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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Travel to San Francisco for Three Games with Dons
3/21/2024 2:30:00 PM | Baseball
Friday, Mar. 22
Minnesota at San Francisco
First Pitch: 4:00 p.m. CT/2:00 p.m. PT
Location: Benedetti Diamond, San Francisco, Calif.
Gophers Starter: LHP Tucker Novotny (0-2, 5.16 ERA, 22.2 IP, 23 K)
Dons Starter: RHP Adam Shew (1-1, 4.96 ERA, 16.1 IP, 13 K)
TV: ESPN+
Saturday, Mar. 23
Minnesota at San Francisco
First Pitch: 3:00 p.m. CT/1:00 p.m. PT
Location: Benedetti Diamond, San Francisco, Calif.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-1, 6.29 ERA, 24.1 IP, 32 K)
Dons Starter: LHP Lance Santerre (2-0, 3.10 ERA, 20.1, 19 K)
TV: ESPN+
Sunday, Mar. 24
Minnesota at San Francisco
First Pitch: 2:00 p.m. CT/12:00 p.m. PT
Location: Benedetti Diamond, San Francisco, Calif.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (1-1, 3.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 16 K)
Dons Starter: RHP Joe Soberon (2-2, 2.54 ERA, 28.1 IP, 25 K)
TV: ESPN+
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota baseball program (8-9) returns to the west coast this weekend to take on the University of San Francisco Dons (13-8) in a three game series.
First pitches are scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT on Friday, 3:00 p.m. CT on Saturday and 2:00 p.m. CT on Sunday. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live stats available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
-The Gophers traveled to Elon, N.C. to take on the Phoenix of Elon University in a three-game series.
-Tucker Novotny pitched 6.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing just four hits. The Phoenix tied the game in the top of the ninth inning and won 2-1 in ten innings.
-Game two featured a back-and-forth battle in which Brady Counsell and Jake Perry each hit home runs. The Phoenix edged the Gophers 6-5.
-The 'U' got out to an early lead for the third game in a row on Sunday, heading to the seventh inning up 3-1. Elon scored six in the bottom of the seventh to pull ahead but Minnesota answered with six runs of their own, capped by a two-run homer in the top of the 10th by Counsell to seal the win.
Scouting the Dons
-The Dons are led offensively by Kody Watanabe. He has started all 21 games for San Francisco and is slashing .361/.526/.583 with 20 RBIs and 17 runs.
-Junior T.J. Rogers has been productive offensively for the Dons, slashing .339/.441/.589 with 11 RBIs and 16 runs.
-The San Francisco pitching staff is led by Joe Soberon, who has made five starts with a 2.54 ERA. In 28.1 innings, he has struck out 25 batters and allowed just eight earned runs.
-Gabriel Barrett has been a presence out of the Dons' bullpen, making five appearances. In 21.1 innings, he has a 0.84 ERA wit 21 strikeouts and just one walk.
Opponent Series History
-This weekend's series will be the first meeting for the Gophers and the Dons.
Sophomore Sluggers
-Named 2025 MLB Top Prospects by D1 Baseball, Weber Neels and Kris Hokenson have picked up right where they left off as prominent freshmen.
-Neels has split time at catcher and first base and is leading the team with a .339 average and .452 on-base percentage.
-In three games at Elon, Neels slashed .600/.692/1.000 with a double, home run and two RBIs.
-Hokenson is slashing .288/.393/.577 for the year. He has 13 RBIs and has scored nine runs in 52 at bats this season.
Slinging Southpaws
-Minnesota's starting rotation is anchored by two junior southpaws, Connor Wietgrefe and Tucker Novotny.
-Against Elon, the duo combined for 12.2 innings, allowing only three earned runs with eight strikeouts while inducing 15 ground ball outs.
Gophers Produce Power
-The Gophers slugged seven home runs in their three-game series at Elon, including five in their 9-7 extra-inning win on Sunday.
-Ten different Gophers have now hit at least one home run this year, led by Ike Mezzenga (5) and Brady Counsell (5).
