The Minnesota baseball team (41-18) saw its extremely successful season come to a close at the hands of Fresno State (38-28) as the Bulldogs eliminated Minnesota from the NCAA Regionals by a score of 11-6 on Sunday, June 3.
“This team has made a concerted effort to play all nine innings of every game and never quit at any point this year,' said Minnesota Head Coach John Anderson. “I think this game was an extension of the way they have played all year in terms of never giving up. Despite a tough early hole, they never got down and never gave up and that is testament to the seniors and the kind of leaders they have been all year. I want to thank that group of 12 seniors for preparing the younger players to lead the team in the future. With the foundation they have set up for those players there are no worries about having to teach the younger players how to be a successful team. I am extremely proud of this team and what they have accomplished all year.'
Minnesota senior Bill Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn.) was forced into early duty after Fresno State had taken a 10-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Johnson went a career-high five and a third innings, gave up just four hits, one run and struck out two batters. Johnson retired the final 10 Bulldogs he faced in the game.
Johnson ended up pitching nine and two thirds innings, gave up eight hits, three runs, did not walk a batter and struck out three batters in two NCAA Regional appearances against Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State. The last three outings of his career, Johnson set career-highs in innings pitched.
“Bill (Johnson) showed tremendous courage down the stretch of our season and in today's game,' said Anderson. “He took the ball every time we asked him and he pitched great down the stretch for us. He was an inspiration to everyone, and I feel great about the way he pitched for us as a senior.'
Minnesota was led offensively by freshman Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) who was 4-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI. Going back to yesterday's game-winning hit, McCallum had a hit in his final five at-bats in NCAA Regional play. He finished 6-for-10 (.600) with a run and two RBI in the NCAA Tournament.
Bryan Jost (Oakdale, Minn.) reached base twice, and was 1-for-2 with a home run and four RBI. Nate Hanson (Chanhassen, Minn.) was also 2-for-5 with a run.
Senior Kyle Baran (Apple Valley, Minn.) was 2-for-5 with a run against the Bulldogs, and finished 6-for-13 (.462) with three runs in the NCAA Regionals. In three postseason appearances with the Golden Gophers (2006 Big Ten Tournament, 2007 Big Ten Tournament and 2007 NCAA Regionals), Baran was 22-for-48 (.458) with 13 runs and seven RBI.
Mike Mee (Richfield, Minn.) set a Golden Gopher record for most games played as he dressed in the Maroon and Gold for his 240th game. That broke the record held by Jason Kennedy (1999-2002). Mee also moved past Luke Appert (2000-2003) for third on the Minnesota hits list with 288 for his career. Mee's final season batting average of .392 was the highest since Sam Steidl batted .401 in 2001.
Senior Dan Lyons (Rochester, Minn.) was 1-for-5 with an RBI in his final game as a Golden Gopher, and Sean Kommerstad (Minnetonka, Minn.) was 1-for-3 with a run in his final contest in the Maroon and Gold.
Kevin Carlson (Edina, Minn.) was also 1-for-4 in his final game behind the plate for the Golden Gophers, and Taylor VanderAarde (Hastings, Minn.) was 0-for-1 in his final game.
Minnesota had its most wins since 1999 with 41, and finished with its best wining percentage since 1999 at .695 (41-18). The Golden Gophers also won an NCAA Regional contest for the first time since 2003. Minnesota claimed victories over three different top-10 teams on the season as well, defeating then No. 5 Arkansas on Mar. 4, then No. 9 Pepperdine on Mar. 18 and No. 4 San Diego in the NCAA Regionals on June 2.
Junior Gary Perinar (Shorewood, Ill.) took the loss, as he gave up three hits and five runs in one third of an inning to fall to 4-6. Ethan Vogt (Sauk Centre, Minn.) came in the game in the first inning, and pitched three and a third innings, gave up five hits, five runs and struck out two batters.
Bulldog starter Tanner Scheppers gave up five hits, one run and struck out four batters in three innings, before leaving the game after getting hit by a line shot in the face. Holden Sprague got the win to move to 1-0, as he went six innings, gave up nine hits, five runs and struck out four batters.
Fresno State jumped all over Minnesota quickly sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring six runs in the top of the first inning. Erik Wetzel led off with a single and stole second base. Loren Storey beat out a bunt single, and Wetzel came home to score on an error by the first baseman on throw to move ahead 1-0. Storey stole second and came around to score when Brian Lapin crushed a two-run home to right field to make it 3-0.
After the Bulldogs got their first out of the inning, Ozzie Lewis was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a double by Tommy Medonca. Alan Ahmady followed with an RBI double to left field to give Fresno State a 4-0 lead. Dan Grubb followed with a two-run single to give the Bulldogs a six-run lead.
Minnesota threatened in the bottom of the second inning. Hanson led off with a single to right center field. McCallum made it first and second with one-out infield single, and Jost drew a walk to load the bases with one out. However, the Golden Gopher threat was extinguished when Mendonca made a leaping grab on a Kommerstad chopper, stepped on third and threw to first for an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of third, Minnesota got its first two runners on when Carlson and Nohelty had back-to-back singles. However, Carlson was wiped out at third when Ryan Overland made a good play on a bunt and threw him out at third base. Scheppers struck out the final two batters to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Bulldogs put together another big inning in the top of the fourth as they sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs to go ahead 10-0. Wetzel led off the inning with a triple to right center field. He came home to score when Storey had an RBI single. Ozzie Lewis' sacrifice fly made it 8-0, and Overland had a two-run single to stretch the Bulldog lead to 10 runs.
Minnesota got back four runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 10-4. The inning started off with a scary moment as Baran lined a shot off Schepper's face that resulted in a single. Schepper had to leave the game after taking the shot to the face. McCallum followed with a double to right field to make it second and third with no one out. Jost followed by crushing a three-run home over the right field fence and off the San Diego State Wall of Fame to cut the Fresno State lead to 10-3.
Kommerstad followed with a single and stole second base. After the Bulldogs got the first out of the inning, Nohelty was hit by a pitch to make it first and second. Lyons delivered an RBI single up the middle to plate Kommerstad to cut the Fresno State lead to 10-4. Sprague, the Bulldog reliever, retired the next two batters to maintain the Bulldogs six-run lead.
The Bulldogs added a single run in the top of the sixth inning to push their lead to 11-4. With one out Mendonca hit a double to left center field. Overland delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to push the Fresno State lead back out to seven runs.
Minnesota cut the Fresno State lead to 11-6 with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Mee got things started with a single up the middle. He moved to second when Hanson singled through the right side. Baran followed with a single of his own to load the bases. McCallum delivered an RBI single to left side to cut the Bulldog lead to 11-5.
Jost followed by crushing a ball to center field, but Lapin tracked it down at the warning track to make the catch. Hanson came home to score on the sacrifice fly to make it 11-6. VanderAarde followed with a line drive to center field, but it was caught for the third out of the inning.
Fresno State was led by Lapin who was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Mendonca was 2-for-4 with three runs, and Ryan Overland, who came in to catch for an injured Dan Grubb (who was 1-for-1 with two RBI), was 2-for-3 three RBI.
