University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Northwestern
Gophers Lose Series Finale 19-7
3/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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March 29, 2015
The Golden Gophers lost Sunday's game 19-7, and lost their series against Northwestern 2-1. The Wildcats (7-19, 2-1 Big Ten) outhit Minnesota (8-15, 1-5 Big Ten) 20-9 and scored in eight of nine innings. The Gophers committed three errors in the field.
Minnesota led briefly before Northwestern reclaimed the lead. The Wildcats had taken a 2-0 lead on Kyle Ruchim's second leadoff home run of the series and an RBI double by Joe Hoscheit. Ruchim hit 2-for-4 with two runs, five RBIs and three walks.
In the bottom of the first, the Gophers responded and went ahead 4-2. Center fielder Dan Motl led off with a double and scored on second baseman Connor Schaefbauer's single to left. Right fielder Matt Fiedler reached on a fielder's choice and first baseman Toby Hanson walked. Both scored on a two-out double by designated hitter Micah Coffey. The freshman DH batted 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
The Wildcats then scored eight runs over the next four innings to go up 10-4. Minnesota trimmed it to 10-6 in the fifth with a Matt Halloran double to score Fiedler and a Coffey single to score the Gophers' catcher from second. But Northwestern came right back with four runs in the sixth.
Starter Brandon Magallones (2-1) allowed six runs in five innings and got the win for Northwestern, while Minnesota starter Tim Shannon (1-3) took the loss after a three-inning outing in which he allowed six runs (five earned). Each starter gave up eight hits. The Gophers' bullpen combined to allow 12 hits and 13 runs (11 earned).
Along with Coffey, Schaefbauer and shortstop Luke Pettersen each had two hits for the Gophers. Pettersen hit a triple in the third. Seven Wildcats notched multiple hits.
NOTABLES
*Halloran caught 29 innings during the series. It was his first time this season starting all three games in a weekend. Matt Stemper caught the other two innings.
*Third baseman Tony Skjefte had one RBI on Sunday and six in the series. He leads the team with 18 on the season.
*Each team recorded an outfield assist in the first inning on Sunday. The Gophers nabbed Hoscheit on a 9-4-7 relay after his double. Fiedler threw to Schaefbauer, who threw to Jordan Smith, who had moved in from left for the play. Northwestern's assist was on a 9-6 play. Fiedler hit a fly ball that was difficult to judge and ended up dropping in right. Schaefbauer had run to second but headed back toward first, and when the ball landed, Matt Hopfner threw him out at second.
UP NEXT
The Gophers have added a home game against St. John's for Tuesday, March 31 at 4 p.m. CT. Minnesota's next Big Ten series is at Rutgers April 3-5.
