University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
25-10, 9-1
Iowa
22-13, 6-6
Wilson Drives in Three as Gophers Shut Out Iowa
4/21/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2 | Photo Gallery 3
MINNEAPOLIS - The Gopher Baseball battery led the way as catcher Eli Wilson drove in all three runs and three pitchers combined for a shutout as No. 25 Minnesota defeated Iowa 3-0 to claim its sixth-straight series victory in game two Saturday at Target Field.
After winning their ninth-straight, the Gophers will return home to Siebert Field for the first time this season on Sunday in search of series sweep of their rival Hawkeyes.
Patrick Fredrickson had Iowa (22-13, 6-6 Big Ten) pounding the ball into the ground all day as he got 12 outs on the ground, including three double plays in his 7.2 innings of work for No. 25 Minnesota (25-10, 9-1 Big Ten) to move to 5-0 on the season. He worked the first 7.2 innings, scattering six hits and a pair of walks while striking out two.
The Gophers could not take advantage of three walks in the first two innings, but knocked starter Brady Schanuel (5-5) from the game in the third. Ben Mezzenga singled to left for Minnesota's first hit of the day. Terrin Vavra followed with a double that bounced into the stands down the left field line, sending Mezzenga back to third. Eli Wilson, who went 1-for-1 on the day with two walks and a sacrifice fly, lined a single to center in the third, driving home both runners.
Mezzenga added another single in the fifth, moved to second on a balk, and third on a fly ball before coming in to score on Wilson's sacrifice fly. Grant Judkins tossed the final five innings for the Hawkeyes, but Iowa's offense would go quietly the rest of the way. Jackson Rose struck out the lone batter he faced to end the eighth inning and then handed the ball to Max Meyer, who worked around a pair of hits, striking out one en route to his 10th save of the season.
"Our pitchers threw really well," said Wilson after catching Minnesota's fourth shutout of the season. "Patrick got back to being himself. He didn't feel great about his start at Purdue, and he got back to attacking the hitters low in the zone. Jackson came in and did his job with a strikeout, and then Max - he got hit around today for the first time this year, and he showed some grit. He made enough good pitches."
QUOTABLE
"It was a big team win. It was good to win the series, but we are going to try and get it tomorrow, too. Yesterday was a lot of fun watching a back-and-forth game, but today, it was good to go out and compete. They have some guys who can play. Our coaching staff and Eli did a good job helping me out and calling a good game." - Patrick Fredrickson on getting involved in the rivalry
NOTABLE
Mezzenga's two singles extended his hitting streak to eight games. He already has a team-high 10-game hitting streak this season … Luke Pettersen extended his streak to 10 straight games reaching base with his walk in the first inning … Wilson has now had 3-or-more RBI in three games this year, with a career-high four RBI against Penn State on April 7.
UP NEXT
Minnesota and Iowa will shift the series to Siebert Field on Sunday for the finale. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fredrickson, Patrick (5-0)
L: Schanuel, Brady (5-5)
S: Meyer, Max (10)
Batting:
2B: Neustrom, Robert 1 ; Cropley, Tyler 1
Batting:
2B: Vavra, Terrin 1 ; Boxwell, Alex 1
RBI: Wilson, Eli 3
SF: Wilson, Eli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mezzenga, Ben 2 ; Vavra, Terrin 1
