University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
0-6
Saint Louis
2-3
Minnesota Strands 12 in Loss to Saint Louis
2/25/2023 1:28:00 PM | Baseball
Boston Merila led the offense with three hits
FORT MYERS, Fla. --The Minnesota Golden Gophers fell in game two Saturday, an 8-3 loss to the Saint Louis Billikens.
Sophomore Sam Malec (0-2) got the ball to start for Minnesota (0-6) and took the loss. Senior Ben Shepard was a bright spot for the Golden Gophers, coming out of the bullpen and throwing two shutout innings, allowing no hits, with one walk and one strikeout.
Merila's three-hit day led the Golden Gophers offensively. Junior Brett Bateman compiled a standout day at the dish as well, going 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and two RBI. Freshman Sam Hunt also contributed for Minnesota, hitting a solo home run, the first of his collegiate career.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 2-0, the Golden Gophers first put a run on the board in the second inning. Minnesota plated a run on a bases-loaded walk by Bateman.
The Golden Gophers deficit expanded to 3-1 before their offense got back on the scoreboard, cutting into that deficit in the fourth inning. Minnesota picked up a run on Hunt's one-out solo home run off of junior Caleb Thomson, which brought the score to 3-2 in favor of the Billikens.
Saint Louis expanded their lead to 8-2 before the Minnesota offense got back in action, reducing that lead to 8-3 in the eighth. The Golden Gophers notched a run on Bateman's two-out RBI double. The Golden Gophers were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.
GAME NOTES
» Merila led the Golden Gophers, compiling three base knocks in the ballgame.
» Minnesota left 12 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» The Golden Gophers out-hit the Billikens at a 12-10 clip.
» RHP Sam Malec went 4.2 innings with five hits, three earned runs and four strikeouts for Minnesota.
» Sophomore Brady Counsell stole a career-high three bases in Saturday's game.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 42 Saint Louis hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out seven.
» Bateman led the Golden Gophers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
» Saint Louis was led offensively by junior left fielder Tyler Fogarty, who went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI.
» Freshman Ben Cherico led the Billikens pitching staff, throwing 2.2 shutout innings.
UP NEXT
Minnesota (0-6) plays Saint Louis (2-3) at 1 p.m. ET/Noon CT at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: CHERICO, B. (1-0)
L: Malec, Sam (0-2)
Batting:
2B: FOGARTY, T. 1
3B: NEUWEG, A. 1
HR: FOGARTY, T. 1
RBI: FOGARTY, T. 2 ; SWANGER, C. 1 ; RICHTER, E. 3
SH: MOORE, H. 1
SF: RICHTER, E. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CLOHISY, P. 1 ; SITZMAN, E. 1 ; FOGARTY, T. 2 ; SWANGER, C. 2 ; PRESTON, K. 2
HBP: SITZMAN, E. 1 ; SWANGER, C. 1 ; PRESTON, K. 1
PO: SITZMAN, E. 1
Batting:
2B: Bateman, Brett 1 ; Neels, Weber 1
HR: Hunt, Sam 1
RBI: Bateman, Brett 2 ; Hunt, Sam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Merila, Boston 1 ; Hunt, Sam 1 ; Neels, Weber 1
SB: Counsell, Brady 3
HBP: Counsell, Brady 1 ; Merila, Boston 1
PO: Bateman, Brett 1 ; Perry, Jake 1
