University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, March 2
Raleigh, NC
11:00 AM
University of Minnesota
at
NC State
Players Mentioned
IF
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IF
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IF
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RHP
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OF
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1B/C
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OF
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Photo by: Jennifer Stewart
Preview: Gophers vs. NC State
2/28/2019 9:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Gopher Baseball team continues on the road this week with a three-game series against NC State (8-0), the first meeting between the two teams in 13 years. Minnesota (2-5) continues to grow a young team that features 24 freshmen and sophomores compared to just 11 juniors and seniors and will be put to the test against one of the toughest pitching staffs in the nation.
Against the Competition
Minnesota is 2-2 all-time against North Carolina State, but the two teams have not met since the 1996 season when the Wolfpack picked up a 10-6 victory over the Gophers at the Hormel Foods Classic on March 2 inside the Metrodome. A fellow NCAA Tournament team a season ago, NC State fell in the Raleigh Regional final against Auburn. The Wolfpack ranks as high as tenth in the Collegiate Baseball News poll this week.
NCAA Superlatives
Max Meyer has two saves for the Gophers so far this season. Only 13 pitchers have more through two weekends, and none more than four ... Sam Thoresen ranks no. 59 in the nation and second in the Big Ten, averaging 14.14 strikeouts per nine through his first two starts.
Going Streaking
Eli Wilson has a hit in every game for the Gophers in 2019 and an eight-game hitting streak overall dating back to last year's season finale. Meyer is second on the team with a three-game hitting streak. Ben Mezzenga has reached base in four straight, second only to Wilson's streak of eight games on base.
Line Drives
Gus Radel made his collegiate debut with 1.0 shutout inning last Friday night against Dallas Baptist ... Zack Elliott also had his first collegiate at-bat in the game ... Wilson hit his first triple since April 18, 2017 in the game two victory over the Patriots .... rookie Andrew Wilhite lifted his first career home run, a two-run shot, in the third inning on Sunday against DBU ... despite suffering the defeat, Thoresen set a career-high with his seven strikeouts on Sunday.
Weekend Forecast
Friday: Mostly cloudy ... High/Low: 47°/39° ... Winds: ENE 6 mph ... Precipitation: 59%
Saturday: Cloudy ... High/Low: 58°/43° ... Winds: NW 6 mph ... Precipitation: 3%
Sunday: Afternoon rain ... High/Low: 57°/43° ... Winds: ESE 7 mph ... Precipitation: 79%
Road to 1,300 Wins
John Anderson entered the 2019 season needing just 12 victories to reach 1,300 in his career, moving him into a tie with Fresno State's Bob Bennett (1967, 1970-2002) for 26th all-time. Anderson is already the seventh winningest active coach in NCAA baseball.
Preseason All-Americans
Sophomore pitchers Patrick Fredrickson and Meyer received Preseason All-America recognition from four organizations to begin 2019. Fredrickson landed Second Team selections from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, NCBWA, and Perfect Game, and a Third Team pick from D1Baseball. Meyer landed on D1Baseball's First Team, the Second Team from both NCBWA and Perfect Game, and Third Team from Collegiate Baseball.
USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award
Meyer became just the second Golden Gopher in the 42-year history of the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award to be named to its Preseason Watch List on Feb. 7. Pitcher Tom Windle was the last student athlete to represent Minnesota back in 2013. Meyer competed for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer, leading the way with 15 strikeouts and seven saves in eight appearances spanning 8.0 innings.
Stopper of the Year
Meyer also landed on the NCBWA's Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List announced Feb. 11. The sophomore right-hander previously made the watch list at midseason last year and was a finalist for the award in 2018 finishing with 16 saves, a Gopher program record.
Top of the Class
Fredrickson, Meyer, and senior first baseman Cole McDevitt also earned preseason recognition from Perfect Game among the best athletes in their given class. Meyer ranked no. 20 among sophomores and Fredrickson no. 56. McDevitt ranked no. 34 among seniors in 2019.
B1G Time Favorite
Big Ten coaches selected the defending champion Gophers to repeat in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll announced Wednesday. Mezzenga and hurlers Fredrickson and Meyer were each chosen as Players to Watch in league play this season. Fredrickson, the reigning Big Ten Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, and Meyer each received First Team All-Big Ten honors last year, while Mezzenga was a Second Team selection.
