Defense Shines as Gophers Take Tournament Opener

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Feb 13

5:30 PM

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Feb 14

12:00 PM

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Feb 15

9:00 AM

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vs Ball State

May 23, 2018

Final Stats

OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 11-ranked Gopher Baseball team edged out Michigan State in the team’s Big Ten Tournament opener, 3-2, at T.D. Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.

No. 11 Minnesota (38-13) took advantage of an error by Michigan State (20-31) in the first as Luke Pettersen led off the game with a sharply hit ball off the first baseman’s glove, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and eventually came around to score on an RBI single off the bat of unanimous First Team All-Big Ten shortstop Terrin Vavra.

Jake Stevenson worked in and out of trouble in 3.2 innings of work, but the Spartans’ first hit of the day was a two-run double off the bat of Zack McGuire, ending his day there. Brett Schulze (9-0) came in out of the Gophers bullpen, getting a strikeout to end the inning. The Gophers had an answer in the bottom of the inning when Alex Boxwell ripped his first double of the game, coming in to score one batter later as Jordan Kozicky brought him home with a single.

“We started Jake Stevenson because he didn't pitch last weekend when our third game got rained out,” said head coach John Anderson. “I wanted to give Reggie Meyer and Patrick Fredrickson a full week's rest, and if we're going to win the tournament, they are all going to have to pitch eventually. Jake did a really good job of competing. There were a few walks in there, but he made a lot of big pitches... He did a really good job of keeping us in the game.”

Michigan State turned to its bullpen in the fourth as well, and Minnesota followed the same formula with a double by Ben Mezzenga and an RBI single by Eli Wilson to regain the lead at 3-2 against reliever Mitchell Tyranski (2-2).

“I was ahead in the count, 1-0. With a runner on third, I was trying to get something to the outfield,” said Wilson on his game-winning hit. “I got a fastball. I didn't hit it on the screws but got enough of it.”

Schulze worked the next 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out three while dodging trouble himself with four hits allowed. His defense helped him along the way, including a play where Kozicky threw to Schulze behind the runner and they tagged him out after he went too far around first following a single. Kozicky later made an impressive catch, tracking a ball over the fence down the left field line.

Schulze handed the ball to All-Big Ten First Team closer Max Meyer with a runner on second and one out in the eighth. Meyer got a pair of fly balls to retire the side, and then picked up a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless ninth to earn his 15th save of the season.

QUOTABLE
“It was a weirdly-paced game. That's kind of how the tournament works. Last year when we played Iowa, it was the longest game in Big Ten Tournament history. With all of our returning players, we knew that could happen. It was a strange game, but we had to keep our heads down, and keep plugging away, and we were able to get the win.” – Brett Schulze on the team pulling out a victory in a “strange” game

NOTABLE
Max Meyer is now just one save away from matching the Gophers single-season record of 16, set by Brian Glowicki in the 2017 season … Minnesota batted into four double plays in the game despite getting the victory.

UP NEXT
Minnesota will await the result of Wednesday’s final game to learn their opponent Thursday. With their victory, the Gophers know they will play at 9 p.m. in the nightcap of the second round match-ups.

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Team Stats

Ben Mezzenga

Terrin Vavra

Alex Boxwell

Jordan Kozicky

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