University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Rally in Ninth to Defeat Michigan
5/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Trip Schultz (Forest Lake, Minn.) delivered a two-out, two-run single with the Gophers trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth to give the Minnesota baseball team (22-26, 10-7) a 5-4 victory over Michigan (28-17, 9-8) in the second game of the series at the Metrodome on Saturday, May 8.
With the win and a Northwestern victory, the Golden Gophers and Wildcats are in a two-way tie for first place at 10-7. Minnesota is now 6-2 in Big Ten play since starting out 4-5.
Minnesota had trailed 3-0 earlier in the game, and entered the ninth down 4-2 after the Wolverines had tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth. With one out, Michael Kvasnicka (Lakeville, Minn.) got things started with an infield single to third base. Kyle Knudson (Maple Grove, Minn.) followed with a single to right center field to make it first and third. Nick O'Shea plated Kvasnicka with an RBI single through the left side to cut the Michigan lead to 4-3.
Matt Puhl (North St. Paul, Minn.) drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Michigan reliever Tyler Burgoon struck out Kyle Geason for the second out of the inning. Schultz worked the count to 3-2, and delivered the game-winning two-run single to left center field to score Knudson and pinch-runner Brooks Albrecht (Hutchinson, Minn.) to give Minnesota the victory.
Schultz reached base four times, and was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI on the afternoon. Troy Larson (Maplewood, Minn.) also went 1-for-4 with an RBI, while O'Shea was 1-for-5 with an RBI. Knudson and Kvasnicka each reached base twice, and were 1-for-4 with a run. Kyle Geason (Eden Prairie, Minn.) also scored a run for the Golden Gophers.
AJ Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) reached base three times, and was 1-for-3. Pettersen has drawn five walks in the first two games of the series. On the afternoon, the Golden Gophers had nine walks as a team.
Golden Gopher reliever Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) picked up the win in relief to move to 3-1, as he came in and pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning. Minnesota starter TJ Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) took a no-decision as he pitched six innings, gave up six hits, two earned runs, walked one and struck out five. Billy Soule (Hamel, Minn.) pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning, before surrendering a run in the top of the ninth. Soule gave up two hits, one run, did not walk a batter and struck out three. Prior to giving up the run in the ninth, Soule had pitched eight consecutive shutout innings.
Wolverine starter Alan Oaks gave up four hits, two runs, walked six and struck out two in 5.2 innings of work. Tyler Burgoon took the loss to fall to 6-3, as he gave up five hits, three runs, walked three and struck out five in 3.0 innings.
Michigan got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead. Patrick Biondi led off with a walk, and Anthony Toth singled to make it first and second. Ryan LaMarre reached on a fielder's choice when Toth moved to second on an error to load the bases. Oakes struck out Chris Berset for the first out, but Mike Dufek followed with a two-run single to put the Wolverines ahead 2-0. The next two batters were retired, as Oakes kept the deficit at two runs.
Nick Urban gave Michigan a three-run lead with an RBI single to make it 3-0.
The Golden Gophers started their comeback with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 3-2. With two outs, Geason walked and Schultz singled to make it first and second. Larson plated Geason with an RBI single to make it 3-1. Schultz advanced to third, and scored on a passed ball to cut the Michigan lead to 3-2.
Minnesota had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth when Puhl led off the inning with a single, and moved to second on a one-out walk by Schultz. However, Burgoon battled back to strike out Larson and Andy Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn.) to keep the Wolverines on top.
Michigan added a single run in the top of the ninth to make it 4-2 when Urban led off with a double, and eventually came around to score on a squeeze play by Derek Dennis.
All five of the Golden Gophers runs in the game came with two outs.
Michigan was led by Urban who was 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI. Dufek was also 2-for-4 with two RBI in the game. Minnesota will wrap up the series with Michigan on Sunday, May 9 at 1:05 p.m. That game will be KLBB (1220 AM).
