University of Minnesota Athletics
Late Heroics Propel Gophers to Victory
4/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
For a second straight Sunday, the Minnesota baseball team (13-19, 3-3) put together a late rally as it defeated Michigan State (22-6, 4-2) to win the final game of the series 6-3 at the Metrodome on Sunday, Apr. 10.
The Golden Gophers entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing for a second straight Big Ten Sunday at 3-2. AJ Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) got thing started for the Golden Gophers when he was hit by a pitch to lead the inning off. Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) followed with a single through the right side to make it first and second. Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) gave Minnesota its first lead of the game at 4-3 with a two-run double to left field that plated Pettersen and Kvasnicka.
With one out, Nick O'Shea (Blaine, Minn.) delivered an RBI double to right center field to plate Knudson to make it 5-3. Kyle Geason (Eden Prairie, Minn.) followed with an RBI single to give the Golden Gophers another insurance run to make it 6-3.
Minnesota's bottom four hitters in the lineup combined to go 9-for-16 on the afternoon with three runs and four RBI to help the Golden Gophers pull out the victory. O'Shea finished with three hits, going 3-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a double. Geason went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Troy Larson (Maplewood, Minn.) went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Trip Schultz (Forest Lake, Minn.) also went 2-for-4 with a run and a double.
Knudson finished 1-for-4 with two RBI, a run and a double, while Kvasnicka went 1-for-4 with a run. Pettersen was 0-for-2, but was hit by a pitch twice and scored a run.
Junior starter Phil Isaksson (Eau Claire, Wis.) pitched a career-high seven innings, gave up three hits, one earned run, walked three and struck out four, but took a no-decision. Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) pitched two shutout innings of relief, gave up two hits and struck out five batters to get the win. Matyas moved his record to 2-1 on the season.
Michigan State starter Tony Bucciferro took a tough-luck loss, as he gave up nine hits, five runs, walked one and struck out five in seven innings. Bucciferro, who entered eighth inning ahead 3-2, dropped to 4-3 on the season. Spartan reliever Kurtis Frymier also gave up two hits and one run in one-third of an inning.
Isaksson and Bucciferro kept the offense off the board until the top of the fifth inning. In that frame, Michigan State drew first blood to take a 1-0 lead on an RBI double by Jordan Keur.
The Spartans pushed another run across the plate in the top of the sixth to push their lead to 2-0. Brandon Eckerle reached on an error to start the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error on the same play. Jeff Holm plated Eckerle to give Michigan State the two-run lead.
Bucciferro entered the seventh inning with a shutout for the Spartans. O'Shea started the inning with a single, but was wiped out at second when Geason reached on a fielder's choice. Schultz followed with a double down the right field line to make it second and third with one out. Larson came up with a clutch two-run single to tie the game at 2-2.
Michigan State reclaimed the lead when Holm plated Eli Boike with an RBI bunt single to give the Spartans a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth.
Offensively, Michigan State was led by Holm who was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double. Keur was also 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Boike, Eckerle and John Martinez all scored runs.
Minnesota will be back in action when it hosts its final home non-conference game of the season against South Dakota State on Wednesday, Apr. 14 at 6:35 p.m. The Golden Gophers will then travel to Northwestern to face the Wildcats on Friday, Apr. 16 at 3 p.m., Saturday, Apr. 17 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, Apr. 18 at 1 p.m. All three of those games will be on KLBB (1220 AM) and in the Gold Zone.
