University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Michigan
Gophers Fall to Michigan in Series Finale
4/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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April 26, 2015
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The Golden Gopher baseball team lost 12-3 in the series finale against Michigan on Sunday. Minnesota (18-21, 7-11 Big Ten) tied the game after trailing 3-0 but the Wolverines (27-17, 11-7 Big Ten) broke the game open with six runs in the seventh.
Michigan starter Brett Adcock (6-3) recorded 11 strikeouts and allowed three runs on six hits in eight innings. Jake Bivens led the Wolverines at the plate with two runs, two RBIs and 4-for-4 hitting.
Shortstop Michael Handel and first baseman Austin Athmann each hit 2-for-4 for the Gophers. Handel drove in two runs, including Athmann's, with a single.
Michigan went ahead 2-0 in the second on one hit aided by walks, steals, an error and a wild pitch. The Wolverines added another run in the third when Jackson Glines doubled and scored on a squeeze bunt. The run came across before Minnesota turned the bunt into a 1-3-2 double play when Benedetti tried to score.
Dalton Sawyer relieved starter Fred Manke after three innings. He and Brian Glowicki turned in scoreless outings, going 1 2/3 and one inning, respectively. A double play in the fourth and a pickoff caught stealing in the fifth helped the Gophers keep Michigan scoreless in those innings. Minnesota then tied the game with a three-run fifth.
Athmann led off with a single to left field. Designated hitter Tyler Hanson bunted out of Adcock's fielding range for a single. Center fielder Alex Boxwell executed a sacrifice bunt with two strikes to advance both runners, then right fielder Matt Fiedler walked to load the bases. After a strikeout, Handel looped a single to right. Then catcher Matt Stemper doubled down the left line to score Fiedler and tie the game. Handel was thrown out at the plate on the play.
Michigan's six runs in the seventh all scored with two outs. An infield single led off the inning, and Jordan Jess issued a one-out walk before Tyler Hanson relieved him. Hanson retired his first batter, but the next six reached base. Bivens' RBI single broke the tie. A Jacob Cronenworth three-run double off Lance Thonvold capped the seventh-inning scoring. The Wolverines would add three more runs in the eighth.
NOTABLE
*Handel's reached base streak is now at 16 games. Injured center fielder Dan Motl has the team's longest active on base streak at 18 games, including a 17-game hitting streak.
UP NEXT
The Gophers will play two home games against Kansas State during the week. Tuesday, April 28's game will begin at 6:35 p.m. CT and Wednesday, April 29's game will begin at 1:05 p.m.
