University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Falls to Michigan 10-4
5/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team (33-13, 15-5) dropped a 10-4 decision in the series finale against Michigan (27-23, 8-13) in the series finale at the Wilpon Baseball Complex on Sunday, May 10.
Minnesota remained in first place by a half game at 15-5, after Ohio State defeated Illinois 12-7 in the final game of the series. The Buckeyes and Illini each enter the final week of Big Ten play at 15-6, while Indiana is one game back in fourth place at 14-6.
Junior Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) led the way for the Golden Gophers, as he reached base four times and was 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and an RBI. McCallum's home run was his 15th of the season, giving him the highest single-season total by a Minnesota player since Jack Hannahan collected 15 home runs in 2001.
Sophomore Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) also reached base three times, and was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Redshirt freshman AJ Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) was 1-for-5 with two runs, while Nick O'Shea (Blaine, Minn.) was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) also knocked in a run for the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota starting pitcher Seth Rosin (Shoreview, Minn.) gave up five hits and two runs in an inning of work, and was forced to leave the game in the second inning after he was hit in the lower back by a line drive. Senior Tyler Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) entered the game in the second inning. He retired the final seven batters he faced, but gave up two hits, three runs, walked and struck out three to take the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Scott Fern (Eau Claire, Wis.) gave up three hits, one earned run, walked one and struck four in two innings of work.
Michigan starter Alan Oaks picked up the win, as he gave up nine hits, four runs, walked one and struck out two batters in seven innings of work. Dufek pitched two shutout innings, as he walked two and struck out a pair of batters.
The Golden Gophers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Pettersen and McCallum had back-to-back singles with one out, and Kvasnicka plated Pettersen with an RBI single to put Minnesota ahead 1-0. With two outs, O'Shea knocked in McCallum with an RBI single to put Minnesota ahead 2-0.
Michigan immediately answered with two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 2-2. Kenny Fellows and Anthony Toth led off with back-to-back singles, and Ryan LaMarre plated Fellows with an RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1. After Rosin struck out Dufek, LaMarre was caught stealing for the second out. Chris Berset drew a walk to make it first and third, and Jake McLouth followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.
The Wolverines took a 5-2 lead with three runs in the top of the second. Garrett Stevens led off the inning with a line drive that ricocheted off Rosin's back and knocked him out of the game. The Golden Gophers pitched out and caught Stevens stealing for the first out of the inning. Tim Kalczynksi followed with a walk and Kenny Fellows doubled to make it second and third with one out. Oakes struck out Toth for the second out, but LaMarre delivered a three-run homer to left center field to give the Wolverines a 5-2 lead.
Minnesota pushed a single run across in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Wolverines' lead to 5-3. With one out, Pettersen reached on an error by the second baseman to get things started. McCallum and Kvasnicka followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases, and Knudson brought home the third run on a sacrifice fly that scored Petterson. Oaks struck out O'Shea to minimize the damage for Michigan.
The Wolverines pushed their lead to 7-3 on a sacrifice fly by Mike Dufek and an RBI single by McLouth in the bottom of the fifth inning.
McCallum delivered a solo home run to center field to cut the Michigan lead to 7-4 in the top of the seventh inning.
Michigan scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 9-4. Toth led off the inning, and LaMarre followed with single. Dufek reached on a fielder's choice, and Toth came around to score on a throwing error by the shortstop to make it 8-4. Berset plated LaMarre on an RBI ground out to push the lead to 9-4.
The Wolverines added a single run to make it 10-4 in the bottom of the eighth, moved to second when Toth walked, stole third and scored on an errant pickoff attempt.
Michigan was led by LaMarre who went 4-for-5 with a home run, three runs and collected four RBI. Fellows finished 3-for-5 with three runs and a stolen base, while Toth reached base three times and was 1-for-3 with three runs. McLouth also reached base three times, and was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Minnesota will be back in action when travels to Penn State on May 14-16. The Golden Gophers will face the Nittany Lions on Thursday, May 14 at 5:35 p.m. (CT), Friday, May 15 at 5:35 p.m. (CT) and Saturday, May 16 at 1:05 p.m.
