University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Loses Season Opener
2/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team (0-1) dropped its season opener to Seton Hall (0-1) 11-2 in the Big East/Big Ten Challenge at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 20.
Redshirt freshman Nick O’Shea (Blaine, Minn.) paced the Golden Gopher offense going 2-for-4 with two RBI, while redshirt freshman Kyle Geason (Eden Prairie, Minn.) reached base three times, and 2-for-3.
Senior Matt Nohelty (Rothschild, Wis.) extended his hitting streak to 17 games dating back to last season when he went 1-for-4 with a run. Sophomore Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) also reached base twice, and was 1-for-3 with a run.
Seton Hall took an early lead in the top of the first inning when Matt Smedberg led off with a single and came around to score on a wild pitch to make it 1-0.
The Pirates scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to move out to a 4-0 lead. Chris Fontenelli brought home Ed Brown with an RBI single to give Seton Hall a 2-0 lead. Frank Esposito and Fontenelli each scored on a wild pitch to move the Pirates’ lead to four runs.
Minnesota got on the board with a single run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 4-1. Kvasnicka drew a one-out walk, and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt with two outs. He came around to score on an RBI single by O’Shea to cut the Seton Hall lead to three runs.
The Golden Gophers threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning when Geason and A.J. Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) drew back-to-back walks. Geason moved to third on an errant pick off attempt. The Pirates got out of the inning when Nohelty was thrown out by a step to end the inning on what would have been an infield single.
Seton Hall pushed the lead to 7-1 with three runs in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Michael Rogers barely beat out an infield single that would have ended the inning. Smedberg was hit by a pitch and A.J. Rusbarsky walked to load the bases. Chris Affinito pushed the Pirate lead to six runs with a three-run double to right field.
Fontenelli and Smedberg had RBI singles as part of a four-run seventh-inning that pushed the lead out to 11-1.
Minnesota scored the final run of the game when O’Shea delivered an RBI single to plate Nohelty.
Golden Gopher starter Chauncy Handran (Scobey, Mont.) went four innings, gave up five hits, three earned runs, walked two and struck out three. Sophomore Phil Isaksson (Eau Claire, Wis.) struck out five batters, gave up two hits and three runs in two innings of work.
Seton Hall starter Sean Black picked up the win as he went six innings, gave up four hits, one unearned run, walked three and struck out two batters. Colin McGowan picked up the save as went three innings, gave up four hits, one unearned run and struck out three batters.
The Golden Gophers struck out 11 batters in the game, but walked seven and hit five batters.
Minnesota will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 9 a.m. (CT) in Jack Russell Stadium. The Golden Gophers will wrap up the Big East/Big Ten Challenge on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. (CT) the Naimoli Complex.