Ahead of the Curve
Minnesota's nine-member rookie class ranked no. 37 according to Collegiate Baseball's NCAA Division I "2018 Recruiting Championship" rankings. The Gophers topped the Big Ten as the only team to crack the top-40 with nine conference opponents receiving recognition among other top classes outside the rankings. Chase Stanke and Gus Radel each received national rankings from both Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report, while Noah Berghammer, Otto Grimm, Zack Raabe, and Andrew Wilhite were each ranked as the top players at their position in their home state. Six members of the incoming class achieved All-America status during their prep careers.
A New Look Dugout
Following the retirement of Gophers assistant head coach Rob Fornasiere following the 2018 season, John Anderson has revamped his coaching staff. Pitching coach Ty McDevitt has been elevated to assistant coach in his third season, former Upper Iowa University head coach Brandon Hunt joins the Maroon & Gold as a volunteer assistant, Golden Gopher alum and long-time Atlantic League standout Dan Lyons returns as a student assistant, and former head student manager Ryan Goll officially joins the staff as an undergraduate assistant. Hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Pat Casey expands his duties with the staff.
A Whole Year in Airports
Along with scheduling stiff competition in the non-conference slate, Minnesota will open its season with 21-straight games on the road in seven cities across four time zones. The Gophers are without their home-away-from-home in U.S. Bank Stadium this season due to the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Minneapolis.
Returning All-Big Ten Selections
Minnesota earned seven All-Big Ten selections last season along with head coach John Anderson earning the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year award. The Gophers return the Big Ten Freshman and Pitcher of the Year starting pitcher Patrick Fredrickson and fellow All-Big Ten First Team selection relief pitcher Max Meyer as well as Second Team outfielder Ben Mezzenga. Senior infielder/catcher Cole McDevitt also returns having earned an All-Big Ten First Team selection back in 2017.
Gophers in the Pros
Minnesota continues to produce talent at the next level with four players drafted in 2018 (Micah Coffey, Reggie Meyer, Jackson Rose, and Terrin Vavra) and a pair of former Gophers reaching the big leagues for the first time last season. Ben Meyer ('15) made his debut with the Miami Marlins on June 7 last year and received an invite to major league camp this spring. D.J. Snelten ('13) made his big league debut on April 29 with the San Francisco Giants. Now with the Baltimore Orioles, he'll look to earn a return trip to The Show this season. In total, 12 former Gophers are currently serving their time in MLB organizations.
Gopher Baseball season tickets remain available! The Maroon & Gold return to campus on Friday, March 29 against Nebraska. This 21-game package includes Minnesota's game against Oklahoma at Target Field on Saturday, April 20. Click here to purchase yours today. Single-game tickets for all Siebert Field home games are also available by clicking here.
Against the Competition
Minnesota is 2-2 all-time against North Carolina State, but the two teams have not met since the 1996 season when the Wolfpack picked up a 10-6 victory over the Gophers at the Hormel Foods Classic on March 2 inside the Metrodome. A fellow NCAA Tournament team a season ago, NC State fell in the Raleigh Regional final against Auburn. The Wolfpack ranks as high as tenth in the Collegiate Baseball News poll this week.
NCAA Superlatives
Max Meyer has two saves for the Gophers so far this season. Only 13 pitchers have more through two weekends, and none more than four ... Sam Thoresen ranks no. 59 in the nation and second in the Big Ten, averaging 14.14 strikeouts per nine through his first two starts.
Going Streaking
Eli Wilson has a hit in every game for the Gophers in 2019 and an eight-game hitting streak overall dating back to last year's season finale. Meyer is second on the team with a three-game hitting streak. Ben Mezzenga has reached base in four straight, second only to Wilson's streak of eight games on base.
Line Drives
Gus Radel made his collegiate debut with 1.0 shutout inning last Friday night against Dallas Baptist ... Zack Elliott also had his first collegiate at-bat in the game ... Wilson hit his first triple since April 18, 2017 in the game two victory over the Patriots .... rookie Andrew Wilhite lifted his first career home run, a two-run shot, in the third inning on Sunday against DBU ... despite suffering the defeat, Thoresen set a career-high with his seven strikeouts on Sunday.
Weekend Forecast
Friday: Mostly cloudy ... High/Low: 47°/39° ... Winds: ENE 6 mph ... Precipitation: 59%
Saturday: Cloudy ... High/Low: 58°/43° ... Winds: NW 6 mph ... Precipitation: 3%
Sunday: Afternoon rain ... High/Low: 57°/43° ... Winds: ESE 7 mph ... Precipitation: 79%
Road to 1,300 Wins
John Anderson entered the 2019 season needing just 12 victories to reach 1,300 in his career, moving him into a tie with Fresno State's Bob Bennett (1967, 1970-2002) for 26th all-time. Anderson is already the seventh winningest active coach in NCAA baseball.
