Minnesota Defeats Indiana 8-6 in First Game of Series
The Minnesota baseball team (37-12, 17-7) defeated Indiana (17-34, 6-22) 8-6 in the series opener at Sembower Field on Friday, May 18. With the win, the Golden Gophers finished 5-2 in Friday games in Big Ten play this year and are also 19-4 in games decided by three-runs or less in 2007.
Minnesota stayed one-and-a half games behind Michigan, who defeated Iowa 4-3 in 11 innings tonight. Penn State also defeated Ohio State 3-2 in 10 innings. The Wolverines are in first at 19-6, the Golden Gophers are second at 17-7 and the Nittany Lions are third at 18-9.
The Golden Gophers were paced on offense by Kyle Baran (Apple Valley, Minn.) who was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Baran is 5-for-9 with four RBI in his last two games.
Sophomore Matt Nohelty had his sixth three-hit game of the season as he went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Nate Hanson (Chanhassen, Minn.) reached base three times and was 2-for-4 with two runs, while Dan Lyons (Rochester, Minn.) went 2-for-4 with a run, a double and an RBI.
Freshman Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) also was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI for the game.
Sophomore starter Tom Buske (Apple Valley, Minn.) gave up 10 hits and two earned runs (five overall) in six innings to pick up the win. Buske moved to 4-1 on the season. Senior Bill Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn.) retired six of the seven batters he faced, only allowing a pinch-hit home run to Michael Nilles. Johnson ended up going two innings, giving up one hit, one run and striking out two batters.
Josh Oslin (Mora, Minn.) added to his school-record in saves with his 11th of the year, as he pitched a scoreless ninth giving up two hits and striking out a pair of batters to nail down the save.
Indiana scored a single run in the bottom of the first inning to move ahead 1-0. Keith Haas led the inning off with an infield-single on a chopper to the right side. Haas stole second and moved to third on a bunt single. Andrew Means brought home Haas on a fielder's choice ground out to put the Hoosiers ahead 1-0.
Minnesota pushed across three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Hanson got things started with a single up the middle with one out in the inning. Baran brought him home when he hit the first pitch of the at-bat down the left field line for an RBI double to make it 1-1. Lyons was hit by a pitch and Jost drew a walk to load the bases with one out. McCallum followed with a two-run single to left side to give Minnesota a 3-1 lead.
Indiana got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the Golden Gopher lead to 3-2. Chris Hervey and Josh Phegley got things started with back-to-back one-out singles to make it first and second. Sterling Mack followed with a bunt single and Hervey came home to score on a throwing error, which allowed each runner to move a base, to cut the Minnesota lead to 3-2.
The Golden Gophers scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 6-2 lead over Indiana. Nohelty got things started with a single to center field. Mee followed with a single through the left side, and Hanson loaded the bases with an infield-single to the shortstop.
Baran brought home a pair of runs with a two-run single to plate Nohelty and Mee to make it 5-2. Lyons followed with an RBI double to left field to score Hanson to make it 6-2.
Minnesota added a single run in the top of the sixth to push its lead out to 7-2. Tijl Vanderwege (St. Paul, Minn.) got things started with a walk as a pinch-hitter. Kevin Carlson (Edina, Minn.) moved him to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Vanderwege came home to score on a hit-and-run RBI single by Nohelty to give the Golden Gophers a five-run lead.
Indiana loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning on Buske. However, Buske got Mack to hit a tailor-made double play ball to second base. The Hoosiers ended up scoring when the ball was bobbled and two runs came home to score to make it 7-4. Haas followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to close the Golden Gophers' lead to 7-5.
Minnesota added an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make it 8-5. Bryan Jost (Oakdale, Minn.) got things started with a one-out walk. Vanderwege followed by crushing a ball to center field. The Indiana centerfielder, Means, got turned around and the ball went off his glove, as he fell to the ground allowing Vanderwege to come up with an RBI triple to make it 8-5.
Indiana cut the lead to 8-6 in the bottom of the eighth when Nilles delivered a pinch-hit home run to left field off Johnson.
The Hoosiers got runners on first and third before Oslin struck out Greenspan to close out the game to give Minnesota the victory.
Indiana was led by Haas who was 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base. Means was also 2-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base.
Minnesota will be back in action in a doubleheader against Indiana on Saturday, May 19 at 12 p.m. (CT) and will finish the regular season against the Hoosiers on Sunday, May 20 at 12 p.m. (CT).
All three remaining games will be broadcast on KLBB (1220 AM) and webcast on gophersports.com.
