University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Kansas
Gophers Fall, 9-4, To Kansas Jayhawks
3/10/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 10, 2012
Although the University of Minnesota baseball team scored four runs in the first inning, Kansas University used an eight-inning second inning to defeat the Gophers, 9-4, Saturday night at the H.H.H. Metrodome. On the day, the Gophers went 1-1, defeating Stony Brook, 7-1. With the split, Minnesota is 7-7 on the season.
The Gophers pushed across four runs in the first inning to go up, 4-0 early. Minnesota had four-straight hits when David Bettenburg, Matt Halloran and Dan Olinger all singled to load the bases. With a 1-1 count, Bobby Juan delivered his first triple of the season, when he drove the ball deep to right center field, scoring Bettenburg, Halloran and Olinger. Matt Puhl pushed Juan across on a 4-3 groundout and earned an RBI to complete the four-run first inning.
However, Kansas responded with an eight-run top of the second to propel the win. After three runs came in, Connor McKay hit a grand slam to left field to put the game at 7-4. That was McKay's fourth home run of the season. Chris Manship completed the eight-run inning with a home run also to left field.
Kansas added one extra run in the top of the sixth when Zac Elgie scored from third on a strikeout swinging, 2-3 putout for the ninth run. Elgie reached on a strikeout wild pitch, then stole second and third to set up the run.
Minnesota was led by Juan, who had a single, double and triple in the game and went 3-3 with three RBI and a run scored. Halloran and Olinger each went 2-5, while Andy Henkemeyer was 1-4. Tom Windle allowed eight runs, two earned, while Ben Meyer (3.1 innings pitched), Dustin Klabunde (3.0) and Alex Tukey (1.0) all saw action. Windle had the loss and is now 2-2 on the season.
Minnesota will play Stony Brook tomorrow, noon, at the Metrodome.
