University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Drop Series Finale to Missouri State in Extra Innings
3/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 26, 2006 - The University of Minnesota baseball could not complete a three-game sweep of Missouri State, falling 5-4 to the Bears in 10 innings on Sunday, Mar. 26 at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.
Matt Weglarz hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the tenth for Missouri State to give the Bears the victory.
Sophomore catcher Jeff DeSmidt continued a productive weekend at the plate for Minnesota, knocking in two runners with a double down the left field line in the fourth inning, but it was not enough as the Gophers came up just short.
Each team put a run on the board in the first inning. The Gophers opened the scoring with an RBI single from Mike Mee. The hit was set up with a leadoff walk by Tony Leseman who then advanced to second with a stolen base. Two batters later, Mee singled up the middle to bring Leseman around and put the Gophers ahead 1-0.
Missouri State countered in the bottom half of the inning, also scoring with a run which was set up by a walk. Tanner Mattson reached on a base-on-balls and then scored all the way from first on a double to right-center field by Bears first baseman Tim Rafferty.
Two innings later the Bears took a two-run lead off of a home run by designated hitter Tony Lewis. With one out in the inning, second baseman Matt Lawson reached on an error and Lewis followed two batters later with a shot over the left-field wall to put Missouri State up 3-1.
The Gophers got right back in the game in their next turn at the plate. Shortstop Dan Lyons reached on a fielding error and Mee followed with a walk to give Minnesota runners on first and second with no outs. DeSmidt stepped to the plate two batters later and lined a shot down the left field line to score both runners and knot the game at 3-3.
Both starting pitchers settled down from there, battling through three scoreless innings through the seventh. Minnesota starter Cole DeVries faced just three more than minimum during that stretch. Missouri State starter Ross Detwiler struck out 10 Gophers before being replaced by Matt Frevert in the eighth.
The Gophers quickly jumped on the new hurler to take the lead. Leseman started the inning with a base hit to left field. Lyons sacrificed him to second and Mee followed with a single through the left side of the infield to give Minnesota runners on the corners with one out. Andy Hunter then doubled to right- center to bring in the go-ahead run.
The Bears came right back to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. Ryan Mantle started the inning with a double to left-center field. Rafferty was then hit by a pitch to give Missouri State runners on first and second. The Bears put on a double steal to advance the runners to second and third and Chris Taylor flew out to center field to sacrifice the run home. Andy Peters picked up a clutch strikeout and later, with the bases loaded, got Jacob Hilgendorf to ground into a fielder’s choice to get out of the inning.
The teams played through a scoreless ninth to send the game to extra innings before Missouri State ended the game with a run in the bottom of the tenth off the Weglarz single to right field. Taylor singled to left-center field to start the inning and Shane Elenz reached on an error to give the Bears runners on first and second to set up the game-winning hit.
With the loss, the Gophers moved to 10-8 in non-conference play. Minnesota opens the Big Ten season next weekend with a three-game series against Penn State beginning Friday, Mar. 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the Metrodome.
