University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
6-6
Gonzaga
2-10
Mezzenga's Fourth Home Run in Four Games Propels Gophers to 8-5 Victory
3/8/2024 8:52:00 PM | Baseball
SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the first inning to win in thrilling fashion, securing an 8-5 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs Friday.
Junior Seth Clausen (1-0) got the win out of the bullpen for Minnesota (6-6). The right-hander went 1.1 shutout innings without giving up a hit, no walks and striking out four. Junior Will Semb started the ballgame and went five innings, surrendering four runs, three earned, on two hits, walking four and striking out seven.
Junior Ike Mezzenga came up in the clutch again for the Gophers, hitting another home run and tallying three RBI. Sophomore Weber Neels put together a standout performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Freshman Charlie Sutherland entered the game in the sixth inning and contributed by going 1-for-2 for Minnesota with a walk and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gophers were trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning when they first put runs on the board. Junior Brady Counsell came across to score the lone run of the inning after a pair of hits and a Bulldog error.
The Bulldogs answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth before the 'U' tacked on a couple of more runs in the sixth. Back-to-back walks and a bunt single loaded the bases for the Gophers in the top of the sixth with no outs. Neels drove a ball deep deep to center for an RBI sacrifice fly. Kris Hokenson then hit a pinch hit single to reload the bases for Sutherland, who walked in his first RBI of the game to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Gonzaga built their lead to 5-3 before the Minnesota offense got back in action, tying the ballgame at five in the seventh with a two-RBI double by Neels that scored junior Jake Larson and senior Boston Merila.
The game remained tied until the ninth inning, when Minnesota got going again on offense. Merila reached base on an error before Hokenson was intentionally walked to bring up Mezzenga, one of the Gophers' hottest hitters. Mezzenga delivered his fourth home run in as many days on the first pitch of the at bat, giving the 'U' an 8-5 lead in the ninth.
Clausen then struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to secure the win for Minnesota.
GAME NOTES
» Semb struck out seven hitters for the third time this season.
» Neels and Mezzenga drove in three runs each for the Golden Gophers.
» The Minnesota pitching staff combined to strike out 13 Gonzaga hitters.
» Mezzenga's home run was his fourth in four games, already matching his career best with the Gophers.
» Clausen struck out all four batters he faced in the eighth and ninth innings.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Clausen, Seth (1-0)
L: Payton Graham (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Neels, Weber 1
HR: Mezzenga, Ike 1
RBI: Neels, Weber 3 ; Mezzenga, Ike 3 ; Sutherland, Charlie 1
SF: Neels, Weber 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Counsell, Brady 2 ; Merila, Boston 2 ; Jurgella, Brady 1 ; Hokenson, Kris 1 ; Mezzenga, Ike 1 ; Larson, Jake 1
SB: Counsell, Brady 1
HBP: Larson, Jake 1
Batting:
HR: Jace Phelan 1 ; Vincent Temesvary 1
RBI: Jace Phelan 4 ; Vincent Temesvary 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Peyton Miller 2 ; Tommy Eisenstat 1 ; Jace Phelan 1 ; Vincent Temesvary 1
HBP: Peyton Miller 1
