University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, May 18
Minneapolis, MN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Rutgers
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
Photo by: Bjorn Franke
'U' Hosts Rutgers For Final Regular Season Series
5/17/2023 11:25:00 AM | Baseball
Game one is Thursday at 6 p.m.
Thursday, May 18
Minnesota vs. Rutgers
First Pitch: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Minnesota Starter: LHP Tucker Novotny (3-5, 5.32 ERA, 67.2 IP, 76K)
Rutgers Starter: RHP Christian Coppola (5-4, 3.10 ERA, 58.0 IP, 67K)
TV: B1G+
Talent: Dom Dandrea (Play-By-Play), Rob Fornasiere (Analyst), Hunter Bertram (Sideline)
Friday, May 19
Minnesota vs. Rutgers
First Pitch: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Minnesota Starter: RHP George Klassen (1-7, 5.60 ERA, 53.0 IP, 46K)
Rutgers Starter: RHP Drew Conover (5-4, 4.78 ERA, 58.1 IP, 71K)
TV: B1G+
Talent: Dom Dandrea (Play-By-Play), Rob Fornasiere (Analyst), Sam Konstan (Sideline)
Sunday, May 20
Minnesota vs. Rutgers
First Pitch: 2 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Minnesota Starter: RHP Richie Holetz (2-5, 5.12 ERA, 65.0 IP, 53K)
Rutgers Starter: TBA
TV: B1G+
Talent: Dom Dandrea (Play-By-Play), Rob Fornasiere (Analyst), Matt Whitlock (Sideline)
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-33, 8-13 Big Ten) host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (32-19, 13-8 Big Ten) in the final Big Ten series of the regular season. Games one and two are set for 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday while game two takes place Saturday at 2 p.m. Live stats will be available at GopherSports.com while B1G+ is set to provide streaming.
MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS
-Thursday is Miltary Appreciation Night at the ballpark. Gopher baseball will be honoring the men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation! Military Service Members and Veterans receive discounted admission Thursday vs. Rutgers.
-Friday is Fan Appreciation Night, fans can receive discounted tickets and concessions for the game.
-Saturday is Senior Day at the ballpark. There will be a postgame ceremony to honor the team's 10 seniors.
BIG TEN STANDINGS UPDATE
-The 'U' sits at 8-13 in the Big Ten, 2.0 games back of eighth place in the league. Minnesota will look to gain ground this week to try and clinch their first Big Ten Tournament bid since 2019.
-The Gophers need to sweep Rutgers, Nebraska needs to sweep Purdue and Indiana needs to win two of three over Michigan State for the 'U' to get in.
'U' SET TO HONOR 10 SENIORS ON SATURDAY
-Minnesota will hold its Senior Day following Saturday's game vs. RU, honoring 10 seniors.
-Cam Blazek, RHP., Fargo, N.D., Graduate Certificate in Election Administration
-Kyle Bork, INF., Alpharetta, Ga. (Back Next Year)
-Randon Dauman, RHP, Columbus, Wis., Master's Degree in Finance
-Michael Gurka, RHP, Clarendon Hills, Ill., Business and Marketing Education.
-Richie Holetz, RHP, Edina, Minn., Agriculture and Food Business, Financial Analysis and Business Management Emphasis.
-Ben Shepard, RHP, Eden Prairie, Minn., Robotics
-Trent Schoeberl, RHP, White Bear Lake, Minn,, Business and Marketing Education
-Riley Swenson, C, Chaska, Minn., Business and Marketing Education
-Nolan Summerfield, Manager, Centennial, Minn., Communications
-Bennett Theisen, Student Assistant Coach, St. Paul, Minn., Marketing
HISTORICAL NOTES
-The 'U' is in its 135th year in program history.
-John Anderson is in his 42nd year at the helm of Gopher Baseball, holding a 1,363-997-3 (.578) record. This includes a 612-413 (.597) B1G mark. Under his watch, the Gophers have won 11 B1G titles and hold 19 NCAA Tournament appearances.
