University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
North Dakota State
Minnesota Drops Contest to North Dakota State
4/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score: North Dakota State 7, Minnesota 4 
No. 19 Minnesota fell for the first time in six games when it dropped a 7-4 decision at North Dakota State on Tuesday night. The Gophers (25-12) were limited to just eight hits and tied a season-high with three errors on the night.
Micah Coffey and Dan Motl each notched two-hit outings at the plate, while Troy Traxler produced a career-best three RBI to pace the offense.
Cole McDevitt also contributed an RBI single to round out the scoring for Minnesota.
On the mound, Tim Shannon got the start and worked the opening two frames. Jake Stevenson, Tyler Hanson, Nick Lackney and Ty McDevitt split the final seven innings and allowed just one earned run.
The Gophers did most of their damage early by scoring runs in their first two at-bats.
Motl drew a leadoff walk and was advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. C. McDevitt then stepped to the plate and delivered a run-scoring hit to center field with two outs.
In the second, Riley Smith and Coffey tallied back-to-back singles and then were moved over on a sacrifice bunt from Luke Pettersen. With one out, Traxler smacked a single to left that brought both runners in and gave Minnesota a 3-0 advantage.
North Dakota State (20-18) tied the game in its next chance at the plate. The Bison plated three runs on three hits and were aided by an error.
The home team then took the lead in the bottom of the third when it matched its run total from the previous frame. North Dakota State did not have a hit in the inning, but plated three on an error in the field by the Gophers and took a 6-3 lead.
Minnesota brought the deficit down to two when it scored in its next at-bat. In the top of the fourth, Pettersen drew a walked and moved to third by way of a double down the line in left from Motl. Traxler was induced into a ground out, but it was enough to score Pettersen and make it a 6-4 ballgame.
However, that was as close as the Gophers would get as the Bison added a run in the fifth and sent down Minnesota's final 10 hitters in a row.
The loss marks the first of its kind in 10 days and ends the Maroon and Gold's five-game winning streak.
The Gophers will look to rebound when they travel to Illinois for a three-game series against a Big Ten foe this weekend.
