University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Nebraska
Gophers Shut Out No. 23 Nebraska, 3-0
4/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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April 10, 2015
LINKS: Video Highlights| Motl RBI Double |Jess Strikeout
Ben Meyer and Jordan Jess combined for a five-hit shutout and the Golden Gophers scored on half of their six hits, to win 3-0 at No. 23 Nebraska. It was Minnesota's (12-17, 3-7 Big Ten) first win against a ranked team this season.
Meyer pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and four walks and striking out two. Jess allowed one hit and struck out two in the final 2 1/3 innings to earn the save. He entered the game with outs and two runners on base in the seventh and struck out Nebraska (24-11, 3-4 Big Ten) leadoff hitter Ryan Boldt.
Center fielder Dan Motl hit two doubles, and first baseman Toby Hanson hit a double and a home run. Each batted 2-for-4 on the game.
Motl provided an early spark for the Gophers offense. He led off the game with his first double off the left-center wall, advanced on a Connor Schaefbauer grounder and scored on a Matt Fiedler grounder. In the third, he followed up a Jordan Smith single with a double to center to put the Gophers up 2-0.
Meyer and the Gophers defense got out of jams in the first and the third to keep the Huskers off the scoreboard. Boldt and Jake Schleppenbach walked to lead of Nebraska's first turn at bat. Both advanced on Blake Headley's sacrifice bunt. Then Tanner Lubach hit a grounder to Meyer. He threw to Tony Skjefte, who made the tag at third. Boldt and was still on the base path between third and home. Skjefte threw to catcher Matt Halloran, who threw it to shortstop Michael Handel, covering third in the rundown, for the tag.
In the third, Headley and Lubach hit singles to the outfield. But Meyer induced two flyouts and a fiedler's choice grounder to again escape unscathed.
After Hanson hit a two-out double in the fourth, the Gophers went without a hit until he launched a solo home run over the Minnesota bullpen in right field in the top of the ninth. Starter Chance Sinclair (4-5) allowed the Gophers' first two runs and five hits, striking out five, in seven innings. Jeff Chestnut's only hit allowed in his two innings was the home run.
NOTABLES
*The Gophers last beat Nebraska on May 11, 2013 at Siebert Field. Friday's win was Minnesota's first conference win at Nebraska.
*Minnesota recorded its first shutout in Big Ten play this year, its second consecutive shutout and its third shutout of the season. The Gophers also shut out Creighton and Carleton. Previously, their most recent Big Ten shutouts were two games against Penn State on April 26, 2014.
*The 6 2/3 innings move Meyer's career total to 250 innings pitched, tying him with Matt Loberg for 10th all-time in Minnesota history. Meyer is seven innings behind his father, Bob's, career innings total.
*Hanson's home run was the first of his career. He is the 10th different Gopher to hit a home run this season, and Minnesota has 18 as a team.
*Motl is now tied for the team lead with seven doubles. Schaefbauer also has seven.
UP NEXT
The Gophers and Huskers will continue their series Saturday at 6:05 p.m. CT.