-The winningest coach in Big Ten history, Anderson won his 600th conference game last April vs. Penn State. He's the only B1G coach to reach that mark.
LAST TIME OUT
-Minnesota won 9-6 on Tuesday vs. SDSU. The Gophers plated eight of their runs in the first inning and never trailed again. Ike Mezzenga and Brett Bateman paced the offense with three hits and two RBI each while Caden Capomaccio (1-3) picked up his first collegiate win. He went 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
-Rutgers is 32-19 (13-8 Big Ten) so far in 2023. -The Scarlet Knights are coming off two wins in three games over Illinois. They swept Penn St. the weekend before. RU swept Northwestern and took two of three from Michigan in their other series wins.
-Led by fourth-year head coach Steve Owens, RU set a school record with 44 wins last year and finished as the Big Ten runner-up. They were one of the last team's left out of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
-In 2023, they're led by All-American Ryan Lasko, who ranks first on the team in average (.350) and RBI (50). 2022 All-Big Ten selection Chris Brito leads the team in home runs (13) and is tied for first in RBI (50).
SERIES HISTORY
-Minnesota is 9-9 all-time vs. Rutgers. The two teams played last year in Piscataway, with the Scarlet Knights coming away with a sweep.
-The last time the two teams played at Siebert Field was in 2017, with the Gophers winning both games.
-They played twice in 2021 at U.S. Bank Stadium, splitting both games.
NOVOTNY PICKED UP THIRD WIN OF 2023
-Tucker picked up his first win on Apr. 14 vs. Iowa, when he struck out eight in 6.0 innings, giving up three earned runs.
-Win No. 2 came last Friday vs. Michigan, when he went 6.0 shutout innings with seven strikeouts. He grabbed his third May 12 at No. 19 Maryland, striking out seven in 5.0 innings in a 9-7 win.
The Gophers have won four of the last five Friday's.
BIG TEN CATEGORY LEADERS
-LHP Tucker Novotny has struck out 76 batters (fourth in the Big Ten), including 24 batters looking (fourth. His 67.2 innings rank ninth.
-Brady Counsell ranks fourth in assists (135).
-Brett Bateman ranks fifth in stolen bases (17).
-Richie Holetz ranks sixth in innings pitched (71.0).
GOPHERS AT SIEBERT FIELD
-Minnesota is 66-49 when playing at Siebert Field in the last seven seasons.
-The 'U' went 2-8 in 2021, 13-7 in 2019, 12-2 in 2018, 10-9 2017, 16-7 in 2016 at Siebert Field.
-Minnesota went 7-11 at Siebert Field last season and is 7-6 at its home confines in 2023.
BATEMAN PACING GOPHERS ONCE AGAIN
-Junior center fielder Brett Bateman had a team-best 22 multi-hit games as a sophomore in 2022, including 17 two-hit and five three-hit games.
-In 2023, he ranks first on the team with 61 hits and a .345 average with 21 multi-hit games.
INJURIES NAGGING GOPHERS IN 2023
-The Gophers have been snake-bitten by injuries in 2023, losing several key contributors to injuries.
-Catcher Sam Hunt is out with a finger fracture he suffered early in the year that hasn't healed.
-LHP Noah Rooney, the team's top bullpen pitcher, got hurt Friday vs. Michigan and is out for the year.
-RHP Caden Capomaccio was out for 45 days before coming back recently.
-RHP Joe Hauser is out for the year (bone bruise).
-Closer Will Semb hasn't played this year due to an upper body injury and is taking a medical redshirt.
-LHP TJ Egan is out for the year with an arm injury.
-Minnesota 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year and RHP Sam Kennedy is out for the year (arm injury).
-OF Josh Fitzgerald out with an ACL tear, the DBU transfer was expected to start in the outfield.
YOUTH MOVEMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS
-With an average age of just 19.9 years old, the Golden Gophers have the youngest roster in the Big Ten conference. Of the everyday starters at the 'U', two are freshmen, three are sophomores, three are juniors and there's just one senior.
UP NEXT
Minnesota hopes to be playing in the Big Ten Tournament on May 23-28 in Omaha, Neb.
