University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, May 13
Bloomington, IN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
14-32, 4-15
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8
Indiana
23-26, 9-10
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8
9
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Minnesota
0
3
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0
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Indiana
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0
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Hoosiers Plate Six in Eighth to Win, 8-6
5/13/2022 9:30:00 PM | Baseball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers fell 8-6 to the Indiana Hoosiers in Friday night's series opener at Bart Kaufman Field.
Minnesota led 6-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Hoosiers plated six runs on six hits in the eighth to steal game one of the three-game set.
In his first weekend start of the year, Gophers right-hander Richie Holetz went 4.0 innings, striking out four and giving up just two hits and two earned runs. Minnesota (14-32, 4-15 Big Ten) chased out Indiana (23-26, 9-10 Big Ten) starter Jack Perkins after 5.0 innings. The Gophers scored six earned runs off him on five hits and four walks.
Offensively, Minnesota was led by Boston Merila (2-for-5), who tallied his fifth straight multi-hit game. Ronald Sweeny (1-for-2, home run, three RBI) and Drew Stahl (1-for-4, two RBI) combined to drive in five of Minnesota's six runs on the evening.
The scoring started in the top of the second inning when Sweeny tagged a three-run home run off the scoreboard in left center field. The blast plated Chase Stanke, who doubled, and Stahl, who reached on a walk.
After being held scoreless for the first three frames, the Hoosiers offense finally awoke in the bottom of the fourth. The first two hitters reached on a walk and a single, the first hit of the game off of Holetz. A balk called on Minnesota's starting pitcher moved the runners to second and third with no outs. An RBI groundout by IU's Carter Mathison and an RBI infield single by Brock Tibbitts plated the runners to cut the Gophers' lead to 3-2.
The visitors would respond immediately in the top of the fifth, putting together an epic two-out rally to plate a trip of runs. Merila started the movement with a single before Jack Kelly walked and Riley Swenson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Stanke then walked with the bases full, scoring Merila. The big hit of the inning came when Stahl delivered a two-run single over the shortstop's head, putting his team up a game-high four runs at 6-2.
Usual Friday night starter Sam Ireland came in to replace Holetz to start the bottom of the fifth. He lasted 3.0 innings, striking out four, allowing just two hits and no earned runs in his first relief appearance of the season.
Ireland was replaced by redshirt senior Josh Culliver in the bottom of the eighth. After allowing a leadoff single and surrendering a walk to the next hitter, Culliver was subbed out for left-hander Jack Liffrig. The Hoosiers cut Minnesota's lead to two at 6-4 with a two-run double by Matthew Ellis. Another single and a walk loaded the bases with one out when IU leadoff hitter Bobby Whalen tied the game with a two-run single to right field, ending Liffrig's night.
Freshman southpaw Noah Rooney entered with men on first and third and one out in the eighth. After getting the first hitter to ground out softly to Stanke in front of the plate, a two-run, go-ahead single by IU's Josh Pyne gave the home team an 8-6 advantage.
Kelly and Stanke both reached with walks and Sweeny was hit by a pitch to load the bases in the top of the ninth. With two outs and three men on, Noah Berghammer struck out swinging to end the game.
With the loss, the Gophers fell to 1-17 (0-10 Big Ten) on the road this season.
UP NEXT
Minnesota and Indiana are set to play tomorrow at Noon ET/11 a.m. CT on B1G+.
Minnesota led 6-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Hoosiers plated six runs on six hits in the eighth to steal game one of the three-game set.
In his first weekend start of the year, Gophers right-hander Richie Holetz went 4.0 innings, striking out four and giving up just two hits and two earned runs. Minnesota (14-32, 4-15 Big Ten) chased out Indiana (23-26, 9-10 Big Ten) starter Jack Perkins after 5.0 innings. The Gophers scored six earned runs off him on five hits and four walks.
Offensively, Minnesota was led by Boston Merila (2-for-5), who tallied his fifth straight multi-hit game. Ronald Sweeny (1-for-2, home run, three RBI) and Drew Stahl (1-for-4, two RBI) combined to drive in five of Minnesota's six runs on the evening.
The scoring started in the top of the second inning when Sweeny tagged a three-run home run off the scoreboard in left center field. The blast plated Chase Stanke, who doubled, and Stahl, who reached on a walk.
After being held scoreless for the first three frames, the Hoosiers offense finally awoke in the bottom of the fourth. The first two hitters reached on a walk and a single, the first hit of the game off of Holetz. A balk called on Minnesota's starting pitcher moved the runners to second and third with no outs. An RBI groundout by IU's Carter Mathison and an RBI infield single by Brock Tibbitts plated the runners to cut the Gophers' lead to 3-2.
The visitors would respond immediately in the top of the fifth, putting together an epic two-out rally to plate a trip of runs. Merila started the movement with a single before Jack Kelly walked and Riley Swenson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Stanke then walked with the bases full, scoring Merila. The big hit of the inning came when Stahl delivered a two-run single over the shortstop's head, putting his team up a game-high four runs at 6-2.
Usual Friday night starter Sam Ireland came in to replace Holetz to start the bottom of the fifth. He lasted 3.0 innings, striking out four, allowing just two hits and no earned runs in his first relief appearance of the season.
Ireland was replaced by redshirt senior Josh Culliver in the bottom of the eighth. After allowing a leadoff single and surrendering a walk to the next hitter, Culliver was subbed out for left-hander Jack Liffrig. The Hoosiers cut Minnesota's lead to two at 6-4 with a two-run double by Matthew Ellis. Another single and a walk loaded the bases with one out when IU leadoff hitter Bobby Whalen tied the game with a two-run single to right field, ending Liffrig's night.
Freshman southpaw Noah Rooney entered with men on first and third and one out in the eighth. After getting the first hitter to ground out softly to Stanke in front of the plate, a two-run, go-ahead single by IU's Josh Pyne gave the home team an 8-6 advantage.
Kelly and Stanke both reached with walks and Sweeny was hit by a pitch to load the bases in the top of the ninth. With two outs and three men on, Noah Berghammer struck out swinging to end the game.
With the loss, the Gophers fell to 1-17 (0-10 Big Ten) on the road this season.
UP NEXT
Minnesota and Indiana are set to play tomorrow at Noon ET/11 a.m. CT on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stahl, Nathan (1-2)
L: Liffrig, Jack (1-4)
S: Sharp, Reese (4)
Batting:
2B: Stanke, Chase 1
HR: Sweeny, Ronald 1
RBI: Stanke, Chase 1 ; Stahl, Drew 2 ; Sweeny, Ronald 3
SH: Berghammer, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Merila, Boston 1 ; Kelly, Jack 1 ; Swenson, Riley 1 ; Stanke, Chase 1 ; Stahl, Drew 1 ; Sweeny, Ronald 1
SB: Bateman, Brett 1
HBP: Swenson, Riley 1 ; Sweeny, Ronald 2 ; Wilhite, Andrew 1
Batting:
2B: Jessee, Hunter 1 ; Ellis, Matthew 1
RBI: Whalen, Bobby 2 ; Pyne, Josh 2 ; Mathison, Carter 1 ; Tibbitts, Brock 1 ; Ellis, Matthew 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Whalen, Bobby 1 ; Jessee, Hunter 1 ; Pyne, Josh 1 ; Mathison, Carter 1 ; Tibbitts, Brock 1 ; Ellis, Matthew 1 ; Doanes, Tyler 1 ; Goforth, Evan 1
PO: Pyne, Josh 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballC/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
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