University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Off to Michigan for Big Ten Series
4/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Minnesota (16-10, 2-1) at #25 Michigan (21-6, 3-0) | |
| Game 1 | Friday, April 8 | 11 a.m. |
| Game 2 | Friday, April 8 | 3 p.m. |
| Game 3 | Sunday, April 10 | Noon |
| Location | Ray Fisher Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich. |
| Live Video | Friday (Michigan Video) | Saturday (BTN Plus) | Sunday (BTN Plus) |
| Free Audio | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Live Stats | | | |
| Game Day Live | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Social Media | @GopherBaseball | Facebook | Instagram |
Minnesota heads east for a top-40 RPI showdown with Michigan this weekend, April 8-10, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Gophers are currently sitting at 37th in the NCAA in RPI, while the Wolverines are No. 29.
UPDATE: Minnesota and Michigan will meet in a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday's game has been shifted to a 3 p.m. start as the second game of the doubleheader on Friday. Sunday's game remains unchanged.
Projected Starters
Friday: Matt Fiedler (4-2, 3.67 ERA) vs. Oliver Jaskie (5-1, 2.60 ERA)
Saturday: Dalton Sawyer (3-3, 4.62 ERA) vs. Brett Adcock (3-2, 1.71 ERA)
Sunday: Toby Anderson (4-0, 4.71 ERA) vs. Evan Hill (4-1, 3.08 ERA)
Coverage
The series will feature live video on BTN Plus for all three contests with live stats available on GopherSports.com.
Looking Back
Minnesota capped its five-game homestand with a 5-1 mark, including taking two of three from Big Ten foe Iowa. In that stretch, the Gophers slugged eight homers and outhit their opponents 56-32. Minnesota also maintained an edge in ERA with 3.80 compared to 6.59 and amassed 43 strikeouts in 45.0 innings of work.
Quest for 400
Overall, the Gophers have two players in Matt Fiedler (.415) and Terrin Vavra (.413) who have competed in at least 20 games and tout a .400 batting clip. Over the last five games, Fiedler has hit .550 with 11 hits, including two homers and one double, to go along with a team-high eight RBI, while Vavra has batted .500 with eight hits, which include one double, a triple and a home run, and five RBI. Austin Athmann is close at .397 in 2016.
The Return of a Key Member
Toby Hanson returns to the lineup after missing 18 games with an elbow injury. Before he went down, Hanson occupied the starting spot as the No. 5 hitter in the lineup and was at first base. In his first seven games, Hanson was scorching at the plate with a .458 batting average from 11 hits, including two doubles and two roundtrippers. Hanson was also tied for the team-lead with six RBI before going down.
Youth of the Nation
The freshman class of position players have accounted for 22 percent of the team's total offense. At the front of the class is Terrin Vavra who has firmly entrenched himself as the starting shortstop thus far into the season with a .413 average that includes 38 hits and 17 RBI. Fellow infielder Riley Smith has seen action in 16 games and has contributed 11 hits, including four doubles and grand slam, to go along with nine RBI. Eddie Estrada has made appearances at left field, first base and designated hitter and has added a .390 slugging percentage with seven RBI in 17 games played.
Embracing New Role
Tyler Hanson began the year as the No. 3 starter in the rotation, but has since shifted into the bullpen. Since he made the move, the junior has been stifling, allowing just four hits and striking out seven with zero walks in 7.0 innings pitched.
All-Time Series
Minnesota and Michigan have matched up 194 times in series history. The Gophers hold a slight edge in the series at 102-92. In last year's three-game set at Siebert Field, Minnesota won one game behind an RBI single from Matt Fiedler, 2-1.
About the Wolverines
Michigan comes into the weekend having won 10 of its last 11 games and is a perfect 6-0 at home. The Wolverines are led by their stout staff that allows just 6.5 hits per nine innings, good for fourth in the country. Michigan also has totaled the nation's ninth-highest strikeout total in 244. Southpaws Brett Adcock and Oliver Jaskie hold 1.71 and 2.60 ERAs, respectively, and have combined for 77 strikeouts in 66.1 innings of work. At the plate, Harrison Wenson leads the club with a .394 average and 32 RBI.
Start Hot, Stay Hot
Minnesota has made its living early on in contests by scoring in its first few at-bats. Through the first four innings this season, the Gophers have outscored their opponents 91-51. The Maroon and Gold have netted 27 runs in the first inning, compared to allowing just 14. Where the large disparity takes place is when Minnesota has gone through the lineup once and is facing the starter for the second time in the game. The Gophers have accumulated a 31-8 margin in the third inning of contests in 2016.
Keeping the Opposition on Ice
As a staff, Minnesota has limited the opposition to hit just .246 through 226.0 innings this year. Nick Lackney and Cody Campbell lead the team with opposing clips of .056 and .067, respectively. Out of the bullpen, Jeff Fasching (.150), Lucas Gilbreath (.176) and Tim Shannon (.216) fall next in line on the team.
Just Fine on the Road
In the Gophers' 16 road games thus far, they have amassed 188 hits at the dish. Terrin Vavra and Matt Fiedler pace the club with 23 and 22, respectively, while Austin Athmann and Connor Schaefbauer each have 21. Troy Traxler leads the team in batting average away from home with a .545 clip and Eddie Estrada touts a .400 mark in 12 road games.
Lefties Galore
Minnesota boasts 16 left-handed hitters on its roster this season. That number is the highest among Power-5 schools, with Texas (15), Ohio State (14) and Virginia (14) the next closest. Terrin Vavra leads all left-handed hitters in Minnesota's lineup with a .413 average, while Toby Hanson (.393), Connor Schaefbauer (.333) and Micah Coffey (.301) all tout hitting clips above .300 as lefties.
Program Upgrades
Minnesota is receiving two upgrades this season. Its new state-of-the-art locker room has been ready for use for a few weeks and the new hitting facility will open midway through the season, right next to Siebert Field.
Contract Extension
Interim director of athletics Beth Goetz announced on March 4 that the University of Minnesota has agreed to terms on a contract extension with head baseball coach John Anderson through the 2021 season.