Minnesota vs. Rutgers
First Pitch: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Minnesota Starter: LHP Tucker Novotny (3-5, 5.32 ERA, 67.2 IP, 76K)
Rutgers Starter: RHP Christian Coppola (5-4, 3.10 ERA, 58.0 IP, 67K)
TV: B1G+
Talent: Dom Dandrea (Play-By-Play), Rob Fornasiere (Analyst), Hunter Bertram (Sideline)
Friday, May 19
Minnesota vs. Rutgers
First Pitch: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Minnesota Starter: RHP George Klassen (1-7, 5.60 ERA, 53.0 IP, 46K)
Rutgers Starter: RHP Drew Conover (5-4, 4.78 ERA, 58.1 IP, 71K)
TV: B1G+
Talent: Dom Dandrea (Play-By-Play), Rob Fornasiere (Analyst), Sam Konstan (Sideline)
Sunday, May 20
Minnesota vs. Rutgers
First Pitch: 2 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (Siebert Field)
Minnesota Starter: RHP Richie Holetz (2-5, 5.12 ERA, 65.0 IP, 53K)
Rutgers Starter: TBA
TV: B1G+
Talent: Dom Dandrea (Play-By-Play), Rob Fornasiere (Analyst), Matt Whitlock (Sideline)
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers (16-33, 8-13 Big Ten) host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (32-19, 13-8 Big Ten) in the final Big Ten series of the regular season. Games one and two are set for 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday while game two takes place Saturday at 2 p.m. Live stats will be available at GopherSports.com while B1G+ is set to provide streaming.
MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS
-Thursday is Miltary Appreciation Night at the ballpark. Gopher baseball will be honoring the men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation! Military Service Members and Veterans receive discounted admission Thursday vs. Rutgers.
-Friday is Fan Appreciation Night, fans can receive discounted tickets and concessions for the game.
-Saturday is Senior Day at the ballpark. There will be a postgame ceremony to honor the team's 10 seniors.
BIG TEN STANDINGS UPDATE
-The 'U' sits at 8-13 in the Big Ten, 2.0 games back of eighth place in the league. Minnesota will look to gain ground this week to try and clinch their first Big Ten Tournament bid since 2019.
-The Gophers need to sweep Rutgers, Nebraska needs to sweep Purdue and Indiana needs to win two of three over Michigan State for the 'U' to get in.
'U' SET TO HONOR 10 SENIORS ON SATURDAY
-Minnesota will hold its Senior Day following Saturday's game vs. RU, honoring 10 seniors.
-Cam Blazek, RHP., Fargo, N.D., Graduate Certificate in Election Administration
-Kyle Bork, INF., Alpharetta, Ga. (Back Next Year)
-Randon Dauman, RHP, Columbus, Wis., Master's Degree in Finance
-Michael Gurka, RHP, Clarendon Hills, Ill., Business and Marketing Education.
-Richie Holetz, RHP, Edina, Minn., Agriculture and Food Business, Financial Analysis and Business Management Emphasis.
-Ben Shepard, RHP, Eden Prairie, Minn., Robotics
-Trent Schoeberl, RHP, White Bear Lake, Minn,, Business and Marketing Education
-Riley Swenson, C, Chaska, Minn., Business and Marketing Education
-Nolan Summerfield, Manager, Centennial, Minn., Communications
-Bennett Theisen, Student Assistant Coach, St. Paul, Minn., Marketing
HISTORICAL NOTES
-The 'U' is in its 135th year in program history.
-John Anderson is in his 42nd year at the helm of Gopher Baseball, holding a 1,363-997-3 (.578) record. This includes a 612-413 (.597) B1G mark. Under his watch, the Gophers have won 11 B1G titles and hold 19 NCAA Tournament appearances.
-The winningest coach in Big Ten history, Anderson won his 600th conference game last April vs. Penn State. He's the only B1G coach to reach that mark.
