University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
15-8, 0
Nebraska
12-10, 0
Boxwell and Meyer Lead Gophers Past Nebraska, 5-1
3/23/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LINCOLN, Neb. - Alex Boxwell drove in four runs and Reggie Meyer tossed 8.0 innings as the Gopher Baseball team opened up Big Ten Conference play with a 5-1 victory over Nebraska on Friday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
Minnesota (15-8, 1-0 Big Ten) jumped out early on Cornhuskers starter Luis Alvarado as they filled the bases with three straight singles by Cole McDevitt, Ben Mezzenga, and Jack Wassel in the second. Boxwell lined a single to center, plating a pair of runs with one out, but the Maroon & Gold would do no more damage in the inning.
Slugger Scott Schreiber led off the second with a double for Nebraska (12-10, 0-1 Big Ten), coming around to score the team's only run on a single by Luke Roskam. The Gophers pitching staff took over from there, as Reggie Meyer scattered eight hits across his 8.0 innings of work, striking out five. Jackson Rose came on in relief, working a scoreless ninth in front of his home state crowd.
"We have a really good defense every year, so I just trust those guys to make plays behind me," said Meyer after the game. "I know that if I don't let guys on base for free, they're going to make plays behind me. I just go out there and throw strikes and let them play defense."
While Minnesota needed no more offense, Boxwell provided it anyways as he came on with two runners in scoring position once again in the top of the sixth, grounding a single through the right side of the infield to score Mezzenga and Wassel, who each walked in the inning. Cole McDevitt's seventh inning sacrifice fly brought home Micah Coffey for the team's fifth run of the game.
"Today, I think it was just having a more relaxed approach and trusting my ability," said Boxwell after the game. "Fortunately, the guys in front of me had good at-bats and got on base so I was able to get a couple RBIs."
Boxwell and Toby Hanson each had a pair of hits for the Gophers. Schreiber and Alex Henwood each had two hits for Nebraska.
QUOTABLE
"These guys won the conference last year. We came close, but they pulled away at the end. Especially against Nebraska, it's good to start off with a win against the defending champs." - Reggie Meyer on the importance of opening the series and the Big Ten season with a victory
NOTABLE
Boxwell's four-RBI game was the fourth-such for the Gophers this season (two by McDevitt and one by Hanson) … Terrin Vavra's seventh-inning single extended his streak of reaching base to 22 consecutive games … Mezzenga extended his team-leading hitting streak to eight games.
UP NEXT
The series continues between the Gophers and Cornhuskers on Saturday at Hawks Field. First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m.
Single-game tickets, season tickets, and group ticket packages are available for all 2018 Gopher Baseball games. Stay up to date with all Gopher Baseball news by following the Gophers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram via the links provided, or get all Minnesota Golden Gopher athletics news and highlights, including exclusive behind-the-scenes content and special ticket offers and promotions delivered straight to your inbox by signing up today!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Meyer, Reggie (2-2)
L: Alvarado, L. (1-2)
Batting:
RBI: McDevitt, Cole 1 ; Boxwell, Alex 4
SH: Smith, Riley 1
SF: McDevitt, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Coffey, Micah 1 ; McDevitt, Cole 1 ; Mezzenga, Ben 2 ; Wassel, Jack 1
CS: Boxwell, Alex 1
Batting:
2B: Schreiber, S 1
RBI: Roskam, L. 1
SH: Repinski, Z. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schreiber, S 1
