University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Kansas State
Kansas State Comeback Tops Gophers, 4-3
3/20/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 20, 2013
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Baseball Home | Despite holding a 3-0 lead the University of Minnesota suffered a 4-3 loss to Kansas State, today, in Manhattan, Kan. With the loss, the Golden Gophers drop to 13-9 on the season and split the two-game series after winning, 8-3 Tuesday night.
The Golden Gophers had six hits in the game to Kansas State's eight. Dan Olinger was 2-3, while Andy Henkemeyer was 1-4 with a run batted in. Ryan Abrahamson had a double and went 1-3, while Troy Larson and Connor Schaefbauer each had a hit and a run scored.
For the first time in 2013, DJ Snelten pitched when he went three innings. Facing 11 batters, Snelten allowed one hit, walked two and struck out one in the no-decision. Snelten was one of five Gopher pitchers to see action in the loss. Drew Ghelfi pitched an inning and allowed two runs, while Alex Tukey scattered three hits and allowed a run. Kevin Kray faced two batters, while Lance Thonvold picked up the loss and is 1-2 this season.
Minnesota got on the board when it pushed across a run in both the second and third inning. With one out, Abrahamson tripled to center, his first of the year. Matt Halloran plated Abrahamson when he delivered a RBI sacrifice fly to center. The Gophers increased their lead in the second inning when Schaefbauer started things off with a single to left. Henkemeyer would put runners on the corners when he placed one through the right side. Despite the Gophers hitting into a double play, Minnesota plated it second run for a 2-0 lead.
The Gophers went up 3-0 in the top of the fifth before Kansas State responded in the bottom of the frame. Troy Larson led off the fifth with a walk and moved to third on an error by the shortstop Lance Miles. Henkemeyer hit a fielder's choice grounder to score Larson for a 3-0 Gopher lead.
The Wildcats, however, would start their comeback in the bottom of the fifth when they scored two runs. After a lead-off walk by RJ Santigate, Blair DeBord hit a RBI double for the first run. After a Gopher error on a sacrifice bunt and two on, Tanner Witt hit a sacrifice fly to cut the Minnesota lead to 3-2.
Shane Conlon hit a solo home run over the right field fence to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. The Wildcats would complete the comeback when Ross Kivett singled through the left side to score DeBord when he led off the inning with a single up the middle.
Minnesota attempted a comeback of its own when Dan Olinger doubled to lead off the ninth and moved to third on a right-side grounder. However, the Gophers stranded Olinger at third for the loss.
The Gophers return home when they host the Texas Longhorns this weekend at the H.H.H. Metrodome. Friday's game is set for a 6:35 p.m. start and features starting pitchers Tom Windle and Texas' Dillon Peters. Minnesota's Ben Meyer will start against Nathan Thornhill Saturday at 2:05 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday as Alec Crawford takes the mound as the Texas starter is yet to be determined.
