University of Minnesota Athletics
BB: Minnesota Defeats Northern Iowa 9-1
5/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Northern Iowa jumped on the board in the first inning, taking a 1-0 first inning lead. Mark Frieske drew a one-out walk, and moved up to second and third on a pair of wild pitches. Frieske then came home to score on an RBI groundout by Dave Westergaard to make it 1 -0.
Minnesota took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of third to go up 3-1. Kevin Carlson (Edina, Minn.) got things started with a leadoff single, and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt by the pitcher. Tony Leseman (St. Paul, Minn.) delivered a one-out RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. Taylor VanderAarde (Hastings, Minn.) followed by reaching on an error by the shortstop that moved Leseman to third. VanderAarde moved to third on a the pitcher’s second errant pickoff attempt of the inning, while Leseman came around to score to make it 2-1. Matt Fornasiere (Maple Grove, Minn.) followed by delivering a two-out RBI single to give Minnesota a 3-1 lead.
The Golden Gophers busted things open in the bottom of the fourth with four runs to go up 7-1. David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.) got things going when led off with a single and stole second. John Arlt (Lakeville, Minn.) followed with an RBI single to plate Hrncirik to move the score to 4-1. Jeff DeSmidt (Mahtomedi, Minn.) delivered a one-out single to make it first and second. Leseman followed by getting hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Sean Kommerstad (Minnetonka, Minn.) walked with the bases loaded to bring home Arlt to make it 5-1. Luke MacLean (Bloomington, Minn.) followed with an RBI single to bring home DeSmidt to push the lead out to 6-1. Fornasiere finished the scoring in the inning with a fielder’s choice RBI to make it 7-1.
Minnesota added a single run in the bottom of the fifth to push the lead out to 8-1. Hrncirik led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and stole second, Arlt delivered a double down the left field line to bring home Hrncirik to make it 8-1.
The Golden Gophers finished the scoring for the game when Mike Mee (Richfield, Minn.) delivered an RBI single to bring home Kommerstad to make it 9-1.
Marcus McKenzie (Minnetonka, Minn.) picked up the win in relief with three scoreless innings to move to 3-2 on the season. McKenzie gave up three hits and struck out two in three innings. Josh Oslin (Mora, Minn.) started and gave up just three hits and one run in three of work. Gary Perinar (Shorewood, Ill.) gave up just one hit and struck out two batters in two innings of work, while Reid Mahon (St. Paul, Minn.) finished out the game with one scoreless inning of relief.
Northern Iowa starter Zach Jevne took the loss, as he gave up six hits and seven runs in three and a third innings of work.
Offensively, Minnesota was led by Arlt who was two-for-four with a double and two RBI. It was the third time in four games that Arlt had a two-hit game. Fornasiere was also one- for-four with two RBI.
Hrncirik was one-for-three with two runs and two stolen bases. With the 28 stolen bases, Hrncirik is now tied with Mark Groebner (1998) for fifth on the Minnesota single-season list. He is just two stolen bases away from becoming only the fourth Golden Gopher in school history to steal 30 bases in a season.
Leseman also scored two runs, and was one-for-two on the night with an RBI.
Westergaard led Northern Iowa going two-for-four with one RBI for the day.
Minnesota will be back in action when it heads to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State in the final Big Ten series of the regular-season. Minnesota will play Ohio State in a single game on Friday, May 20 at 6:35 p.m., a doubleheader on Saturday, May 21 at 4:05 p.m. and a single game on Sunday, May 22 at 1:05 p.m.