-Counsell has hit three home runs in the past two games, including a go-ahead two-run shot in the tenth inning last Sunday.
-Minnesota is second in the Big Ten in home runs per game (1.29) and tied for fourth overall in total home runs.
Productive Pitching
-The Gophers' pitching staff has put together impressive numbers among Big Ten ranks to begin the season. The Gophers have allowed both the fewest runs (87) and earned runs (73) in the Big Ten this season.
-As a team, the 'U' ranks third in the Big Ten in ERA (4.36) and in opponent hitting (.242). The team also ranks fourth in the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.06) and strikeouts per nine (9.6).
-Junior Connor Wietgrefe leads Minnesota starters with a 3.33 ERA, which ranks 9th among all Big Ten hurlers this season.
-Junior Will Semb ranks sixth in the Big Ten in strikeouts with 32. He also ranks 10th in the conference in opponent hitting, holding batters to a .227 average.
-The Minnesota bullpen has five pitchers with a minimum of four appearances that have a sub-three ERA.
-In 15.1 innings, senior transfer Justin Thorsteinson has struck out 18 batters and has a 2.35 ERA. He has allowed just eight hits and four runs in six appearances.
Breakout Freshman
-Kyle Remington was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Mar. 11. Since Mar. 4, Remington has worked six innings, striking out nine without allowing a run.
-Tyler Hemmesch has pitched 11.1 innings in five appearances for the Gophers in his rookie season. He's tallied 11 strikeouts with a 2.38 ERA.
-Charlie Sutherland has appeared in 10 games this season with two starts. In 18 at bats, he is slashing .278/.409/.500 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and four runs scored.
We Like Ike
-Redshirt junior Ike Mezzenga has produced power numbers for Minnesota over his last nine games. In that span, he is slashing .361/.390/.806 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and nine runs scored.
-On Mar. 17, Mezzenga hit a game-tying two run home run, marking the second time this season he has slugged a long ball to tie the game or give Minnesota the lead.
-Ike currently ranks tied for third in the Big Ten in home runs (5) and seventh in slugging (.630).
What's on Deck
The Gophers will begin Big Ten play on the road next weekend against Iowa.
Minnesota at San Francisco
First Pitch: 4:00 p.m. CT/2:00 p.m. PT
Location: Benedetti Diamond, San Francisco, Calif.
Gophers Starter: LHP Tucker Novotny (0-2, 5.16 ERA, 22.2 IP, 23 K)
Dons Starter: RHP Adam Shew (1-1, 4.96 ERA, 16.1 IP, 13 K)
TV: ESPN+
Saturday, Mar. 23
Minnesota at San Francisco
First Pitch: 3:00 p.m. CT/1:00 p.m. PT
Location: Benedetti Diamond, San Francisco, Calif.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-1, 6.29 ERA, 24.1 IP, 32 K)
Dons Starter: LHP Lance Santerre (2-0, 3.10 ERA, 20.1, 19 K)
TV: ESPN+
Sunday, Mar. 24
Minnesota at San Francisco
First Pitch: 2:00 p.m. CT/12:00 p.m. PT
Location: Benedetti Diamond, San Francisco, Calif.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (1-1, 3.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 16 K)
Dons Starter: RHP Joe Soberon (2-2, 2.54 ERA, 28.1 IP, 25 K)
TV: ESPN+
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota baseball program (8-9) returns to the west coast this weekend to take on the University of San Francisco Dons (13-8) in a three game series.
First pitches are scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT on Friday, 3:00 p.m. CT on Saturday and 2:00 p.m. CT on Sunday. All games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live stats available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
-The Gophers traveled to Elon, N.C. to take on the Phoenix of Elon University in a three-game series.
-Tucker Novotny pitched 6.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing just four hits. The Phoenix tied the game in the top of the ninth inning and won 2-1 in ten innings.
-Game two featured a back-and-forth battle in which Brady Counsell and Jake Perry each hit home runs. The Phoenix edged the Gophers 6-5.
-The 'U' got out to an early lead for the third game in a row on Sunday, heading to the seventh inning up 3-1. Elon scored six in the bottom of the seventh to pull ahead but Minnesota answered with six runs of their own, capped by a two-run homer in the top of the 10th by Counsell to seal the win.