Preseason All-Americans
Sophomore pitchers Patrick Fredrickson and Meyer received Preseason All-America recognition from four organizations to begin 2019. Fredrickson landed Second Team selections from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, NCBWA, and Perfect Game, and a Third Team pick from D1Baseball. Meyer landed on D1Baseball's First Team, the Second Team from both NCBWA and Perfect Game, and Third Team from Collegiate Baseball.
USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award
Meyer became just the second Golden Gopher in the 42-year history of the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award to be named to its Preseason Watch List on Feb. 7. Pitcher Tom Windle was the last student athlete to represent Minnesota back in 2013. Meyer competed for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer, leading the way with 15 strikeouts and seven saves in eight appearances spanning 8.0 innings.
Stopper of the Year
Meyer also landed on the NCBWA's Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List announced Feb. 11. The sophomore right-hander previously made the watch list at midseason last year and was a finalist for the award in 2018 finishing with 16 saves, a Gopher program record.
Top of the Class
Fredrickson, Meyer, and senior first baseman Cole McDevitt also earned preseason recognition from Perfect Game among the best athletes in their given class. Meyer ranked no. 20 among sophomores and Fredrickson no. 56. McDevitt ranked no. 34 among seniors in 2019.
B1G Time Favorite
Big Ten coaches selected the defending champion Gophers to repeat in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll announced Wednesday. Mezzenga and hurlers Fredrickson and Meyer were each chosen as Players to Watch in league play this season. Fredrickson, the reigning Big Ten Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, and Meyer each received First Team All-Big Ten honors last year, while Mezzenga was a Second Team selection.
Ahead of the Curve
Minnesota's nine-member rookie class ranked no. 37 according to Collegiate Baseball's NCAA Division I "2018 Recruiting Championship" rankings. The Gophers topped the Big Ten as the only team to crack the top-40 with nine conference opponents receiving recognition among other top classes outside the rankings. Chase Stanke and Gus Radel each received national rankings from both Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report, while Noah Berghammer, Otto Grimm, Zack Raabe, and Andrew Wilhite were each ranked as the top players at their position in their home state. Six members of the incoming class achieved All-America status during their prep careers.
A New Look Dugout
Following the retirement of Gophers assistant head coach Rob Fornasiere following the 2018 season, John Anderson has revamped his coaching staff. Pitching coach Ty McDevitt has been elevated to assistant coach in his third season, former Upper Iowa University head coach Brandon Hunt joins the Maroon & Gold as a volunteer assistant, Golden Gopher alum and long-time Atlantic League standout Dan Lyons returns as a student assistant, and former head student manager Ryan Goll officially joins the staff as an undergraduate assistant. Hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Pat Casey expands his duties with the staff.
A Whole Year in Airports
Along with scheduling stiff competition in the non-conference slate, Minnesota will open its season with 21-straight games on the road in seven cities across four time zones. The Gophers are without their home-away-from-home in U.S. Bank Stadium this season due to the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Minneapolis.
Returning All-Big Ten Selections
Minnesota earned seven All-Big Ten selections last season along with head coach John Anderson earning the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year award. The Gophers return the Big Ten Freshman and Pitcher of the Year starting pitcher Patrick Fredrickson and fellow All-Big Ten First Team selection relief pitcher Max Meyer as well as Second Team outfielder Ben Mezzenga. Senior infielder/catcher Cole McDevitt also returns having earned an All-Big Ten First Team selection back in 2017.
Gophers in the Pros
Minnesota continues to produce talent at the next level with four players drafted in 2018 (Micah Coffey, Reggie Meyer, Jackson Rose, and Terrin Vavra) and a pair of former Gophers reaching the big leagues for the first time last season. Ben Meyer ('15) made his debut with the Miami Marlins on June 7 last year and received an invite to major league camp this spring. D.J. Snelten ('13) made his big league debut on April 29 with the San Francisco Giants. Now with the Baltimore Orioles, he'll look to earn a return trip to The Show this season. In total, 12 former Gophers are currently serving their time in MLB organizations.
Gopher Baseball season tickets remain available! The Maroon & Gold return to campus on Friday, March 29 against Nebraska. This 21-game package includes Minnesota's game against Oklahoma at Target Field on Saturday, April 20. Click here to purchase yours today. Single-game tickets for all Siebert Field home games are also available by clicking here.
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