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University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
No. 20 Gophers Host No. 15 Indiana on BTN
5/3/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| Gopher Baseball | Week 12: Games 42-44 | |
| No. 20 Gophers (29-12, 11-3 Big Ten) vs. No. 15 Indiana (31-10, 9-5 Big Ten) | |
| Date/Time | Friday, May 4 - Sunday, May 6, 2018, 6:35 p.m./2:02 p.m./1:02 p.m. |
| Location | Siebert Field, Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Follow Live | Friday: BTN Plus | Game Day Live Saturday: TV: BTN | BTN2Go | Game Day Live Sunday: TV: BTN | BTN2Go | Game Day Live |
| Weather | Friday: Partly sunny, 77°/51°, 1% precipitation, WNW 10 mph Saturday: Clouds and sun, 79°/48°, 25% precipitation, WSW 10 mph Sunday: Partly sunny, 70°/46°, 2% precipitation, NNE 8 mph |
| Promotions | Friday: Free pizza for students while supplies last; First 100 students receive a free Gopher Baseball can koozie Saturday: Salute to Service Day (military in uniform or with ID receive free admission); Cinco de Mayo tacos at the concession stand Sunday: Bark in the Park 2018; Alumni Day ($5 admission for alumni) |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Indiana |
| Social Media | @GopherBaseball | Facebook | Instagram |
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 20-ranked Gopher Baseball will host No. 15 Indiana in a battle of the two top-ranked teams in the Big Ten Conference this weekend at Siebert Field. Saturday and Sunday's games will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
Glen Perkins Family Baseball Performance Center
Friday night prior to the series opener, the Gophers will dedicated their indoor hitting facility and performance in the name of Minnesota baseball alum Glen Perkins and his family. The Glen Perkins Family Baseball Performance Center opened in March 2016, a state-of-the-art facility offering the Gophers a year-round training home. The Perkins family donated significant financial contributions towards the Baseball Performance Center as well as the remodeled Siebert Field.
Bark in the Park
Sunday will be the annual Bark in the Park game. Dogs will receive free admission with a paid human, and the first 100 four-legged friends will receive a Golden Gophers bandana. Fans will receive a discounted $5 admission to the game with the donation of a pet food product. Those looking to attend with a dog will need to sign a waiver available to print by clicking here or at the gate.
Seven-Straight Series Wins
Minnesota claimed the first two games of its Big Ten series with Ohio State on the road last weekend, with a strong offensive showing in an 11-1 win on Friday night and another impressive pitching performance in a 2-1 win on Saturday afternoon. The Gophers held a 5-3 lead heading into the ninth inning before the Buckeyes walked off victorious after an error on the Minnesota infield.
Gophers in the Polls
Minnesota continues to raise its stake in the national spotlight this week, ranking no. 19 in the latest Perfect Game collegiate team rankings, no. 20 by D1Baseball, 22 by both Baseball America and the NCBWA, and 23 by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The Gophers remain among the teams receiving votes in the latest USA Today/Coaches Poll.
20th Anniversary
Saturday night, Minnesota will honor the 1998 Big Ten Tournament Champion and NCAA Tournament Team. That year's team included All-American first baseman Robb Quinlan, Freshman All-America shortstop Rick Brosseau, and All-Big Ten outfielder Craig Selander and pitcher Brad Pautz. Coach John Anderson's Gophers finished with 45 wins, the second-highest total in program history.
Stopper of the Year Watch List
Last Friday, freshman Max Meyer landed on the midseason watch list for the NCBWA "Stopper of the Year" National Relief Pitcher of the Year award. His 11 saves are among the highest totals in the nation. Minnesota's Brian Glowicki landed on the midseason list last year, finishing his senior season with a program-record 16 saves.
