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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Minnesota Heads Back on the Road for Big Ten Play at Michigan
4/11/2024 12:05:00 PM | Baseball
Friday, April 12
Minnesota at Michigan
First Pitch: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Ray Fischer Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-2, 7.93 ERA, 36.1 IP, 44 K)
Wolverines Starter: TBD
TV: BTN
Saturday, April 13
Minnesota at Michigan
First Pitch: 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Ray Fischer Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (3-2, 3.45 ERA, 44.1 IP, 38 K)
Wolverines Starter: TBD
TV: Big Ten+
Sunday, April 14
Minnesota at Michigan
First Pitch: 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Ray Fischer Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gophers Starter: TBD
Wolverines Starter: TBD
TV: Big Ten+
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball team (13-14, 2-4 B1G) heads back on the road this weekend to face the Michigan Wolverines (15-19, 6-3 B1G) in a three-game series in Ann Arbor.
Game one is set to be aired on the Big Ten Network with first pitch at 7:00 p.m. CT. Games two and three will be streamed on Big Ten+ and live stats for all games will be available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
-The Gophers picked up an 11-3 victory over NDSU on Tuesday night, getting RBIs from six different players. Weber Neels went 3-3 in the game with an RBI and a run scored. Brady Counsell, Jake Perry and Kyle Bork each tallied two RBIs, while Fitzgerald, Boston Merila and Drew Berkland all added one.
-Minnesota hosted Illinois for their Big Ten home opener last weekend. The Fighting Illini won the first two games before Minnesota salvaged the series with a game three victory.
-In the series finale, the Gophers put runs on the board in the first two innings, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. The team scored runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to expand the lead and take an 8-0 lead through seven.
-Connor Wietgrefe exited the game after 6.2 innings of shutout ball, the first Gopher starter to not allow a run in his start. After the Illini scored three in the top of the eighth, Caden Capomaccio closed the door and sealed a 8-3 win.
Scouting the Wolverines
-With a 15-19 overall record and 6-3 conference record, the Wolverines currently sit in third place in the Big Ten.
-Michigan has won each of their three Big Ten series this season against Penn State, Maryland and Iowa. The Wolverines are coming off of a Wednesday night 3-1 victory over UW-Milwaukee.
-Mitch Voit leads the Michigan offense with a slash line of .326/.401/.587, 45 hits, 16 doubles and 30 RBIs. Stephen Hrustich leads the team with nine home runs, .610 slugging percentage and 28 runs scored.
-Kurt Barr headlines the Wolverines pitching staff. His 3.51 ERA in 41.0 innings ranks eighth in the Big Ten. He is holding opponents to .199 average off him, ranking fourth among Big Ten hurlers.
Opponent Series History
-Minnesota and Michigan have faced each other 201 times in their history. The Gophers hold a slight edge in the all-time series, 104-97.
-The two teams last faced each other in a three-game series in 2023 with the Gophers coming out on top 2-1.
-Tucker Novotny and the Gophers shut out Michigan in game one, 4-0. Weber Neels had a big day at the plate, going 2-3 with two RBIs.
-After trailing the Wolverines for 7.5 innings in game two, the 'U' tallied four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 4-2 lead and seal the series win.
Newcomers Making an Impact
-Kyle Remington has been a staple out of the Gophers' bullpen. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Mar. 11. Since Mar. 4, Remington has worked 17.0 innings, striking out 14 batters. He has allowed just four extra base hits in that span and walked five.
-Tyler Hemmesch has pitched 13.2 innings in seven appearances for the Gophers in his rookie season. He's tallied 13 strikeouts with a 3.29 ERA and is holding opponents to .174 average off him.
-Charlie Sutherland has appeared in 16 games this season with three starts. He has emerged as one of the Gophers' go-to hitters off the bench. In 26 at bats, he is slashing .308/.438/.462 with a home run, a double, six RBIs and four runs scored.
-Will Whelan worked his longest outing of the year against Iowa. In 3.0 innings, he moved down the first six batters he faced, striking out all six. He allowed just one run and walked one without giving up a hit.
-Senior transfer Justin Thorsteinson has provided the Gophers a trustworthy arm in the back end of the bullpen. In 21.2 innings, he has a 2.91 ERA and 21 punch outs.
-Redshirt freshman Sam Kennedy is coming off of an injury in 2023. On Tuesday night, he picked up his first career win after going 2.2 innings, allowing zero runs on just one hit and one walk.
