University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Falls to Northern Iowa 4-3
3/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team (5-3) dropped a 4-3 decision to Northern Iowa (4-4) at the Metrodome on Wednesday, Mar. 4. The 4-3 loss marked the third straight one-run game for Minnesota and their first loss in a one-run game in four tries this year.
Minnesota was led by junior Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) who was 2-for-4 with a home run, a run and an RBI, while sophomore Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) was 2-for-4 with a triple, a double, a run and an RBI. Senior Matt Nohelty was also 1-for-4 with a stolen base, while junior Eric Decker (Cold Spring, Minn.) was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
The two teams combined to throw 12 pitchers in the game. Junior Allen Bechstein (Apple Valley, Minn.) started and got the no-decision as he went 2.2 innings, gave up one hit, two runs, walked four and struck out two batters. Senior Tyler Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) took the loss, as he went 1.2 innings, gave up two hits, two runs and struck out a batter. Tim Ryan pitched 2.1 shutout innings, and retired seven of the nine batters he faced. Dustin Klabunde (Brownton, Minn.) also pitched 1.2 shutout innings, and Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) retired the final two Panthers in ninth. Minnesota pitchers did not walk a batter in the final 6.1 innings, and did not give up a run in the final 5.1 innings.
Northern Iowa reliever Chris Macek was the second pitcher in the game, and picked up the win as he gave up two hits and one run in two innings pitched. The Panthers final five pitchers each pitched an innings, and combined to give up two hits and a run in the final five innings of work.
The Panthers got on the board in the top of the first with a single run to go up 1-0. Grant Grgurich drew a one-out walk, and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Brett Douglas walked to make it first and second, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Travis Bennett brought Grgurich home with RBI groundout to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
Minnesota got the run back in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1. Nohelty led off with a single through the right side, moved to second on a stolen base and advanced to third on a ground out which resulted in the second out of the inning. Kvasnicka plated Nohelty with the Golden Gophers' first triple of the year to tie the game at 1-1.
Northern Iowa moved ahead 2-1 with a single run in the top of the third inning when Bennett drove home his second run of the night with an RBI single.
Minnesota tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third with a single run. Kvasnicka led off the inning with a double to left center field and came around to score on a Decker RBI single to tie it at 2-2.
The Panthers scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to claim a 4-2 lead. Daric Manrique singled to left field, stole second and moved to third on a single by Grgurich. Oakes got Douglas to ground out for the first and held Manrique at third to make it second and third. Bennett delivered an RBI single off of Ryan to plate Manrique to make it 3-2. Jeff Taliaferro eventually plated Grgurich with a sacrifice fly.
McCallum crushed a solo home run to center field off Northern Iowa reliever Scott Airy in the bottom of the sixth, but neither team would score the rest of the way as the Panthers held on for a one-run victory.
Bennett led the way for Northern Iowa, as he went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Grgurich also was 1-for-3 with three runs for the Panthers.
Minnesota will be back in action at the Metrodome Tournament from Mar. 6-8. The Golden Gophers will face Illinois State on Friday, Mar. 6 at 6:35 p.m., Western Michigan on Saturday, Mar. 7 at 6:35 p.m. and South Dakota State on Sunday, Mar. 8 at 3:05 p.m.
Minnesota was led by junior Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) who was 2-for-4 with a home run, a run and an RBI, while sophomore Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) was 2-for-4 with a triple, a double, a run and an RBI. Senior Matt Nohelty was also 1-for-4 with a stolen base, while junior Eric Decker (Cold Spring, Minn.) was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
The two teams combined to throw 12 pitchers in the game. Junior Allen Bechstein (Apple Valley, Minn.) started and got the no-decision as he went 2.2 innings, gave up one hit, two runs, walked four and struck out two batters. Senior Tyler Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) took the loss, as he went 1.2 innings, gave up two hits, two runs and struck out a batter. Tim Ryan pitched 2.1 shutout innings, and retired seven of the nine batters he faced. Dustin Klabunde (Brownton, Minn.) also pitched 1.2 shutout innings, and Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) retired the final two Panthers in ninth. Minnesota pitchers did not walk a batter in the final 6.1 innings, and did not give up a run in the final 5.1 innings.
Northern Iowa reliever Chris Macek was the second pitcher in the game, and picked up the win as he gave up two hits and one run in two innings pitched. The Panthers final five pitchers each pitched an innings, and combined to give up two hits and a run in the final five innings of work.
The Panthers got on the board in the top of the first with a single run to go up 1-0. Grant Grgurich drew a one-out walk, and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Brett Douglas walked to make it first and second, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Travis Bennett brought Grgurich home with RBI groundout to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
Minnesota got the run back in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1. Nohelty led off with a single through the right side, moved to second on a stolen base and advanced to third on a ground out which resulted in the second out of the inning. Kvasnicka plated Nohelty with the Golden Gophers' first triple of the year to tie the game at 1-1.
Northern Iowa moved ahead 2-1 with a single run in the top of the third inning when Bennett drove home his second run of the night with an RBI single.
Minnesota tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third with a single run. Kvasnicka led off the inning with a double to left center field and came around to score on a Decker RBI single to tie it at 2-2.
The Panthers scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to claim a 4-2 lead. Daric Manrique singled to left field, stole second and moved to third on a single by Grgurich. Oakes got Douglas to ground out for the first and held Manrique at third to make it second and third. Bennett delivered an RBI single off of Ryan to plate Manrique to make it 3-2. Jeff Taliaferro eventually plated Grgurich with a sacrifice fly.
McCallum crushed a solo home run to center field off Northern Iowa reliever Scott Airy in the bottom of the sixth, but neither team would score the rest of the way as the Panthers held on for a one-run victory.
Bennett led the way for Northern Iowa, as he went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Grgurich also was 1-for-3 with three runs for the Panthers.
Minnesota will be back in action at the Metrodome Tournament from Mar. 6-8. The Golden Gophers will face Illinois State on Friday, Mar. 6 at 6:35 p.m., Western Michigan on Saturday, Mar. 7 at 6:35 p.m. and South Dakota State on Sunday, Mar. 8 at 3:05 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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