University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Picked to Finish First in Big Ten
2/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team was picked to finish first in a preseason poll conducted by Baseball America.
Baseball America also selected three Gophers to the Preseason All-Conference team. That list included junior first baseman Nick O'Shea, senior closer Scott Matyas and sophomore TJ Oakes. Oakes was also selected as the Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. Freshman Tom Windle was tabbed as fifth-ranked newcomer, while Justin Gominsky was selected as the third-highest draft prospect in the conference.
The Gophers were also picked first by CollegeBaseballMag.com, College Baseball Today and CollegeBaseballInsider.com. CollegeBaseballInsider.com also selected Oakes as one of the top three returning starters in the conference and tabbed him as one of the two most underrated pitchers in the conference. They also selected Matyas as the top closer in the conference , tabbed AJ Pettersen as the best defensive infielder and listed O'Shea among the top three power hitters in the conference.
Minnesota will open up the 2011 season at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge when it faces No. 23 St. Johns in Clearwater, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. The Gophers will also face No. 9 Connecticut on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. in Clearwater, Fla. and Louisville on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. in St. Petersburg, Fla. All three games can be heard live in the Gold Zone.
Baseball America also selected three Gophers to the Preseason All-Conference team. That list included junior first baseman Nick O'Shea, senior closer Scott Matyas and sophomore TJ Oakes. Oakes was also selected as the Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. Freshman Tom Windle was tabbed as fifth-ranked newcomer, while Justin Gominsky was selected as the third-highest draft prospect in the conference.
The Gophers were also picked first by CollegeBaseballMag.com, College Baseball Today and CollegeBaseballInsider.com. CollegeBaseballInsider.com also selected Oakes as one of the top three returning starters in the conference and tabbed him as one of the two most underrated pitchers in the conference. They also selected Matyas as the top closer in the conference , tabbed AJ Pettersen as the best defensive infielder and listed O'Shea among the top three power hitters in the conference.
Minnesota will open up the 2011 season at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge when it faces No. 23 St. Johns in Clearwater, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. The Gophers will also face No. 9 Connecticut on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. in Clearwater, Fla. and Louisville on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. in St. Petersburg, Fla. All three games can be heard live in the Gold Zone.
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