Fitzgerald on Fire
-Redshirt junior Josh Fitzgerald continued swinging the bat well this weekend against Illinois. He is riding an 11-game on base streak and currently ranks ninth in the Big Ten in slugging (.623) and tenth in OPS (1.078).
-Since March 23, the Mason City, Iowa native began getting more regular playing time and is slashing .429/.512/.800 with four doubles, three home runs, 10 RBIs and 11 runs scored. He has also walked five times, been hit by two pitches, stolen two bases and struck out just five times in 43 plate appearances.
-Fitzgerald has also made his presence known on defense, saving two extra-base hits with diving catches in right field against Iowa and NDSU. He has earned playing time in both right and center field.
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.
-The two sophomores lead the team in RBIs with Neels at 25 and Hokenson at 20.
-Neels has split time at catcher and first base and is second on the team in on base percentage (.443), average (.327), doubles (8) and hits (32) and is fourth in slugging (.500).
-Neels went 3-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday night's win over NDSU.
-Hokenson is slashing .274/.390/.512 for the year. He is second on the team in slugging percentage (.512) and home runs (4), and fourth in on base percentage and third in walks (14).
Productive Pitching
-The Gophers' pitching staff has put together impressive numbers among Big Ten ranks to begin the season. The Gophers have allowed the second-fewest runs (166) and earned runs (135) in the Big Ten. As a team, the 'U' ranks fifth in the Big Ten in ERA (5.11) and sixth in opponent hitting (.266). The team also ranks third in the conference in strikeouts per nine innings (9.5).
-Junior Connor Wietgrefe leads Minnesota starters with a 3.45 ERA, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten this season. In his last start against Illinois, he pitched 6.2 shutout innings.
-Junior Will Semb ranks eighth in the Big Ten in strikeouts (44) and fifth in strikeouts per nine (10.90) after collecting five in his start against Illinois. He pitched six strong innings in his longest outing of the year, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with zero walks.
What's on Deck
The Gophers will host mid-week games against South Dakota State on Tuesday and North Dakota State on Wednesday before returning to Siebert for a weekend series with Indiana.
Minnesota at Michigan
First Pitch: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Ray Fischer Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-2, 7.93 ERA, 36.1 IP, 44 K)
Wolverines Starter: TBD
TV: BTN
Saturday, April 13
Minnesota at Michigan
First Pitch: 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Ray Fischer Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (3-2, 3.45 ERA, 44.1 IP, 38 K)
Wolverines Starter: TBD
TV: Big Ten+
Sunday, April 14
Minnesota at Michigan
First Pitch: 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Ray Fischer Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.
Gophers Starter: TBD
Wolverines Starter: TBD
TV: Big Ten+
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball team (13-14, 2-4 B1G) heads back on the road this weekend to face the Michigan Wolverines (15-19, 6-3 B1G) in a three-game series in Ann Arbor.
Game one is set to be aired on the Big Ten Network with first pitch at 7:00 p.m. CT. Games two and three will be streamed on Big Ten+ and live stats for all games will be available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
-The Gophers picked up an 11-3 victory over NDSU on Tuesday night, getting RBIs from six different players. Weber Neels went 3-3 in the game with an RBI and a run scored. Brady Counsell, Jake Perry and Kyle Bork each tallied two RBIs, while Fitzgerald, Boston Merila and Drew Berkland all added one.
-Minnesota hosted Illinois for their Big Ten home opener last weekend. The Fighting Illini won the first two games before Minnesota salvaged the series with a game three victory.
-In the series finale, the Gophers put runs on the board in the first two innings, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. The team scored runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to expand the lead and take an 8-0 lead through seven.
-Connor Wietgrefe exited the game after 6.2 innings of shutout ball, the first Gopher starter to not allow a run in his start. After the Illini scored three in the top of the eighth, Caden Capomaccio closed the door and sealed a 8-3 win.
Scouting the Wolverines
-With a 15-19 overall record and 6-3 conference record, the Wolverines currently sit in third place in the Big Ten.
-Michigan has won each of their three Big Ten series this season against Penn State, Maryland and Iowa. The Wolverines are coming off of a Wednesday night 3-1 victory over UW-Milwaukee.
-Mitch Voit leads the Michigan offense with a slash line of .326/.401/.587, 45 hits, 16 doubles and 30 RBIs. Stephen Hrustich leads the team with nine home runs, .610 slugging percentage and 28 runs scored.
