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Gophers Head to Spokane for Three-Game Series with Gonzaga
3/6/2024 11:26:00 AM | Baseball
Thursday, Mar. 7
Minnesota at Gonzaga
First Pitch: 3:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. CT (UPDATED)
Location: Coach Steve Hertz Field, Spokane, Wash.
Gophers Starter: LHP Tucker Novotny (0-1, 4.91 ERA, 11.0 IP, 16 K)
Bulldogs Starter: RHP Michael Cunneely (0-1, 4.50 ERA, 8.0 IP, 7 K)
TV: ESPN+
Friday, Mar. 8
Minnesota at Gonzaga
First Pitch: 3:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. CT (UPDATED)
Location: Coach Steve Hertz Field, Spokane, Wash.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-1, 4.30 ERA, 14.2 IP, 19 K)
Bulldogs Starter: LHP Daniel Sotelo (0-1, 7.20 ERA, 5.0 IP, 6 K)
TV: ESPN+
Saturday, Mar. 9
Minnesota at Gonzaga
First Pitch: 1:00 p.m. PT/3:00 p.m. CT
Location: Coach Steve Hertz Field, Spokane, Wash.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (1-0, 3.52 ERA, 15.1 IP, 9 K)
Bulldogs Starter: TBD
TV: ESPN+
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Gophers baseball program (5-5) continues their 10-day road trip this weekend as they head to Spokane, Wash. to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs (1-9).
Game times have been adjusted from their original scheduled time and will now be at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday and Friday, and 3 p.m. CT on Saturday. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required) with live stats available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
The Gophers traveled to California to play two games against Sacramento State and two against Pacific. After falling 7-5 in the first of four games, the 'U' bounced back to win the next three. The Gophers have put up 34 runs in the past three games, outscoring their opponents 34-12.
Minnesota won 15-3 on Mar. 3, marking the first time the Gophers have scored 15 or more runs since Mar. 9, 2019. The 'U' tallied 18 hits in that game, the first time collecting 15 or more hits since Apr. 4, 2021.
On Mar. 4, the Maroon and Gold came back from a 5-0 deficit in the first inning to win 12-5. The Gophers scored nine runs in the sixth inning, thanks to three home runs.
Scouting the Bulldogs
-The Bulldogs have a 1-9 record to begin their season after scheduling tough competition. Gonzaga's first six games were against top-25 opponents. The Zags were swept by No. 22 UCLA, but took one game off of No. 6 Vanderbilt in the first two weekends.
-Gonzaga is led offensively by junior Max Coupe, who is slashing .304/.448/.435 with a home run and three RBIs.
-Junior Liam Paddack has made three starts this year for the Zags and is 0-1 with a 9.53 ERA in 11.1 innings. He has allowed 12 earned runs on 10 hits while striking out 13.
Opponent Series History
-Minnesota and Gonzaga have faced each other eight times in their history, with each team winning four games.
-The two teams last squared off in a two-game series at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2023. Gonzaga won the first game 6-4 in a 15-inning thriller. The Gophers took game two, 10-8, after scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead and seal the deal.
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.
-Hokenson leads the team with 12 RBIs in the first 10 games while slashing .375/.487/.719 in 32 at-bats.
-The St. Louis Park, Minn. native currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten in OPS at 1.206 after slugging two home runs over the weekend.
-Neels has split time at catcher and first base and is slashing .303/.465/.333.
Gophers Produce Power
-The Gophers slugged nine home runs over four games in California against Sacramento State and Pacific.
-Eight different Gophers now have hit at least one home run this year, led by Mezzenga (3) and Hokenson (2).
-The Gophers hit back-to-back home runs in back-to-back games against Pacific on Mar. 3 and 4. The last time the Gophers hit back-to-back homers was Feb. 19, 2022.
Patience at the Plate
-The Gophers have drawn 64 walks in their first 10 games, which ranks second in the Big Ten.
-For the season, the 'U' is reaching base at a .388 clip, sixth in the Big Ten, totaling 94 hits, 64 walks and 12 HBP.
We Like Ike
-Redshirt junior Ike Mezzenga has put up superb numbers in the past two games.
-On Sunday, Mezzenga went 2-3 with a walk, double and a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. His home run was the later half of back-to-back homers against Pacific.
-On Monday, Mezzenga topped the performance by going 2-4 with two home runs, including a grand slam, two runs scored and six RBIs.
-Mezzenga's two homeruns on Monday evening both came in the sixth inning, with the first being the latter of a back-to-back and the second being the grand slam.
-Ike currently ranks 12th in the Big Ten in OPS at 1.100.
Wietgrefe Goes Seven Strong
-After allowing two runs in 2.1 innings on Feb. 24 versus Northeastern, junior Connor Wietgrefe bounced back on the mound in a big way.
-The Prior Lake, Minn. native pitched seven innings of one-run ball on Mar. 2 versus Sacramento State.
-Wietgrefe struck out four batters and allowed just five hits and one walk en route to his first win of the year.
On the Road
-Without the availability of U.S. Bank Stadium due to turf replacement, the Gophers will play their first 22 games of the year on the road.
-Minnesota's first home game is currently scheduled for April 2 against South Dakota State.
