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University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Hosts Penn State at Metrodome
5/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team (22-27, 10-8) will host Penn State (21-25, 8-10) in a three-game series at the Metrodome on May 14-16. The Golden Gophers will host the Nittany Lions on Friday, May 14 at 6:35 p.m., Saturday, May 15 at 2:05 p.m. and Sunday, May 16 at 12:05 p.m.
All three games can be heard live on KLBB (1220 AM) and in the Gold Zone. The Big Ten enters its final two weeks with the craziest race in all of college baseball. Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Purdue enter the week in a four-way tie for first place at 10-8. Indiana and Ohio State are tied for fifth place at 9-9, and Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Penn State are all tied for seventh at 8-10. The top six teams make the Big Ten Tournament, which will begin on Wednesday, May 26.
The Golden Gophers are led by sophomore first baseman Nick O'Shea (Blaine, Minn.) who is batting .355 with a team-leading 10 home runs, a team-best 42 RBI, a team-high 70 hits and 15 doubles. Junior Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) is batting .356 with seven home runs, 41 RBI and a Big Ten leading 20 doubles. Kvasnicka also leads the Big Ten in walks at 38, and has a .465 on-base percentage. Senior Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) enters the series batting .307 with 31 RBI and 27 runs on the season.
Junior Seth Rosin (Shoreview, Minn.), who will start on Friday, enters the series at 5-4 with a 4.44 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 75.0 innings. Rosin has only walked five batters in his 75.0 innings of work. Freshman TJ Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) is starting on Saturday, and is 3-3 with a 4.08 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 64.0 innings. Junior Phil Isaksson (Eau Claire, Wis.), who will start on Sunday, is 4-1 with a 3.08 ERA and has 46 strikeouts in 64.1 innings. Junior Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) is also 3-1 with five saves, a 2.88 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 25.0 innings.
Penn State is led by Ben Heath who is batting .379 with 17 home runs, 54 RBI and 49 runs. Steve Snyder is also batting .366 with 31 RBI and 30 runs. Jordan Steranka is batting .306 with seven home runs, 41 RBI and 45 runs, while Sean Deegan has a team-high 24 stolen bases, is batting .291 and has scored 38 runs.
The Nittany Lions will send Mike Wannamaker to the mound on Friday. Wannamaker is 4-2 with a 6.02 ERA and has 41 strikeouts in 55.1 innings. Steven Hill is set to throw on Saturday, and is 2-5 with a 5.69 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 55.1 innings. Reliever David Lutz has made a Big Ten leading 31 appearances, and is 4-3 with a 3.03 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.
Heading into the weekend here are the schedules for all 10 Big Ten teams heading into the final week.
Illinois - PUR, at Ind; Indiana - at MSU, ILL; Iowa - OSU, PUR; Michigan - NU, at PSU; Michigan State - IND, at NU; Minnesota - PSU, at OSU; Northwestern - at Mich; MSU; Ohio State - at Iowa; MINN; Penn State - at Minn, MICH; Purdue - at Ill, at Iowa
