University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 15
Surprise, AZ
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
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Photo by: Bruce Kluckhohn
Gophers Rally Against Gonzaga Bullpen for Season-Opening Win
2/15/2019 11:05:00 PM | Baseball
SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Gopher Baseball team rallied with six runs in the eighth inning to knock off Gonzaga 8-4 to open the College Baseball Classic at Surprise Stadium on Friday night.
Gonzaga (0-1) took an early lead, taking advantage of a leadoff hit-by-pitch in the first inning when Ernie Yake snuck a double down the right field line. A lead-off walk in the second also came around to score when Nick Nyquist lifted a home run to center field to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
Zags starter Casey Legumina held Minnesota (1-0) quiet through the first five innings, but they took advantage of a pair of errors in the sixth to trim the lead to 3-2. Right-hander Joshua Culliver relieved lefty Nick Lackney in the third, tossing 4.0 innings while allowing just one run on three hits to keep the Gophers alive.
Another hit by pitch cost Minnesota a run in the seventh, but the Gophers lifted three extra-base hits and batted around in the eighth inning to take their first lead of the game. First baseman Cole McDevitt doubled leading off the inning and came around to score on an inside-the-park home run by sophomore Easton Bertrand, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of RBIs in his second career start. Centerfielder Ben Mezzenga and designated hitter Max Meyer followed with a pair of singles and a double steal. Catcher Eli Wilson singled both home and then came around to score when left fielder Eduardo Estrada, Jr. launched a home run to left field to cap the scoring.
Brett Schulze (1-0) tossed 1.2 innings in the win, allowing one run when Gonzaga peppered three singles in the bottom of the ninth. Schulze turned the ball over to Meyer, who moved from the DH spot to the mound and collected his first save of the year with a hitless inning, striking out two.
Michael Spellacy (0-1) allowed three runs without retiring a batter, receiving the loss for the Bulldogs.
QUOTABLE
"You have to give it to their starter. That guy is going to be a big leaguer someday. We were battling, and we knew we were going to get there. We got to their bullpen. We're great hitters, and we knew that. We went in there with the mentality that we would eventually get some runs." – Estrada, on the team's mentality against a tough pitcher
NOTABLE
Estrada hit his first home since May 26, 2017 against Indiana at the Big Ten Tournament … Schulze has now claimed his last 10 decisions for the Gophers, without a loss in 25 appearances … Bertrand enjoyed a breakout game, hitless in three at-bats during his freshman season … Ben Mezzenga extended his hitting streak to 14 games, reaching base in 33 consecutive games.
UP NEXT
Minnesota continues action at the College Baseball Classic in Surprise on Saturday as the Gophers meet New Mexico. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. MT.
Gonzaga (0-1) took an early lead, taking advantage of a leadoff hit-by-pitch in the first inning when Ernie Yake snuck a double down the right field line. A lead-off walk in the second also came around to score when Nick Nyquist lifted a home run to center field to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
Zags starter Casey Legumina held Minnesota (1-0) quiet through the first five innings, but they took advantage of a pair of errors in the sixth to trim the lead to 3-2. Right-hander Joshua Culliver relieved lefty Nick Lackney in the third, tossing 4.0 innings while allowing just one run on three hits to keep the Gophers alive.
Another hit by pitch cost Minnesota a run in the seventh, but the Gophers lifted three extra-base hits and batted around in the eighth inning to take their first lead of the game. First baseman Cole McDevitt doubled leading off the inning and came around to score on an inside-the-park home run by sophomore Easton Bertrand, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of RBIs in his second career start. Centerfielder Ben Mezzenga and designated hitter Max Meyer followed with a pair of singles and a double steal. Catcher Eli Wilson singled both home and then came around to score when left fielder Eduardo Estrada, Jr. launched a home run to left field to cap the scoring.
Brett Schulze (1-0) tossed 1.2 innings in the win, allowing one run when Gonzaga peppered three singles in the bottom of the ninth. Schulze turned the ball over to Meyer, who moved from the DH spot to the mound and collected his first save of the year with a hitless inning, striking out two.
Michael Spellacy (0-1) allowed three runs without retiring a batter, receiving the loss for the Bulldogs.
QUOTABLE
"You have to give it to their starter. That guy is going to be a big leaguer someday. We were battling, and we knew we were going to get there. We got to their bullpen. We're great hitters, and we knew that. We went in there with the mentality that we would eventually get some runs." – Estrada, on the team's mentality against a tough pitcher
NOTABLE
Estrada hit his first home since May 26, 2017 against Indiana at the Big Ten Tournament … Schulze has now claimed his last 10 decisions for the Gophers, without a loss in 25 appearances … Bertrand enjoyed a breakout game, hitless in three at-bats during his freshman season … Ben Mezzenga extended his hitting streak to 14 games, reaching base in 33 consecutive games.
UP NEXT
Minnesota continues action at the College Baseball Classic in Surprise on Saturday as the Gophers meet New Mexico. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. MT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Schulze, Brett (1-0)
L: SPELLACY, Michael (0-1)
S: Meyer, Max (1)
Batting:
2B: Meyer, Max 1 ; McDevitt, Cole 1
HR: Estrada, Jr., Eduardo 1 ; Bertrand, Easton 1
RBI: Meyer, Max 1 ; Wilson, Eli 2 ; Estrada, Jr., Eduardo 2 ; Bertrand, Easton 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Mezzenga, Ben 1 ; Meyer, Max 2 ; Wilson, Eli 1 ; Estrada, Jr., Eduardo 1 ; McDevitt, Cole 1 ; Bertrand, Easton 2
SB: Mezzenga, Ben 1 ; Smith, Riley 1 ; Meyer, Max 1
CS: Bertrand, Easton 1
Batting:
2B: YAKE, Ernie 1 ; JOHNSTON, Troy 2
HR: NYQUIST, Nick 1
RBI: PINORINI, Austin 1 ; JOHNSTON, Troy 2 ; NYQUIST, Nick 2
Base Running:
RUNS: BARRERA, Isaac 1 ; MORRISON, Guthrie 1 ; PINORINI, Austin 1 ; Sullivan, Ryan 1 ; NYQUIST, Nick 1
CS: BRISTYAN, Josh 1
HBP: BARRERA, Isaac 1 ; PINORINI, Austin 2
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
1B/C
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
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