University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseball Blanks Purdue 7-0
4/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Perkins moved to 5-2 on the season with the victory, as he gave up only four hits and struck out seven batters in nine innings of work. He also retired 18 of the final 20 batters he faced, and did not give up a hit after the fourth inning. Perkins has now pitched 14 consecutive scoreless innings and has given up only one unearned run in his past 23 innings of work.
Purdue's Scott Byrnes gave up five runs and eight hits in four and two thirds innings to take the loss, and fall to 3-4 on the season.
It was Minnesota's first shutout as a team since it defeated St. Thomas 6-0 on May 6, 2003.
The Golden Gophers scored a single run in the bottom of the third inning to jump ahead 1-0. Sean Kommerstad (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Sam Steidl (Alexandria, Minn.) started the inning with back-to-back singles. Luke MacLean (Bloomington, Minn.) moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Mike Mee (Richfield, Minn.) brought home Kommerstad with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
Minnesota slammed three home runs in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 5-0. The first home run came in dramatic fashion, as Steidl delivered his first career home run to left centerfield to move the score to 2-0. The home run was the 284th career hit for Steidl in the maroon and gold. MacLean followed by reaching on an error, and came home when Matt Fornasiere (Maple Grove, Minn.) crushed his fifth home run to centerfield to give Minnesota a 4-0 lead.
Two batters later, Jake Elder (Delta, British Columbia) homered to right centerfield to make it 5-0. The home run was Elder's fifth home run in five Big Ten games at Siebert Field this season.
Minnesota added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth for the final 7-0 margin. MacLean singled home Kommerstad to make it 6-0. Later in the inning Andy Hunter (West St. Paul, Minn.) drew a bases loaded walk to bring home MacLean to make it 7-0.
The Golden Gophers' top six hitters in the lineup all had RBI in the game. Fornasiere reached base on all five trips to the plate, going three-for-three with a home run, two RBI and a run. Steidl went two- for-five with his first career home run and an RBI. MacLean scored two runs and was one-for-four, while Elder was one-for-four with a home run. David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.) also went two-for- four on the night.Kommerstad also scored two runs and was one-for-three in the game
Minnesota has outscored opponents 39-5 in its past three games.
The Golden Gophers will resume the series with the Boilermakers on Saturday, May 1 at 2 p.m. in a doubleheader and finish the Big Ten series on Sunday, May 2 at 1 p.m. in a single game.
