University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
17-33, 0
Rutgers
32-20, 0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Novotny, Tucker (4-5)
L: Coppola, Christian (5-5)
S: Wietgrefe, Connor (5)
Batting:
2B: Pinkney, Hugh 1
RBI: Lasko, Ryan 1 ; Pinkney, Hugh 1 ; Cohen, Trevor 1
SF: Lasko, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sleight, Evan 1 ; Axelson, Andy 2
SB: Love, Cameron 1
Batting:
2B: Counsell, Brady 1
RBI: Neels, Weber 1 ; Counsell, Brady 1 ; Bork, Kyle 1 ; Hokenson, Kris 2
SH: Merila, Boston 1
SF: Hokenson, Kris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bateman, Brett 1 ; Merila, Boston 1 ; Counsell, Brady 2 ; Perry, Jake 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Gophers Grind Way to Game One Win Over Rutgers
5/18/2023 8:30:00 PM | Baseball
Tucker Novotny threw 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 5-3, in game one of the three-game series on Thursday night.
Sophomore southpaw Tucker Novotny (4-5) went 5.2 innings on the mound for the 'U', striking out four and giving up just one earned run. Fellow sophomore left-hander Connor Wietgrefe came in for Novotny in relief, going 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and one earned run, collecting his team-best fifth save.
The Gophers got multi-hit outings from Brett Bateman (3-for-3, BB), Brady Counsell (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Jake Perry (2-for-4). Four Gophers delivered RBI singles in the first inning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Minnesota scored four times in the bottom of the first, including three times with two outs. After Bateman and Boston Merila walked to start the game, Weber Neels delivered the first RBI single up the middle. Brady Counsell, Kyle Bork and Kris Hokenson all laced two-out run-scoring singles to put the home team up 4-0 after one.
Rutgers plated its first run in the top of the fifth off an RBI groundout. They scored again in the sixth off an RBI single with two down.
RU threatened again in the eighth. With a man on first and two outs, Hugh Pinckney doubled off the wall in left. Chris Brito attempted to score from first, but was thrown out at the plate on a relay throw home from Merila to Counsell, who nailed the runner trying to score.
A sacrifice fly from Hokenson (1-for-3, 2 RBI) plated the team's final run in the eighth, putting them up 5-2. Rutgers scored one in the ninth on a sacrifice fly to make the final 5-3. Connor Wietgrefe (5) forced a foul out to end the game with runners on first and second.
GAME NOTES
» The Gophers have now scored 12 runs in their two games this week in the first inning (14 runs total).
» Brett Bateman posted his 22nd multi-hit game this season and sixth three-hit outing.
» Kyle Bork reached base for the 11th straight game with an RBI single in the first.
» Tucker Novotny (5.2) went five-or-more innings for the 10th time in his 14 starts this season.
» Connor Wietgrefe went 3.1 innings out of the bullpen to pick up the save.
UP NEXT
The Gophers (17-33, 9-13 Big Ten) host Rutgers (32-20, 13-9 Big Ten) tomorrow at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. to close the regular season. B1G+ will stream.