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University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Faces No. 20 Kansas State
5/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota wraps up its six-game road trip with an abbreviated two-game midweek series with No. 20 Kansas State on May 4-5. The Golden Gophers will face the Wildcats on Tuesday, May 4 at 6:35 p.m. and Wednesday, May 5 at 3:05 p.m.
Following the matchups against Kansas State, Minnesota will resume conference play against Michigan at the Metrodome on Friday, May 7 at 6:35 p.m., Saturday, May 8 at 2:05 p.m. and Sunday, May 9 at 1:05 p.m. The Golden Gophers enter the week with a 19-25 overall record and are tied for third in the Big Ten at 8-7. Kansas State enters the week with a 30-12 overall record and is second in the Big 12 at 10-7. The Wolverines enter the week with a 27-15 overall record and are tied with Northwestern for first place in the Big Ten at 9-6.
All five games this week can be heard on KLBB (1220 AM) and in the Gold Zone. Minnesota is led by sophomore first baseman Nick O'Shea who is batting .350 with a team-leading eight home runs, 36 RBI and 29 runs. Junior Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) is batting .353 with six home runs and 35 RBI. Kvasnicka leads the Big Ten in doubles (19), walks (36) and on-base percentage (.466). Senior catcher Kyle Knudson is also batting .323 with three home runs, 29 RBI and 14 doubles.
The Golden Gophers will throw senior righthander Allen Bechstein (1-1, 6.35 ERA, 15 SO, 28.1 IP) on Tuesday and sophomore righthander Austin Lubinsky (0-2, 6.89 ERA, 14 SO, 15.2 IP) on Wednesday. Seth Rosin will take the mound for the Golden Gophers
on Friday. Rosin is 4-4 with a 4.43 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 69.0 innings. He has only walked three batters in 69.0 innings and leads the NCAA in fewest walks per nine innings. Freshman TJ Oakes will pitch on Saturday, and is 3-3 with a 4.19 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 58.0 innings. Lefthander Phil Isaksson, who will throw on Sunday, is 4-0 with a team-leading 3.16 ERA and has 43 strikeouts in 57.0 innings.
This past week, Kansas State lost two of three at No. 15 Oklahoma. The Wildcats lost to the Sooners 14-3 in the series opener, won the second game 14-9 and lost the series finale 15-11. Kansas State is led by Nick Martini who is batting .418 with 39 runs, 13 doubles, 43 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Adam Muenster leads the team with 49 runs, has 16 stolen bases and is batting .402.
Jurica Carter enters the week with a team-high six home runs and a team-best 55 RBI. Carter is also batting .349 with 45 runs. Pitching wise, the Wildcats are led by Kyle Hunter who is 7-0 with a 3.97 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 56.2 innings. Ryan Daniel is also 5-3 with a 4.66 ERA and has struck out 27 batters in 48.1 innings. Reliever James Allen is 4-0 with five saves, a 2.41 ERA and has 29 strikeouts in 33.2 innings.
Following the matchups against Kansas State, Minnesota will resume conference play against Michigan at the Metrodome on Friday, May 7 at 6:35 p.m., Saturday, May 8 at 2:05 p.m. and Sunday, May 9 at 1:05 p.m. The Golden Gophers enter the week with a 19-25 overall record and are tied for third in the Big Ten at 8-7. Kansas State enters the week with a 30-12 overall record and is second in the Big 12 at 10-7. The Wolverines enter the week with a 27-15 overall record and are tied with Northwestern for first place in the Big Ten at 9-6.
All five games this week can be heard on KLBB (1220 AM) and in the Gold Zone. Minnesota is led by sophomore first baseman Nick O'Shea who is batting .350 with a team-leading eight home runs, 36 RBI and 29 runs. Junior Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) is batting .353 with six home runs and 35 RBI. Kvasnicka leads the Big Ten in doubles (19), walks (36) and on-base percentage (.466). Senior catcher Kyle Knudson is also batting .323 with three home runs, 29 RBI and 14 doubles.
The Golden Gophers will throw senior righthander Allen Bechstein (1-1, 6.35 ERA, 15 SO, 28.1 IP) on Tuesday and sophomore righthander Austin Lubinsky (0-2, 6.89 ERA, 14 SO, 15.2 IP) on Wednesday. Seth Rosin will take the mound for the Golden Gophers
on Friday. Rosin is 4-4 with a 4.43 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 69.0 innings. He has only walked three batters in 69.0 innings and leads the NCAA in fewest walks per nine innings. Freshman TJ Oakes will pitch on Saturday, and is 3-3 with a 4.19 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 58.0 innings. Lefthander Phil Isaksson, who will throw on Sunday, is 4-0 with a team-leading 3.16 ERA and has 43 strikeouts in 57.0 innings.
This past week, Kansas State lost two of three at No. 15 Oklahoma. The Wildcats lost to the Sooners 14-3 in the series opener, won the second game 14-9 and lost the series finale 15-11. Kansas State is led by Nick Martini who is batting .418 with 39 runs, 13 doubles, 43 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Adam Muenster leads the team with 49 runs, has 16 stolen bases and is batting .402.
Jurica Carter enters the week with a team-high six home runs and a team-best 55 RBI. Carter is also batting .349 with 45 runs. Pitching wise, the Wildcats are led by Kyle Hunter who is 7-0 with a 3.97 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 56.2 innings. Ryan Daniel is also 5-3 with a 4.66 ERA and has struck out 27 batters in 48.1 innings. Reliever James Allen is 4-0 with five saves, a 2.41 ERA and has 29 strikeouts in 33.2 innings.
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