University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
20-10, 4-1
Penn State
7-17, 1-7
Fredrickson Nearly Perfect as Gophers Take Two
4/7/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Freshman Patrick Fredrickson took a no-hitter to the eighth inning and the Gopher Baseball offense provided plenty of punch to take a 2-0 advantage in the three-game series with Penn State at Purdue's Alexander Field.
In the resumption of Friday's suspended game, Minnesota (20-10, 4-1 Big Ten) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to come from behind for a 7-6 victory before the Gophers dominated in a 17-2 blowout of Penn State (7-17, 1-7 Big Ten) in game two.
Two errors by the Minnesota defense stood as the only blemishes on the day for Fredrickson (4-0) entering the eighth when Curtis Robison sent a double into the corner in right field, moving to third on an error, and eventually coming in to score on a ground ball, spelling the end of the rookie right-hander's day after 7.1 innings pitched, one hit, one unearned run, and seven strikeouts. The Nittany Lions would later add a run on a ninth-inning home run by Mason Nadeau.
Home runs highlighted the offense for the Gophers as well as three different players each hit their third home run of the season: Alex Boxwell, Micah Coffey, and Terrin Vavra. Minnesota collected 17 hits against six Penn State pitchers. Coffey and Luke Pettersen each had three hits on the day, while Vavra was 4-for-4. Eli Wilson finished 2-for-4 with a double while driving in four runs on the day. Pettersen and Boxwell each drove in three and Coffey a pair. Riley Smith scored three runs for the Gophers, one of five players to cross the plate multiple times on the day.
Minnesota scored at least a run in each inning but the sixth when the Nittany Lions retired the Gophers in order for the only time in the game. The Gopher scored six in the fourth inning and five in the eighth. Jeff Taylor (0-1) allowed three runs on five hits in 1+ inning for Penn State.
Minnesota 7, Penn State 6
Minnesota trailed Penn State by a 5-4 score as the two teams resumed play in the top of the sixth. Brett Schulze (6-0) took over on the mound, cutting through the Nittany Lions line-up over his first three innings collecting three strikeouts while allowing just one baserunner on a walk. After a pair of singles with one out in the ninth, he gave way to Max Meyer, who collected his eighth save of the season while getting the final two batters.
The Gophers regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases against Taylor Lehman (2-4), the originally scheduled starter for Saturday's game two of the series. Pinch hitter Riley Smith led off the inning with a single, while Alex Boxwell, Ben Mezzenga, and Terrin Vavra each worked a walk to eventually tie the game with two outs. Eli Wilson followed Vavra's walk with a single to right center, bringing home Boxwell and Mezzenga to take a 7-5 lead.
The two pitching staffs combined for 16 walks in the game while the offenses totaled just ten hits. Mezzenga finished 2-for-4 while scoring two runs, while Jordan Bowersox had two hits for Penn State.
NOTABLE
Game two of the series represented Minnesota's second flirtation with a no-hitter this season, as the Gophers lost a combined effort in the seventh inning against South Dakota State back on Feb. 28 … Minnesota has scored five or more runs in an inning on six occasions this season, including twice against Penn State in game two … Fredrickson's 7.1 innings marked a new season high for the right-hander was did his seven strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Gophers will attempt the Big Ten Conference series sweep Sunday as the two teams wrap up play in West Lafayette, Indiana at Alexander Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fredrickson, Patrick (4-0)
L: Taylor, Jeff (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Robison, Curtis 1
HR: Nadeau, Mason 1
RBI: Nadeau, Mason 1 ; Goodnight, Logan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nadeau, Mason 1 ; Robison, Curtis 1
Batting:
2B: Wilson, Eli 1 ; McDevitt, Cole 1 ; Hmielewski, Drew 1
HR: Vavra, Terrin 1 ; Coffey, Micah 1 ; Boxwell, Alex 1
RBI: Pettersen, Luke 3 ; Vavra, Terrin 1 ; Wilson, Eli 4 ; McDevitt, Cole 1 ; Coffey, Micah 2 ; Mezzenga, Ben 2 ; Boxwell, Alex 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Pettersen, Luke 2 ; Smith, Riley 3 ; Vavra, Terrin 1 ; Wassel, Jack 1 ; Wilson, Eli 2 ; McDevitt, Cole 1 ; Coffey, Micah 2 ; Mezzenga, Ben 1 ; Estrada, Jr., Eduardo 1 ; Boxwell, Alex 2 ; Hmielewski, Drew 1
SB: Boxwell, Alex 1
CS: Pettersen, Luke 1
HBP: Pettersen, Luke 1 ; Smith, Riley 1 ; Kozicky, Jordan 1
PO: Smith, Riley 1
