University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Ends 27-Game Homestand With Augsburg
4/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 3, 2012
| Minnesota vs Augsburg | |
| Tickets | Purchase Online |
| Date | Tuesday, April 3, 2012 |
| Time | 6:35 p.m. |
| Location | H.H.H. Metrodome |
| Video | Gopher All-Access |
| Audio | GopherSports.com (Listen Online) |
AUGSBURG NOTES
• Minnesota was scheduled to play Augsburg last year on April 5, 2011 at Siebert Field, but the game was cancelled due to weather.
• This will be the first meeting vs. The Auggies since May 16, 2006 when Minnesota won 15-5 at Siebert Field. The first ever meeting between Minnesota and Augsburg dates back to 1930.
• The Auggies are coming off their first MIAC conference weekend with a 1-1 split with Gustavus (8-7).
• Other teams Minnesota faces in the MIAC is Hamline( 8-12) which the Gophers beat 3-2 on March 7, and St. Thomas(14-4) which Minnesota will play on May 1st.
MINNESOTA NOTABLES
• John Anderson is in his 31st year as the Golden Gopher head coach and 34th year overall at the University of Minnesota. Anderson is coaching his 1,825th career game. He currently holds an all-time record of 1,079-712-3 (.602 winning percentage).
• The Golden Gopher baseball team is in its 124th year as a Minnesota varsity sport.
• Minnesota is 16-13 on the season as it comes off a three-game sweep over Michigan, last weekend and a 9-3 win over South Dakota State on March 28.
• The Gophers are currently on a seven-game win streak.
ON THE DOCKET
Following the Auggies game, the Gophers will hit the road for the first time since Feb. 17-19, when it opened the season at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge. The Gophers travel to Columbus, Ohio to face the Ohio State Buckeyes, April 6-8. Game times are 6:35 p.m. Friday, 3:05 p.m. Saturday, 12:05 p.m. Sunday (ET). Sunday's game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
WHERE DID THE TIME GO?
With the Augsburg game, Minnesota concludes its longest home streak in Gopher baseball history, set at 27-straight games. The Gophers went 15-11 in the first 26 games. In that span, Minnesota won the Dairy Queen Classic and went 1-2 in the Gopher Baseball Classic. After a five-game skid, Minnesota rebounded and won the Cal Poly series, while falling to North Dakota State in midweek games. Minnesota then defeated The Citadel, South Dakota State and Michigan to win the last seven straight.
GETTING THE BATS GOING
In the Gophers last seven games, Minnesota has outscored its opponents, 38-14. In those seven games, The Gophers have held their opponents to three or less runs in four of the seven games. The Gophers established the most hits in a game this season, posting 16. Minnesota's previous best came Hamline and Cal Poly with 14 earlier this year.
SCOUTING THE AUGGIES
Augsburg enters the Tuesday match-up with an overall record of 15-5 in the regular season. Last weekend the Auggies started their first conference play splitting a series with Gustavus, thus beginning their MIAC record of 1-1. In a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, Augsburg lost their first game to the Gusties 7-6, but rebounded and claimed its first conference win in the second game with a score of 1-0. Augsburg opened up their regular season by losing two straight games 5-6 in a doubleheader against Edgewood College (4-10) from Wisconsin. Since then however, they have gained momentum and have won 13 of their last 15 games.
The Auggies currently have six players batting above a .300 batting average. Leading the average is #32 Adam Seaman who is .383 and has 18 hits, 11 runs, 6 doubles, and 11 RBI. Following behind him is #27 Tom Peterson with a .367 who is leading the team in hits with 22, and claims Augsburg's lone home run of the season. The remaining big hitters are #3 Brent Kolbow (.361) who leads the team with RBI with 16, #37 Alec Johnson (.347), #9 Ryan Sward (.333), and #11 Lou LaChappelle (.323). Right-handed Pitcher Ryan Mestnik leads the team in pitching with a record of 6-0. He currently has an ERA of 0.77. Another top right-handed pitcher #39 Tanner Oakes, son of Gopher pitching coach Todd Oakes, has an ERA of 2.70 with a 2-0 record.
THE LAST TIME
Eleven different Golden Gophers had hits, as 18 different position players took the field for Minnesota in a 12-5 win, May 16, 2006. Nine different players also scored runs for Minnesota on the night in the mid-week match up. Former Gopher Taylor VanderAarde led the way going 1-2 with a home run, two runs and three RBI on the night. Past player Jeremy Chlan was one-for-two with his first career home run and two RBI. Augsburg got on the board first with a single run in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. However Minnesota followed with a five-run bottom of the first inning to take a 5-1 lead. Augsburg then scored a single run in the top of the second to cut the Golden Gopher lead to 5-2. But Golden Gophers pushed their lead out to 9-2 with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Minnesota pushed their remaining runs in the final couple innings to eventually claim a 12-5 victory over Augsburg.
