University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, May 21
2:00 PM
University of Minnesota
5
vs
8
Northwestern
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Fall to Wildcats in Season Finale
5/21/2022 5:15:00 PM | Baseball
Northwestern scored all eight runs in the eighth and ninth innings
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Golden Gophers baseball team finished the 2022 regular season with an 8-5 defeat against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at Siebert Field.
The Gophers (16-36, 6-18 Big Ten) led 5-0 heading into the eighth inning before Northwestern rallied late, scoring two runs in the eighth and six runs in the top of the ninth.
Minnesota got another stellar start from redshirt junior right-hander Aidan Maldonado, who struck out eight in 7.0 innings, allowing just four hits with no earned runs. Northwestern starter Grant Comstock went 6.0 innings, striking out nine while surrendering five hits and two earned runs.
Brett Bateman led the 'U' with two hits while Noah Berghammer, Jack Kelly, Chase Stanke, Riley Swenson and Ronald Sweeny capped off their Minnesota careers with one hit apiece.
The 'U' looked to have firm control of the game as the Wildcats had just one runner reach scoring position prior to the seventh inning. They got a man to second after a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt in the fifth, but couldn't make anything of it. Maldonado set NU down in order in the third, fourth and sixth innings.
Sweeny homered to left center in the second for the first run of the game for either team. After a two-out single by Kelly in the sixth, Swenson drilled a ball down the left field line that plated Kelly from first.
NU's biggest threat through the first seven innings came in the top of the seventh. A pair of walks sandwiched a single to load the bases with two outs. A soft ground ball to Sweeny at first ended the threat as Maldonado ended his day on the mound with seven scoreless innings.
Stanke then gave his team a commanding lead with a two-out, three-run blast to right field for his team-leading 13th home run of the season. The Gophers took a 5-0 lead into the eighth inning.
NU started to make things interesting in the top of the eighth. Gophers right-hander Josh Culliver entered the game for Maldonado. He faced four batters and left with the bases loaded and one out. Senior left-hander Tom Skoro entered the game and surrendered a pair of RBI singles before slamming the door to keep Minnesota up 5-2.
A six-run, seven-hit top of the ninth inning for Northwestern completely flipped the script and gave the visitors an 8-5 lead in the season finale.
Minnesota couldn't get anything going in the ninth and fell by the final score, 8-5.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will begin fall workouts in September in preparation for its 2023 season.
The Gophers (16-36, 6-18 Big Ten) led 5-0 heading into the eighth inning before Northwestern rallied late, scoring two runs in the eighth and six runs in the top of the ninth.
Minnesota got another stellar start from redshirt junior right-hander Aidan Maldonado, who struck out eight in 7.0 innings, allowing just four hits with no earned runs. Northwestern starter Grant Comstock went 6.0 innings, striking out nine while surrendering five hits and two earned runs.
Brett Bateman led the 'U' with two hits while Noah Berghammer, Jack Kelly, Chase Stanke, Riley Swenson and Ronald Sweeny capped off their Minnesota careers with one hit apiece.
The 'U' looked to have firm control of the game as the Wildcats had just one runner reach scoring position prior to the seventh inning. They got a man to second after a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt in the fifth, but couldn't make anything of it. Maldonado set NU down in order in the third, fourth and sixth innings.
Sweeny homered to left center in the second for the first run of the game for either team. After a two-out single by Kelly in the sixth, Swenson drilled a ball down the left field line that plated Kelly from first.
NU's biggest threat through the first seven innings came in the top of the seventh. A pair of walks sandwiched a single to load the bases with two outs. A soft ground ball to Sweeny at first ended the threat as Maldonado ended his day on the mound with seven scoreless innings.
Stanke then gave his team a commanding lead with a two-out, three-run blast to right field for his team-leading 13th home run of the season. The Gophers took a 5-0 lead into the eighth inning.
NU started to make things interesting in the top of the eighth. Gophers right-hander Josh Culliver entered the game for Maldonado. He faced four batters and left with the bases loaded and one out. Senior left-hander Tom Skoro entered the game and surrendered a pair of RBI singles before slamming the door to keep Minnesota up 5-2.
A six-run, seven-hit top of the ninth inning for Northwestern completely flipped the script and gave the visitors an 8-5 lead in the season finale.
Minnesota couldn't get anything going in the ninth and fell by the final score, 8-5.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will begin fall workouts in September in preparation for its 2023 season.
Players Mentioned
OF
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RHP
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INF
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C
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