University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, April 27
Bloomington, IN
11:05 AM
University of Minnesota
18-21, 0
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at
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Indiana
29-14, 0
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9
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Minnesota
0
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Indiana
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2
Photo by: Jaylynn Nash
No. 23 Indiana Walks Off Minnesota to Even Series
4/27/2019 3:10:00 PM | Baseball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Gopher Baseball team took a 6-3 lead to the ninth inning but a pair of home runs in the final frame lifted No. 23 Indiana to a 7-6 walk-off victory on Saturday to even the teams' Big Ten Conference series this weekend at Kaufman Field.
After allowing a lead-off home run in the ninth, Brett Schulze (5-1) struck out the next two batters he faced, but a pair of walks followed before Matt Lloyd lifted a walk-off home run to right to even the series. Schulze had not suffered a defeat in 45 consecutive pitching appearances, now 14-1 dating back to May 19, 2017. His 14-game winning streak is a program record.
No. 23 Indiana (29-14, 10-4 Big Ten) scored first for the second straight game, taking advantage of early shakiness from Gophers starter Sam Thoresen when a pair of walks in the first helped score an eventual run on a bases-loaded double play. Minnesota (18-21, 8-6 Big Ten) had a quick answer when Riley Smith doubled home Jordan Kozicky in the top of the third, knotting the game up at a run apiece.
The Gophers scored in three-straight innings against Tanner Gordon , ending his day after 5.0 complete. Eli Wilson led off the fourth with a triple, coming around to score on a sacrifice fly by Cole McDevitt to take the lead. The Maroon & Gold opened up a three-run lead as Ben Mezzenga singled and stole second leading off the fifth before Eduardo Estrada Jr. and Wilson lifted back-to-back RBI doubles. With runners on the corners in the sixth, Mezzenga and pinch hitter Easton Bertrand had back-to-back singles to each knock in a run and push the Gophers lead to five, chasing reliever Braden Scott after just two outs.
Thoresen worked a career-high 6.0 innings, striking out 11 Hoosiers, another collegiate-best for the right-hander. He allowed just two Indiana hits, working around four walks to surrender just one earned. Jeff Fasching allowed a home run in the seventh, but the Minnesota bullpen remained steady with the senior trio of Fasching, Jake Stevenson, and Nick Lackney bridging the gap to the ninth.
Tommy Sommer (4-2) struck out the side in the top of the ninth to earn the victory for the Hoosiers.
NOTABLE
Minnesota's win streak with the Hoosiers ends at six … Mezzenga led the way with a 4-for-5 game … Bertrand, Smith, and Wilson each had a pair of hits in the game for the Gophers, who out-hit Indiana 13-7 ... Schulze threw 0.2 innings in the ninth inning in the series opener on Friday night.
UP NEXT
The two teams will close out their Big Ten Conference series on Sunday airing live on ESPNU. First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m. CDT.
Single-game tickets remain available for all Gophers home games. Minnesota returns to Siebert Field on Tuesday, April 30 to renew its border rivalry with North Dakota State. The Maroon & Gold walked off 4-3 winners over the Bison earlier this season on April 9. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
After allowing a lead-off home run in the ninth, Brett Schulze (5-1) struck out the next two batters he faced, but a pair of walks followed before Matt Lloyd lifted a walk-off home run to right to even the series. Schulze had not suffered a defeat in 45 consecutive pitching appearances, now 14-1 dating back to May 19, 2017. His 14-game winning streak is a program record.
No. 23 Indiana (29-14, 10-4 Big Ten) scored first for the second straight game, taking advantage of early shakiness from Gophers starter Sam Thoresen when a pair of walks in the first helped score an eventual run on a bases-loaded double play. Minnesota (18-21, 8-6 Big Ten) had a quick answer when Riley Smith doubled home Jordan Kozicky in the top of the third, knotting the game up at a run apiece.
The Gophers scored in three-straight innings against Tanner Gordon , ending his day after 5.0 complete. Eli Wilson led off the fourth with a triple, coming around to score on a sacrifice fly by Cole McDevitt to take the lead. The Maroon & Gold opened up a three-run lead as Ben Mezzenga singled and stole second leading off the fifth before Eduardo Estrada Jr. and Wilson lifted back-to-back RBI doubles. With runners on the corners in the sixth, Mezzenga and pinch hitter Easton Bertrand had back-to-back singles to each knock in a run and push the Gophers lead to five, chasing reliever Braden Scott after just two outs.
Thoresen worked a career-high 6.0 innings, striking out 11 Hoosiers, another collegiate-best for the right-hander. He allowed just two Indiana hits, working around four walks to surrender just one earned. Jeff Fasching allowed a home run in the seventh, but the Minnesota bullpen remained steady with the senior trio of Fasching, Jake Stevenson, and Nick Lackney bridging the gap to the ninth.
Tommy Sommer (4-2) struck out the side in the top of the ninth to earn the victory for the Hoosiers.
NOTABLE
Minnesota's win streak with the Hoosiers ends at six … Mezzenga led the way with a 4-for-5 game … Bertrand, Smith, and Wilson each had a pair of hits in the game for the Gophers, who out-hit Indiana 13-7 ... Schulze threw 0.2 innings in the ninth inning in the series opener on Friday night.
UP NEXT
The two teams will close out their Big Ten Conference series on Sunday airing live on ESPNU. First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m. CDT.
Single-game tickets remain available for all Gophers home games. Minnesota returns to Siebert Field on Tuesday, April 30 to renew its border rivalry with North Dakota State. The Maroon & Gold walked off 4-3 winners over the Bison earlier this season on April 9. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sommer (4-2)
L: Schulze, Brett (5-1)
Batting:
2B: Estrada, Jr., Eduardo 1 ; Wilson, Eli 1 ; Smith, Riley 1
3B: Wilson, Eli 1
RBI: Bertrand, Easton 1 ; Estrada, Jr., Eduardo 1 ; Wilson, Eli 1 ; McDevitt, Cole 1 ; Smith, Riley 1
SH: Hmielewski, Drew 1
SF: McDevitt, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mezzenga, Ben 1 ; Estrada, Jr., Eduardo 1 ; Wilson, Eli 1 ; Kozicky, Jordan 2 ; Smith, Riley 1
SB: Mezzenga, Ben 1
CS: Smith, Riley 1
HBP: Kozicky, Jordan 2
Batting:
2B: Bradley 1
HR: Lloyd 1 ; Richardson,G 1 ; Fineman 1
RBI: Lloyd 3 ; Richardson,G 1 ; Fineman 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashley 2 ; Gorski 1 ; Lloyd 1 ; Dunham 1 ; Richardson,G 1 ; Fineman 1
Game Leaders
cf/lf
AB
5
R
1
H
4
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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RHP
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RHP
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