Minnesota remained in first place by a half game at 15-5, after Ohio State defeated Illinois 12-7 in the final game of the series. The Buckeyes and Illini each enter the final week of Big Ten play at 15-6, while Indiana is one game back in fourth place at 14-6.
Junior Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) led the way for the Golden Gophers, as he reached base four times and was 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and an RBI. McCallum's home run was his 15th of the season, giving him the highest single-season total by a Minnesota player since Jack Hannahan collected 15 home runs in 2001.
Sophomore Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) also reached base three times, and was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Redshirt freshman AJ Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) was 1-for-5 with two runs, while Nick O'Shea (Blaine, Minn.) was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) also knocked in a run for the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota starting pitcher Seth Rosin (Shoreview, Minn.) gave up five hits and two runs in an inning of work, and was forced to leave the game in the second inning after he was hit in the lower back by a line drive. Senior Tyler Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) entered the game in the second inning. He retired the final seven batters he faced, but gave up two hits, three runs, walked and struck out three to take the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Scott Fern (Eau Claire, Wis.) gave up three hits, one earned run, walked one and struck four in two innings of work.
Michigan starter Alan Oaks picked up the win, as he gave up nine hits, four runs, walked one and struck out two batters in seven innings of work. Dufek pitched two shutout innings, as he walked two and struck out a pair of batters.
The Golden Gophers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Pettersen and McCallum had back-to-back singles with one out, and Kvasnicka plated Pettersen with an RBI single to put Minnesota ahead 1-0. With two outs, O'Shea knocked in McCallum with an RBI single to put Minnesota ahead 2-0.
Michigan immediately answered with two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 2-2. Kenny Fellows and Anthony Toth led off with back-to-back singles, and Ryan LaMarre plated Fellows with an RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1. After Rosin struck out Dufek, LaMarre was caught stealing for the second out. Chris Berset drew a walk to make it first and third, and Jake McLouth followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.
The Wolverines took a 5-2 lead with three runs in the top of the second. Garrett Stevens led off the inning with a line drive that ricocheted off Rosin's back and knocked him out of the game. The Golden Gophers pitched out and caught Stevens stealing for the first out of the inning. Tim Kalczynksi followed with a walk and Kenny Fellows doubled to make it second and third with one out. Oakes struck out Toth for the second out, but LaMarre delivered a three-run homer to left center field to give the Wolverines a 5-2 lead.
Minnesota pushed a single run across in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Wolverines' lead to 5-3. With one out, Pettersen reached on an error by the second baseman to get things started. McCallum and Kvasnicka followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases, and Knudson brought home the third run on a sacrifice fly that scored Petterson. Oaks struck out O'Shea to minimize the damage for Michigan.
The Wolverines pushed their lead to 7-3 on a sacrifice fly by Mike Dufek and an RBI single by McLouth in the bottom of the fifth inning.
McCallum delivered a solo home run to center field to cut the Michigan lead to 7-4 in the top of the seventh inning.
Michigan scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 9-4. Toth led off the inning, and LaMarre followed with single. Dufek reached on a fielder's choice, and Toth came around to score on a throwing error by the shortstop to make it 8-4. Berset plated LaMarre on an RBI ground out to push the lead to 9-4.
The Wolverines added a single run to make it 10-4 in the bottom of the eighth, moved to second when Toth walked, stole third and scored on an errant pickoff attempt.
Michigan was led by LaMarre who went 4-for-5 with a home run, three runs and collected four RBI. Fellows finished 3-for-5 with three runs and a stolen base, while Toth reached base three times and was 1-for-3 with three runs. McLouth also reached base three times, and was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Minnesota will be back in action when travels to Penn State on May 14-16. The Golden Gophers will face the Nittany Lions on Thursday, May 14 at 5:35 p.m. (CT), Friday, May 15 at 5:35 p.m. (CT) and Saturday, May 16 at 1:05 p.m.
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