University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
James Madison
Gophers Rally but Fall on Walkoff Home Run
3/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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March 13, 2015
The University of Minnesota baseball team came from behind to take a three-run lead against James Madison, but lost 9-7 on first baseman Brett Johnson's walkoff home run. The Gophers (5-8) had 11 hits and five stolen bases, and the Dukes (9-5) had 13 hits and two errors in the PK5 Classic opener in Richmond, Va.
After JMU's Ky Parrott and Gophers third baseman Tony Skjefte traded solo home runs, the Dukes scored three runs in the second to go up 4-1. After the two hits, two hit batsmen and a walk in the second, Ben Meyer kept the Dukes off the scoreboard for the rest of his six-inning start. He struck out five.
Minnesota chipped away at the lead to tie the game 4-4 in the sixth. Center fielder Dan Motl (2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs) doubled and scored on right fielder Matt Fiedler's two-out single in the third. Fiedler hit 2-for-3 with a run, two RBIs, two walks and two stolen bases
In the next two innings, the Gophers capitalized on leadoff singles. Left fielder Jordan Smith singled and scored on shortstop Michael Handel's double. First baseman Tyler Hanson singled and scored the tying run on a bases-loaded Motl walk in the sixth.
The Gophers broke through for three runs in the ninth. Motl hit a leadoff single, then advanced on second baseman Connor Schaefbauer's sacrifice bunt. Fiedler drove in Motl to give Minnesota the lead. After Handel reached on an error and Skejfte walked, Hanson's sacrifice fly scored Fiedler. Catcher Matt Halloran (2-for-5) added an RBI single to right.
Two one-out singles and a Josh Wyatt triple cut the lead to 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth. After Kyle Weston's fourth hit of the game, and the Dukes' fourth straight hit of the ninth inning, Johnson hit a three-run blast to left to end it. Brian Glowicki (1-1) pitched the last inning and took the loss, while Michael Evans (2-1) pitched four innings in relief of Aaron Hoover to get the win.
NOTABLES
*Minnesota's five stolen bases were its most since swiping six against the Citadel in March 2012. Fiedler stole two on Friday, and Jake Bergren, Smith and Handel each had one.
*Skjefte's home run was his first of the season and fourth of his career.
*Four Gophers led off innings with hits, and all four scored. Skjefte's home run led off the second, and fifth, sixth and ninth innings all started with singles.
*The Gophers turned one double play in the third, a 5-3 sequence. They had made a more unconventional two outs in the second. Meyer fielded a popped up bunt and threw to third to retire the lead runner. Skjefte threw to Hanson at first, not in time, but Hanson's relay to Handel at second nabbed the runner who had held up on the bunt in the air.
*Lucas Gilbreath pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief, striking out one and allowing one hit.
*Designated hitter Troy Traxler notched his first hit of the season.
UP NEXT
The Gophers and Monmouth are now scheduled to play the second game on Saturday instead of the first. Thegame is tentatively set for 5:30 p.m. CT, depending on weather and the length of the earlier game.
