.png&width=42&height=42&type=webp)
University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Falls to Northwestern in Series Finale
4/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team (14-22,4-5) lost 8-3 to Northwestern (12-22, 5-4) in the series finale at Rocky Miller Park on Sunday, Apr. 18.
Minnesota was led by Nick O'Shea (Blaine, Minn.) who went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Junior Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) reached base four times, and was 1-for-2 with a run. Kyle Geason (Eden Prairie, Minn.) went 1-for-4 with an RBI, while Matt Puhl (North St. Paul, Minn.) finished 1-for-5 with a run and a triple.
With the one hit, Kvasnicka extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) also went 1-for-5 to move his hitting streak to 10 games.
Gopher starter Phil Iskasson (Eau Claire, Wis.) took a no-decision, as he went 5.2 innings, gave up 13 hits, two earned runs, walked one and struck out two batters. Cullen Sexton (Plover, Wis.) took a loss in relief, as he gave up two hits and two runs in two-thirds of an inning to fall to 0-1. Luke Rasmussen (Northfield, Minn.) also gave up three hits, two runs and struck out a batter in 1.1 innings.
Wildcat starter Joe Muraski took a no-decision as he gave up four hits, one run, three walks and struck out seven batters. Zach Morton gave up two hits, two runs, walked two and struck out two in two innings of work. Morton picked up the win to move to 2-4. Paul Snieder closed out the game for his sixth save of the year, as he pitched two shutout innings and struck out four batters. The Wildcat pitchers combined to strike out 13 Golden Gopher hitters.
Northwestern jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Chad Noble got things started with a one-out single, and moved to second when Snieder reached on an error by the left fielder. Chris Lashmet followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Snieder moved to third, and Lashmet moved to second on a throwing error.
Isaksson bounced back to strike out the next two batters to limit the damage in the inning.The Wildcats added a single run in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Northwestern had runners on first and third after singles by Chad Noble and Snieder with no outs. Isakssson got Lashmet to line out for the first out, but Zach Morton drew a walk to load the bases with one out in the inning. Trevor Stevens plated Noble on an RBI single, but the Snieder was thrown out at the plate when Geason took a relay throw from Schlangen and threw to Knudson to for the second out. Isaksson retired the next batter to keep the deficit at two runs.
Minnesota got a single run back in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1. Puhl led off the inning with a triple, and came around to score on an RBI single by Geason to cut it to a one-run game. Geason stole second, but Muraski retired the next two batters to keep the Wildcats ahead by a run.
Northwestern pushed its lead back to two runs at 3-1 with a single run in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Kontos got things started with a one-out single, and moved to third on a single by Arby Fields. Noble plated Kontos with an RBI single to make it a two-run lead for the Wildcats. Sexton came on to strike out Snieder to get out of the inning.
The Golden Gophers tied the game in the top of the seventh inning with a pair of runs. Kvasnicka drew a one-out walk, and O'Shea crushed a towering two-run homer with two outs in the inning to tie the game at 3-3.Northwestern took the lead back at 5-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Lashmet led off the inning with a solo home run to give the Wildcats a 4-3 lead. Morton followed with a single, and moved to second when Colby Everett was hit by a pitch with one out. Hamilton Wise reached on a fielder's choice to make it first and third with two outs. Geoff Rowan followed with a two-out RBI single to give Northwestern a 5-3 lead.
The Wildcats added three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning when Trevor Stephens hit a three-run homer to right field with two outs to give Northwestern an 8-3 lead.
Stevens led the way for the Wildcats going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Lashmet also went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs and two RBI. Noble also finished 3-for-5 with a two runs and an RBI, while Morton reached base four times and was 3-for-4 with two runs.
Six of Northwestern's eight runs on the day came with two outs.
Minnesota will be back in action when it travels to Brookings to face South Dakota State on Tuesday, Apr. 20 at 3 p.m. The Golden Gophers will return home to host Indiana at the Metrodome on Friday, Apr. 23 at 6 p.m., Saturday, Apr. 24 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Apr. 25 at 1 p.m. All three game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network.
