University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Richmond
Gophers Split Series at Richmond
3/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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March 18, 2015
The Golden Gophers briefly had a lead at Richmond before the Spiders scored 12 straight runs to win 13-2 and split the series. Richmond (7-7) outhit Minnesota (7-0) 13-6 at Shepherd StadiumWednesday. The loss concluded the Gophers' pre-Big Ten schedule.
The Spiders went up 1-0 in the first inning on a Michael Morman double lost in the sun and a single by Doug Kraeger. Following a scoreless second inning for starter Reggie Meyer, the Gophers took a 2-1 lead in the third. Alex Boxwell hit a leadoff single and stole second. Jordan Smith walked, then Micah Coffey hit a single to score Boxwell. Matt Fiedler's single loaded the bases for Michael Handel, who drove in Smith with a ground ball.
Richmond quickly reclaimed the lead with a pair of home runs from Morman and Kraeger in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2. The Spiders would get a third homer from Tyler Beckwith with a man on base in the fourth.
Following the Gophers' third, Spiders pitchers Justin Garcia and Brendan McGuigan scattered three hits the rest of the game. Garcia earned the win in a five-inning outing, while McGuigan picked up a save in four innings of work.
Coffey had two of Minnesota's hits and drew a walk to go 2-for-3 on the day. Jake Bergren, who entered as a defensive substitute, hit a double for the Gophers' only extra-base hit.
Richmond batted 13 and scored seven in a sixth inning that included five walks and three wild pitches. Kraeger led the Spiders with a 4-for-4, two-run and two-RBI day.
Ty McDevitt had the Gophers' most effective outing on the mound. He pitched the last two innings, allowing one hit and one walk with no runs. Meyer took the loss after allowing five runs in 3 2/3 innings. Jordan Jess, Jeff Fasching and Lance Thonvold all also pitched.
NOTABLES
*Matt Stemper made his second start in a row at catcher after Matt Halloran and Austin Athmann started all previous games.
*The Spiders had at least one base runner in every inning of Wednesday's game.
*The start was Reggie Meyer's first. The freshman previously made a relief appearance at Florida Gulf Coast.
*Minnesota and Richmond combined for 10 home runs in the series. The Gophers hit four on Tuesday, while the Spiders hit three each day.
UP NEXT
Minnesota travels from Virginia to College Park, Md., to open Big Ten play against the Terrapins. The series is scheduled to run March 20-22.