LAST TIME OUT
-Minnesota won 9-6 on Tuesday vs. SDSU. The Gophers plated eight of their runs in the first inning and never trailed again. Ike Mezzenga and Brett Bateman paced the offense with three hits and two RBI each while Caden Capomaccio (1-3) picked up his first collegiate win. He went 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
-Rutgers is 32-19 (13-8 Big Ten) so far in 2023. -The Scarlet Knights are coming off two wins in three games over Illinois. They swept Penn St. the weekend before. RU swept Northwestern and took two of three from Michigan in their other series wins.
-Led by fourth-year head coach Steve Owens, RU set a school record with 44 wins last year and finished as the Big Ten runner-up. They were one of the last team's left out of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
-In 2023, they're led by All-American Ryan Lasko, who ranks first on the team in average (.350) and RBI (50). 2022 All-Big Ten selection Chris Brito leads the team in home runs (13) and is tied for first in RBI (50).
SERIES HISTORY
-Minnesota is 9-9 all-time vs. Rutgers. The two teams played last year in Piscataway, with the Scarlet Knights coming away with a sweep.
-The last time the two teams played at Siebert Field was in 2017, with the Gophers winning both games.
-They played twice in 2021 at U.S. Bank Stadium, splitting both games.
NOVOTNY PICKED UP THIRD WIN OF 2023
-Tucker picked up his first win on Apr. 14 vs. Iowa, when he struck out eight in 6.0 innings, giving up three earned runs.
-Win No. 2 came last Friday vs. Michigan, when he went 6.0 shutout innings with seven strikeouts. He grabbed his third May 12 at No. 19 Maryland, striking out seven in 5.0 innings in a 9-7 win.
The Gophers have won four of the last five Friday's.
BIG TEN CATEGORY LEADERS
-LHP Tucker Novotny has struck out 76 batters (fourth in the Big Ten), including 24 batters looking (fourth. His 67.2 innings rank ninth.
-Brady Counsell ranks fourth in assists (135).
-Brett Bateman ranks fifth in stolen bases (17).
-Richie Holetz ranks sixth in innings pitched (71.0).
GOPHERS AT SIEBERT FIELD
-Minnesota is 66-49 when playing at Siebert Field in the last seven seasons.
-The 'U' went 2-8 in 2021, 13-7 in 2019, 12-2 in 2018, 10-9 2017, 16-7 in 2016 at Siebert Field.
-Minnesota went 7-11 at Siebert Field last season and is 7-6 at its home confines in 2023.
BATEMAN PACING GOPHERS ONCE AGAIN
-Junior center fielder Brett Bateman had a team-best 22 multi-hit games as a sophomore in 2022, including 17 two-hit and five three-hit games.
-In 2023, he ranks first on the team with 61 hits and a .345 average with 21 multi-hit games.
INJURIES NAGGING GOPHERS IN 2023
-The Gophers have been snake-bitten by injuries in 2023, losing several key contributors to injuries.
-Catcher Sam Hunt is out with a finger fracture he suffered early in the year that hasn't healed.
-LHP Noah Rooney, the team's top bullpen pitcher, got hurt Friday vs. Michigan and is out for the year.
-RHP Caden Capomaccio was out for 45 days before coming back recently.
-RHP Joe Hauser is out for the year (bone bruise).
-Closer Will Semb hasn't played this year due to an upper body injury and is taking a medical redshirt.
-LHP TJ Egan is out for the year with an arm injury.
-Minnesota 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year and RHP Sam Kennedy is out for the year (arm injury).
-OF Josh Fitzgerald out with an ACL tear, the DBU transfer was expected to start in the outfield.
YOUTH MOVEMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS
-With an average age of just 19.9 years old, the Golden Gophers have the youngest roster in the Big Ten conference. Of the everyday starters at the 'U', two are freshmen, three are sophomores, three are juniors and there's just one senior.
UP NEXT
Minnesota hopes to be playing in the Big Ten Tournament on May 23-28 in Omaha, Neb.
First Practice of Fall
Thursday, September 18
Weber Neels Highlights
Wednesday, May 28
Gophers (11) - Michigan State (5) Highlights
Friday, May 16
Gophers (4) - Michigan State (3) Highlights
Thursday, May 15