What's on Deck
The Gophers head back east next weekend to North Carolina. The team will play a three-game series at Elon.
Minnesota at Gonzaga
First Pitch: 3:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. CT (UPDATED)
Location: Coach Steve Hertz Field, Spokane, Wash.
Gophers Starter: LHP Tucker Novotny (0-1, 4.91 ERA, 11.0 IP, 16 K)
Bulldogs Starter: RHP Michael Cunneely (0-1, 4.50 ERA, 8.0 IP, 7 K)
TV: ESPN+
Friday, Mar. 8
Minnesota at Gonzaga
First Pitch: 3:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. CT (UPDATED)
Location: Coach Steve Hertz Field, Spokane, Wash.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-1, 4.30 ERA, 14.2 IP, 19 K)
Bulldogs Starter: LHP Daniel Sotelo (0-1, 7.20 ERA, 5.0 IP, 6 K)
TV: ESPN+
Saturday, Mar. 9
Minnesota at Gonzaga
First Pitch: 1:00 p.m. PT/3:00 p.m. CT
Location: Coach Steve Hertz Field, Spokane, Wash.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (1-0, 3.52 ERA, 15.1 IP, 9 K)
Bulldogs Starter: TBD
TV: ESPN+
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Gophers baseball program (5-5) continues their 10-day road trip this weekend as they head to Spokane, Wash. to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs (1-9).
Game times have been adjusted from their original scheduled time and will now be at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday and Friday, and 3 p.m. CT on Saturday. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required) with live stats available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
The Gophers traveled to California to play two games against Sacramento State and two against Pacific. After falling 7-5 in the first of four games, the 'U' bounced back to win the next three. The Gophers have put up 34 runs in the past three games, outscoring their opponents 34-12.
Minnesota won 15-3 on Mar. 3, marking the first time the Gophers have scored 15 or more runs since Mar. 9, 2019. The 'U' tallied 18 hits in that game, the first time collecting 15 or more hits since Apr. 4, 2021.
On Mar. 4, the Maroon and Gold came back from a 5-0 deficit in the first inning to win 12-5. The Gophers scored nine runs in the sixth inning, thanks to three home runs.
Scouting the Bulldogs
-The Bulldogs have a 1-9 record to begin their season after scheduling tough competition. Gonzaga's first six games were against top-25 opponents. The Zags were swept by No. 22 UCLA, but took one game off of No. 6 Vanderbilt in the first two weekends.
-Gonzaga is led offensively by junior Max Coupe, who is slashing .304/.448/.435 with a home run and three RBIs.
-Junior Liam Paddack has made three starts this year for the Zags and is 0-1 with a 9.53 ERA in 11.1 innings. He has allowed 12 earned runs on 10 hits while striking out 13.
Opponent Series History
-Minnesota and Gonzaga have faced each other eight times in their history, with each team winning four games.
-The two teams last squared off in a two-game series at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2023. Gonzaga won the first game 6-4 in a 15-inning thriller. The Gophers took game two, 10-8, after scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead and seal the deal.
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.
-Hokenson leads the team with 12 RBIs in the first 10 games while slashing .375/.487/.719 in 32 at-bats.
-The St. Louis Park, Minn. native currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten in OPS at 1.206 after slugging two home runs over the weekend.
-Neels has split time at catcher and first base and is slashing .303/.465/.333.
Gophers Produce Power
-The Gophers slugged nine home runs over four games in California against Sacramento State and Pacific.
-Eight different Gophers now have hit at least one home run this year, led by Mezzenga (3) and Hokenson (2).
-The Gophers hit back-to-back home runs in back-to-back games against Pacific on Mar. 3 and 4. The last time the Gophers hit back-to-back homers was Feb. 19, 2022.
Patience at the Plate
-The Gophers have drawn 64 walks in their first 10 games, which ranks second in the Big Ten.
-For the season, the 'U' is reaching base at a .388 clip, sixth in the Big Ten, totaling 94 hits, 64 walks and 12 HBP.
We Like Ike
-Redshirt junior Ike Mezzenga has put up superb numbers in the past two games.
-On Sunday, Mezzenga went 2-3 with a walk, double and a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. His home run was the later half of back-to-back homers against Pacific.
-On Monday, Mezzenga topped the performance by going 2-4 with two home runs, including a grand slam, two runs scored and six RBIs.
-Mezzenga's two homeruns on Monday evening both came in the sixth inning, with the first being the latter of a back-to-back and the second being the grand slam.
-Ike currently ranks 12th in the Big Ten in OPS at 1.100.
Wietgrefe Goes Seven Strong
-After allowing two runs in 2.1 innings on Feb. 24 versus Northeastern, junior Connor Wietgrefe bounced back on the mound in a big way.
-The Prior Lake, Minn. native pitched seven innings of one-run ball on Mar. 2 versus Sacramento State.
-Wietgrefe struck out four batters and allowed just five hits and one walk en route to his first win of the year.
On the Road
-Without the availability of U.S. Bank Stadium due to turf replacement, the Gophers will play their first 22 games of the year on the road.
-Minnesota's first home game is currently scheduled for April 2 against South Dakota State.
What's on Deck
The Gophers head back east next weekend to North Carolina. The team will play a three-game series at Elon.
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