University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Northwestern
Gophers Open Home Season with B1G Win
3/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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March 27, 2015
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The Golden Gopher baseball team notched its first Big Ten win in its home opener, beating Northwestern 8-3. Ben Meyer pitched 8 1/3 innings, and third baseman Tony Skjefte drove in four runs.
Kyle Ruchim's leadoff home run in the first put the Wildcats (5-19, 0-1 Big Ten) ahead early, but Minnesota (8-13, 1-3 Big Ten) struck back in the bottom of the inning. Center fielder Dan Motl led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Right fielder Matt Fiedler walked. With two outs, Motl and Fiedler executed a double steal. The move paid off when Skjefte singled to left to score both.
The Gophers added to their lead with a six-run third inning that included four hits, a walk, a hit batsman and two Wildcat errors. Shortstop Luke Pettersen's bases-loaded grounder scored one. Skjefte hit another two-run single, and first baseman Austin Athmann doubled down the left field line to bring in another pair of runs and push the lead to 8-1.
After the leadoff home run, Meyer (1-3) did not allow another hit until the sixth inning. He pitched the longest outing by a Minnesota hurler this year, struck out five batters and walked two. Meyer left the game after a JR Reimer two-run homer in the ninth, the sixth hit off the Gopher starter. Lance Thonvold struck out the final two batters.
Minnesota scored eight runs (five earned) on as many hits off of Northwestern starter Matt Portland (1-4). Motl and Fiedler each scored twice. Skjefte and Athmann each hit 2-for-4, while Matt Hopfner went 2-for-3 with a run for the Wildcats.
NOTABLES
*Skjefte has recorded three four-RBI games this season. The other two were at Richmond and at Maryland.
*Athmann's start at first base was his first at that position.
*Pettersen saved a run with a diving stop in the sixth inning. Hopfner reached base on a single, but Luke Hoscheit was forced to hold up at third base on the play.
UP NEXT
The Gophers and Wildcats will be back at the same place and same time Saturday for Game 2, with a 3:05 p.m. CT first pitch at Siebert Field.
