University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Fall to Northwestern 4-1
4/16/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota (11-14, 3-5) dropped a 4-1 loss to Northwestern (10-21, 3-5) in the second game of the series at Target Field on Saturday, Apr. 16.
The Gophers were lead by Trip Schultz (Forest Lake, Minn.) who went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a stolen base, while AJ Pettersen (Minnetonka, Minn.) also had a double and was 1-for-4. Pettersen has collected a hit in 24 of the Gophers' 25 games this year.
Justin Gominsky (Mahtomedi, Minn.) was 1-for-3 with the only run for Minnesota. As a team, the Golden Gophers finished eight runners left on base. David Bettenburg (St. Paul, Minn.), Andy Henkemeyer (Sauk Rapids, Minn.) and Nick O'Shea (Blaine, Minn.) also each went 1-for-4.
Phil Isaksson (Eau Claire, Minn.) was charged with a tough-luck loss as he dropped to 1-4 on the season. Isaksson gave up four hits, two runs, walked two and struck out three in 7.1 innings. Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) gave up three hits, two runs and struck out three batters in 1.2 innings of relief.
Northwestern starter Luke Farrell notched the win and improved to 3-1 on the season. In seven innings of work, Farrell gave up seven hits, one run, walked two batters, and collected five strikeouts. Kyle Ruchim picked up his first save of the season, as he blanked the Gophers in eighth and ninth innings.
Minnesota took the lead right out of the gate, scoring its only run in the bottom of the first. With one out, Gominsky reached on an infield hit. O'Shea followed with a single to make it first and second. Schultz powered a double to bring in the run and make it second and third with one out. Farell escaped with further damage as he got Dan Olinger (Great Falls, Mont.) to pop out to the shortstop and Kyle Geason (Eden Prairie, Minn.) ground out to third to end the inning.
In the third inning, the Gophers threatened again when Pettersen led the inning off with a double, but he was stranded at second as Farrell retired the next three batters to keep the Minnesota offense at bay.
The Wildcats got on board with a single run in the top of the fifth inning. Geoff Rowan hit a one-out double to left field, and moved up on a ground out by Hamilton Wise ground out. Nick Linne delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Rowan to tie the game at 1-1.
Northwestern took the lead at 4-1 with a three-run top of the eighth. Linne led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Trevor Stevens. Paul Snieder plated Linne with an RBI single off of Matyas to put the Wildcats up for the first time in the game at 2-1. Pinch-hitter Jack Livingston delivered a two-run double to left center to put Northwestern up 4-1.
The Wildcats were led by Linne who went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Chris Lashmet was 2-for-4 with a run. Snieder was also 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Livingston knocked in two runs in a pinch-hit appearance.
Minnesota will close out the series against Northwestern on Sunday, Apr. 17 at 1:05 p.m.