-Kurt Barr headlines the Wolverines pitching staff. His 3.51 ERA in 41.0 innings ranks eighth in the Big Ten. He is holding opponents to .199 average off him, ranking fourth among Big Ten hurlers.
Opponent Series History
-Minnesota and Michigan have faced each other 201 times in their history. The Gophers hold a slight edge in the all-time series, 104-97.
-The two teams last faced each other in a three-game series in 2023 with the Gophers coming out on top 2-1.
-Tucker Novotny and the Gophers shut out Michigan in game one, 4-0. Weber Neels had a big day at the plate, going 2-3 with two RBIs.
-After trailing the Wolverines for 7.5 innings in game two, the 'U' tallied four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 4-2 lead and seal the series win.
Newcomers Making an Impact
-Kyle Remington has been a staple out of the Gophers' bullpen. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Mar. 11. Since Mar. 4, Remington has worked 17.0 innings, striking out 14 batters. He has allowed just four extra base hits in that span and walked five.
-Tyler Hemmesch has pitched 13.2 innings in seven appearances for the Gophers in his rookie season. He's tallied 13 strikeouts with a 3.29 ERA and is holding opponents to .174 average off him.
-Charlie Sutherland has appeared in 16 games this season with three starts. He has emerged as one of the Gophers' go-to hitters off the bench. In 26 at bats, he is slashing .308/.438/.462 with a home run, a double, six RBIs and four runs scored.
-Will Whelan worked his longest outing of the year against Iowa. In 3.0 innings, he moved down the first six batters he faced, striking out all six. He allowed just one run and walked one without giving up a hit.
-Senior transfer Justin Thorsteinson has provided the Gophers a trustworthy arm in the back end of the bullpen. In 21.2 innings, he has a 2.91 ERA and 21 punch outs.
-Redshirt freshman Sam Kennedy is coming off of an injury in 2023. On Tuesday night, he picked up his first career win after going 2.2 innings, allowing zero runs on just one hit and one walk.
Fitzgerald on Fire
-Redshirt junior Josh Fitzgerald continued swinging the bat well this weekend against Illinois. He is riding an 11-game on base streak and currently ranks ninth in the Big Ten in slugging (.623) and tenth in OPS (1.078).
-Since March 23, the Mason City, Iowa native began getting more regular playing time and is slashing .429/.512/.800 with four doubles, three home runs, 10 RBIs and 11 runs scored. He has also walked five times, been hit by two pitches, stolen two bases and struck out just five times in 43 plate appearances.
-Fitzgerald has also made his presence known on defense, saving two extra-base hits with diving catches in right field against Iowa and NDSU. He has earned playing time in both right and center field.
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.
-The two sophomores lead the team in RBIs with Neels at 25 and Hokenson at 20.
-Neels has split time at catcher and first base and is second on the team in on base percentage (.443), average (.327), doubles (8) and hits (32) and is fourth in slugging (.500).
-Neels went 3-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday night's win over NDSU.
-Hokenson is slashing .274/.390/.512 for the year. He is second on the team in slugging percentage (.512) and home runs (4), and fourth in on base percentage and third in walks (14).
Productive Pitching
-The Gophers' pitching staff has put together impressive numbers among Big Ten ranks to begin the season. The Gophers have allowed the second-fewest runs (166) and earned runs (135) in the Big Ten. As a team, the 'U' ranks fifth in the Big Ten in ERA (5.11) and sixth in opponent hitting (.266). The team also ranks third in the conference in strikeouts per nine innings (9.5).
-Junior Connor Wietgrefe leads Minnesota starters with a 3.45 ERA, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten this season. In his last start against Illinois, he pitched 6.2 shutout innings.
-Junior Will Semb ranks eighth in the Big Ten in strikeouts (44) and fifth in strikeouts per nine (10.90) after collecting five in his start against Illinois. He pitched six strong innings in his longest outing of the year, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with zero walks.
What's on Deck
The Gophers will host mid-week games against South Dakota State on Tuesday and North Dakota State on Wednesday before returning to Siebert for a weekend series with Indiana.
Highlights: Gophers 1, Illinois 0
Saturday, March 14
Highlights: Gophers 6, Gonzaga 2
Wednesday, March 11
Cambria Classic Champions
Wednesday, March 11
Highlights: Gophers 11, Gonzaga 8
Tuesday, March 10