University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Falls to SDSU 5-3
4/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team (13-20) dropped a 5-3 decision to South Dakota State (18-9) at the Metrodome on Wednesday, Apr. 14.
Minnesota was led by redshirt freshman Troy Larson (Maplewood, Minn.) who went 3-for-5 with a run on the night. Junior Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) reached base three times, and was 2-for-4 with a run, a double and an RBI. Senior Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) also went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Freshman Andy Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn.) was also 2-for-3 with a run.
Golden Gopher starter Kevin Kray (Maple Grove, Minn.) took the loss to fall to 1-1, as he gave up five hits, four runs, walked one and struck out two batters in three innings of work. Scott Fern (Eau Claire, Wis.) gave up two hits, one run, walked three and struck out two in 1.1 innings.
The back end of the bullpen pitched 4.2 shutout innings to finish out the game. Freshman Billy Soule (Hamel, Minn.) pitched two shutout innings, giving up just one hit. Luke Rasmussen (Northfield, Minn.) followed with 1.2 shutout innings, and Cullen Sexton (Plover, Wis.) pitched a perfect ninth inning.
Rasmussen has not given up a run in his four outings, which has spanned 6.2 innings. Sexton has also had four straight scoreless outings which has spanned 5.1 innings.
South Dakota State starter Jared Koch gave up five hits, three runs, walked two and struck out four in 4.1 innings for no-decision. Alex Oberle pitched 2.2 shutout innings, giving up four hits as he picked up the win to move to 5-1 on the season. Trever Vermeulen picked up the save by retiring the final four Gophers of the game. It was the second time this year that Oberle picked up a win, and Vermeulen collected a save against Minnesota.
The Jackrabbits got on the board with two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Billy Stitz reached on a bunt single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Beau Hanowski. Jesse Sawyer plated Stitz with a two-out RBI double to make it 1-0. Eric Cain plated Sawyer with an RBI single to push it to a two-run South Dakota State lead.
Minnesota answered with a single run in the bottom of the firs to make it 2-1. With one out, Kvasnicka drew a walk and came around to score on an RBI double by Knudson to cut the Jackrabbit lead in half.
South Dakota State added two runs in the top of the third to make it 4-1. Sawyer got things started when he was hit by a pitch with two outs. John Lee doubled to make it second and third, and Cain singled home both runners to push the Jackrabbit lead to three runs.
In the top of the fifth, Daniel Telford plated Lee with an RBI ground out to make it 5-1.
The Golden Gophers came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-3. Henkemeyer and Larson led off with back-to-back singles to make it first and second. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Henkemeyer scored when Stitz snared a sinking liner by AJ Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) that cut the lead to 5-2. Kvasnicka followed with an RBI double to cut the South Dakota State lead to 5-3. Oberle got out of the inning without any further damage to keep the Jackrabbits ahead by two runs.
From that point, the two teams' bullpens shut down the opposing offenses the rest of the way.
South Dakota State was led by Cain who went 3-for-3 with three RBI. Sawyer was also 1-for-2 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Stitz and Hanowski also had two-hit games for the Jackrabbits on the night.
Minnesota will be back in action when it faces Northwestern 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 games can be heard live on KLBB (1220 AM) and in the Gold Zone.
Minnesota was led by redshirt freshman Troy Larson (Maplewood, Minn.) who went 3-for-5 with a run on the night. Junior Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) reached base three times, and was 2-for-4 with a run, a double and an RBI. Senior Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) also went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Freshman Andy Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn.) was also 2-for-3 with a run.
Golden Gopher starter Kevin Kray (Maple Grove, Minn.) took the loss to fall to 1-1, as he gave up five hits, four runs, walked one and struck out two batters in three innings of work. Scott Fern (Eau Claire, Wis.) gave up two hits, one run, walked three and struck out two in 1.1 innings.
The back end of the bullpen pitched 4.2 shutout innings to finish out the game. Freshman Billy Soule (Hamel, Minn.) pitched two shutout innings, giving up just one hit. Luke Rasmussen (Northfield, Minn.) followed with 1.2 shutout innings, and Cullen Sexton (Plover, Wis.) pitched a perfect ninth inning.
Rasmussen has not given up a run in his four outings, which has spanned 6.2 innings. Sexton has also had four straight scoreless outings which has spanned 5.1 innings.
South Dakota State starter Jared Koch gave up five hits, three runs, walked two and struck out four in 4.1 innings for no-decision. Alex Oberle pitched 2.2 shutout innings, giving up four hits as he picked up the win to move to 5-1 on the season. Trever Vermeulen picked up the save by retiring the final four Gophers of the game. It was the second time this year that Oberle picked up a win, and Vermeulen collected a save against Minnesota.
The Jackrabbits got on the board with two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Billy Stitz reached on a bunt single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Beau Hanowski. Jesse Sawyer plated Stitz with a two-out RBI double to make it 1-0. Eric Cain plated Sawyer with an RBI single to push it to a two-run South Dakota State lead.
Minnesota answered with a single run in the bottom of the firs to make it 2-1. With one out, Kvasnicka drew a walk and came around to score on an RBI double by Knudson to cut the Jackrabbit lead in half.
South Dakota State added two runs in the top of the third to make it 4-1. Sawyer got things started when he was hit by a pitch with two outs. John Lee doubled to make it second and third, and Cain singled home both runners to push the Jackrabbit lead to three runs.
In the top of the fifth, Daniel Telford plated Lee with an RBI ground out to make it 5-1.
The Golden Gophers came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-3. Henkemeyer and Larson led off with back-to-back singles to make it first and second. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Henkemeyer scored when Stitz snared a sinking liner by AJ Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) that cut the lead to 5-2. Kvasnicka followed with an RBI double to cut the South Dakota State lead to 5-3. Oberle got out of the inning without any further damage to keep the Jackrabbits ahead by two runs.
From that point, the two teams' bullpens shut down the opposing offenses the rest of the way.
South Dakota State was led by Cain who went 3-for-3 with three RBI. Sawyer was also 1-for-2 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Stitz and Hanowski also had two-hit games for the Jackrabbits on the night.
Minnesota will be back in action when it faces Northwestern 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 games can be heard live on KLBB (1220 AM) and in the Gold Zone.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
2B/OF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballC/OF
/ Baseball
SS
/ Baseball2B
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ BaseballRHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballHighlights: Gophers 10, UNLV 0
Friday, March 06
Highlights: Gophers 6, Milwaukee 2
Wednesday, March 04
Highlights: Gophers 14, Milwaukee 4
Tuesday, March 03
Highlights: Gophers 10, Kansas 3
Saturday, February 28