NCAA Superlatives
Minnesota continues to boast one of the hottest offenses in the nation. The Gophers' team batting average of .302 ranks 15th nationally while the .396 on-base percentage is 25th. The Maroon & Gold pitching staff are also in the top-25, ranked 24th with a 3.36 ERA and 17th with a 1.22 WHIP. Terrin Vavra ranks 31st nationally with his .385 batting average, while Ben Mezzenga is not far behind at 39th (.378). Patrick Fredrickson ranks 19th with his 1.61 ERA, while fellow rookie hurler Max Meyer ranks ninth with 11 saves on the year. Brett Schulze has eight pitching victories, the third-highest total in the country.
Against the Competition
Minnesota dropped 2-of-3 during the 2017 regular season against Indiana, but ousted the Hoosiers from the Big Ten Tournament in a thrilling 9-8 comeback. Micah Coffey has batted .375 (12-for-32) in his career with three doubles and two home runs against Indiana. Jordan Kozicky went 11-for-22Â (.500) last season with four doubles, two home runs, five RBIs, and five runs scored in five games against the Hoosiers. Terrin Vavra was 8-for-17 (.471) with a home run, two doubles, four RBI, and five runs scored in five games.
Going Streaking
Jordan Kozicky enters the weekend with a nine-game hitting streak for the Gophers, just one game shy of matching Ben Mezzenga's team season-high 10-game streak. Luke Pettersen has reached base in 16 consecutive games for Minnesota.
Can't Hold Them Down
Minnesota's pitching staff now has five shutouts this season after defeating Concordia St. Paul 5-0 on May 1. The Gophers have not been shut out themselves since April 16, 2017, a span of 64 games.
Ins & Outs
Max Meyer currently holds 11 saves, the third-most in a single season by a Gophers reliever ... both Reggie Meyer and Patrick Fredrickson tossed 8.0 innings for the Gophers last Friday and Saturday, respectively, matching the team's season high set by R. Meyer earlier this season ... Luke Pettersen drew a walk in the eighth against Ohio State closer Seth Kinker - his first allowed this season at Bill Davis Stadium ... the ninth inning error in Sunday's game against Ohio State represented the second walk-off defeat for the Gophers this season, falling on a walk-off hit in the 13th inning against TCU back on March 17.
Gophers on the Air
Minnesota will have at least four games on Big Ten Network this season. The Gophers will host BTN on campus for games two and three of the series against Indiana on May 5-6 with the potential for more games to be added to the schedule later this season. The team won its 2018 Network debut, 2-0, against Nebraska on Sunday, March 25 but fell 5-3 against Iowa on Sunday, April 22 in its second national television appearance.
Returning All-Big Ten
Minnesota returns four of its six honorees from the All-Big Ten Teams following the 2017 season, all of whom figure into the team's every day line-up. Junior Cole McDevitt landed on the league's First Team after batting .314 in league play with four doubles, 11 RBIs, and 14 runs scored. Senior Micah Coffey returns after earning a Second Team selection last year. He batted .370 in league play, lifting a team-best eight doubles and adding 22 RBIs. Senior Toby Hanson returns after driving in a team-high 24 runs against conference competition to land on the Third Team. Sophomore Jordan Kozicky was an All-Freshman Team selection, batting .351 as a utility player.
Scouting the Hoosiers
No. 15 Indiana (31-10, 9-5 Big Ten) won two-of-three against Illinois last weekend but had dropped four straight games ... the Hoosiers finished sixth in the Big Ten last season but entered the year ... head coach Chris Lemonis enters his fourth season n the dugout for Indiana ... Matt Gorski leads the Hoosiers with a .368 batting average ... seven different players have at least five home runs for Indiana ... right-hander Jonathan Stiever leads the starting staff with a 2.63 ERA, striking out 75 in 72.0 innings over 11 starts. Minnesota will see Stiever on Friday ... lefties Cameron Beauchamp and Tim Herrin will also take the mound this weekend. Beauchamp has a 2.48 ERA in seven starts, striking out 27 in 36.1 innings while Herrin is 3-0 in six starts with a 2.93 ERA in 40.0 innings, striking out 25.
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!