University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Hosts Metrodome Tournament
3/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota will wrap up an eight-game homestand this weekend when it hosts Harvard, Creighton and South Dakota State at the Metrodome Tournament on Mar. 12-14.
The Golden Gophers will face the Crimson on Friday, Mar. 12 at 6:35 p.m., the Bluejays on Saturday, Mar. 13 at 6:35 p.m. and the Jackrabbits on Sunday, Mar. 13 at 3:05 p.m. Minnesota enters the week with a 4-7 overall record, after defeating St. Thomas 5-4 in 12 innings on Mar. 10 at the Metrodome. Harvard enters the week with a 2-1 record, while Creighton and South Dakota State are both 6-3.
All three of Minnesota's games will be available on live video and audio in the Gold Zone.
Minnesota is led by shorstop AJ Pettersen who is batting .390 with a team-high 10 runs and is tied for seventh in the Big Ten in hits. Michael Kvasnicka is batting .325, and is tied for the Big Ten lead in home runs (4), is first in total bases (32) ans is tied for the lead in walks (11).
Seth Rosin will throw the first game for the Golden Gophers against Harvard on Friday, Mar. 12. Rosin is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA and has 12 strikeouts and no walks in 14.0 innings. Dating back to 2009, Rosin has not given up a walk in his last 15.2 innings of work. Junior Luke Rasmussen will start against Creighton on Saturday, Mar. 13 and TJ
Oakes will get his second career start against South Dakota State on Sunday, Mar. 14. Oakes is currently third in the Big Ten in ERA at 1.59.
Harvard enters the Metrodome Tournament with a 2-1 overall record. The Crimson defeated Notre Dame (9-6) and Stetson (5-4), and lost to Kansas State in their first weekend of play in DeLand, Fla. Harvard opened the 2005 season with a 2-1 record by defeating St. John's (3-2) and Minnesota (9-1), and losing to Louisiana-Lafayette (14-2) at the Metrodome Tournament. Harvard is led by Sean O'Hara who is batting .545 (6-for-11) with two runs and three RBI. Samuel Franklin also has three RBI, three runs and is batting .455. Pitching wise, the Crimson are led by Conner Hulse who is 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA and four strikeouts in 7.2 innings. Jonah Klees also picked up a win in 2.2 innings of relief against Stetson.
Creighton enters the Metrodome Tournament with a 6-3 overall record. The Bluejays split a pair of games with Northern Colorado (W, 15-8; L, 3-10) and Sam Houston State (W, 6-5 (10); L, 10-11) at the Bearkat Invitational. They also defeated Texas-Arlington 11-5 on Mar. 10. Creighton is led offensively by Robbie Knight who is batting .436 with 14 runs, 17 hits and eight RBI. Trever Adams leads the team with 14 RBI and is batting .400 on the season. Pitching wise, the Bluejays are led by Jack VanLeur who has not given up a run in 11.1 innings of relief. Jonas Dufek is 2-0 with a 6.59 ERA and 11 strikeouts, while Bobby Lackovic is 3-1 with a 8.22 ERA.
South Dakota State enters the Metrodome Tournament with a 6-3 overall record. The Jackrabbits won three of four games at Air Force (L, 11-12; W, 14-7; W, 11-7; W, 23-9), and split a pair of games at No. 14 Arkansas (W, 3-2; L, 2-21) on Mar. 9-10. South Dakota State is led by Zach Rhodes who is batting .485 with two home runs, 10 RBI and 10 runs. Jesse Sawyer is also batting .438 with 13 runs, four home runs and 11 RBI. Pitching wise, the Jackrabbits are led by Trever Vermeulen who is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 11.0 innings in six relief appearances. Shane Kramer is also 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA, five strikeouts in 8.1 innings.