Scouting the Dons
-The Dons are led offensively by Kody Watanabe. He has started all 21 games for San Francisco and is slashing .361/.526/.583 with 20 RBIs and 17 runs.
-Junior T.J. Rogers has been productive offensively for the Dons, slashing .339/.441/.589 with 11 RBIs and 16 runs.
-The San Francisco pitching staff is led by Joe Soberon, who has made five starts with a 2.54 ERA. In 28.1 innings, he has struck out 25 batters and allowed just eight earned runs.
-Gabriel Barrett has been a presence out of the Dons' bullpen, making five appearances. In 21.1 innings, he has a 0.84 ERA wit 21 strikeouts and just one walk.
Opponent Series History
-This weekend's series will be the first meeting for the Gophers and the Dons.
Sophomore Sluggers
-Named 2025 MLB Top Prospects by D1 Baseball, Weber Neels and Kris Hokenson have picked up right where they left off as prominent freshmen.
-Neels has split time at catcher and first base and is leading the team with a .339 average and .452 on-base percentage.
-In three games at Elon, Neels slashed .600/.692/1.000 with a double, home run and two RBIs.
-Hokenson is slashing .288/.393/.577 for the year. He has 13 RBIs and has scored nine runs in 52 at bats this season.
Slinging Southpaws
-Minnesota's starting rotation is anchored by two junior southpaws, Connor Wietgrefe and Tucker Novotny.
-Against Elon, the duo combined for 12.2 innings, allowing only three earned runs with eight strikeouts while inducing 15 ground ball outs.
Gophers Produce Power
-The Gophers slugged seven home runs in their three-game series at Elon, including five in their 9-7 extra-inning win on Sunday.
-Ten different Gophers have now hit at least one home run this year, led by Ike Mezzenga (5) and Brady Counsell (5).
-Counsell has hit three home runs in the past two games, including a go-ahead two-run shot in the tenth inning last Sunday.
-Minnesota is second in the Big Ten in home runs per game (1.29) and tied for fourth overall in total home runs.
Productive Pitching
-The Gophers' pitching staff has put together impressive numbers among Big Ten ranks to begin the season. The Gophers have allowed both the fewest runs (87) and earned runs (73) in the Big Ten this season.
-As a team, the 'U' ranks third in the Big Ten in ERA (4.36) and in opponent hitting (.242). The team also ranks fourth in the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.06) and strikeouts per nine (9.6).
-Junior Connor Wietgrefe leads Minnesota starters with a 3.33 ERA, which ranks 9th among all Big Ten hurlers this season.
-Junior Will Semb ranks sixth in the Big Ten in strikeouts with 32. He also ranks 10th in the conference in opponent hitting, holding batters to a .227 average.
-The Minnesota bullpen has five pitchers with a minimum of four appearances that have a sub-three ERA.
-In 15.1 innings, senior transfer Justin Thorsteinson has struck out 18 batters and has a 2.35 ERA. He has allowed just eight hits and four runs in six appearances.
Breakout Freshman
-Kyle Remington was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Mar. 11. Since Mar. 4, Remington has worked six innings, striking out nine without allowing a run.
-Tyler Hemmesch has pitched 11.1 innings in five appearances for the Gophers in his rookie season. He's tallied 11 strikeouts with a 2.38 ERA.
-Charlie Sutherland has appeared in 10 games this season with two starts. In 18 at bats, he is slashing .278/.409/.500 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and four runs scored.
We Like Ike
-Redshirt junior Ike Mezzenga has produced power numbers for Minnesota over his last nine games. In that span, he is slashing .361/.390/.806 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and nine runs scored.
-On Mar. 17, Mezzenga hit a game-tying two run home run, marking the second time this season he has slugged a long ball to tie the game or give Minnesota the lead.
-Ike currently ranks tied for third in the Big Ten in home runs (5) and seventh in slugging (.630).
What's on Deck
The Gophers will begin Big Ten play on the road next weekend against Iowa.
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