five with two runs and an RBI.
Fritz, Psomas and D'Amico each had an RBI for West Virginia on the night.
The win was Minnesota's first Friday victory in the Dairy Queen Classic since 2001.
Minnesota will face No. 14 Nebraska on Saturday, Mar. 6 at 6:35 p.m. That game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net North. The Golden Gophers will also face No. 22 Florida State on Sunday, Mar. 7 at 3:05 p.m.
