University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota-Northern Iowa Blog
3/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota-Northern Iowa Baseball Blog
Minnesota is facing Northern Iowa in the first of two meetings this year. The Golden Gophers lead the all-time series 46-16.
6:55 PM: Matt Nohelty reached base safely in his 24th consecutive game on a single in the first inning. Nohelty came around to score later in the inning on an RBI triple from catcher Michael Kvasnicka, tying the game at one.
7:25 PM Gophers starting pitcher Allen Bechstein leaves after two and two-thirds innings of work, surrendering a pair of runs on one hit and four walks. Bechstein threw 55 pitches, 27 for strikes.
Tyler Oakes replaced Bechstein, and began his first outing of the season by coaxing a fly out to center field, ending the top of the third inning.
7:37 PM Oakes looked sharp on the mound in the fourth, locating his pitches for a 1-2-3 inning. Minnesota still trails 1-2.
7:41 PM Kvasnicka and Eric Decker teams up to tie the game, starting the inning with back-to-back hits. Kvasnicka doubled to left-center, allowing Decker to drive him home with a singe. Decker is now 5-9 at the plate this season with runners in scoring position.
7:51 PM Oakes leaves the game with one out in the fifth and runners on second and third, being replaced by Tim Ryan. Oakes went an inning and two-thirds.
7:58 PM Ryan surrenders a single and hits a batter, but ends the inning on a ground ball to second. Two runs scored, both charged to Oakes, and the Gophers trail 2-4 after four and a half innings.
8:15 PM Derek McCallum connects for a solo home run to straightaway center field, drawing Minnesota within one run of Northern Iowa. The homer is McCallum's second of the season. After six innings, NIU leads 4-3.
8:24 PM Ryan leaves following a solid outing. Ryan finish two and a third innings, allowing one hit, no runs and no walks. In 33 pitches, Ryan tossed 23 strikes. Dustin Klabunde replaced Ryan on the mound.
8:29 PM Keith Worner enters the game to pitch for Northern Iowa. He is the fifth pitcher in the game for the Panthers tonight.
8:33 PM Trip Schultz pinch hits for left fielder Sam Ryan, and walks. Schultz will stay in the game to play right field, with Jon Hummel moving over to left.
8:51 PM McCallum singled and advanced to third on a errant pickoff throw in the eighth, but Minnesota failed to take advantage of the scoring opportunity. Heading into the ninth, the Gophers trail 3-4.
8:56 PM Scott Matyas relieves Klabunde with one out in the ninth. Klabunde went one and two-thirds innings, giving up one hit. Matyas is the 11th pitcher in the game, fifth for the Gophers.
9:10 PM Minnesota goes quietly in the ninth, ending the game with a ground out and a pair of strikeouts. The Gophers finish with three runs on six hits and an error, while Northern Iowa wins with four runs on five hits and an error.
The loss goes to Oakes, his first of the year. Chris Macek records the win for Northern Iowa, his first of the year as well.
