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Photo by: Bjorn Franke
Gophers Return to Big Ten Play on the Road at Penn State
4/25/2024 2:30:00 PM | Baseball
Friday, April 26
Minnesota at Penn State
First Pitch: 4:30 p.m. CT
Location: Medlar Field, State College, Pa.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-4, 8.74 ERA, 46.1 IP, 58 K)
Nittany Lions Starter: RHP Travis Luensmann (4-2, 4.84 ERA, 48.1 IP, 41 K)
TV: Big Ten+
Saturday, April 27
Minnesota at Penn State
First Pitch: 11:30 a.m. CT
Location: Medlar Field, State College, Pa.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (5-2, 3.30 ERA, 57.1 IP, 53 K)
Nittany Lions Starter: RHP Jaden Henline (3-1, 8.44 ERA, 37.1 IP, 16 K)
TV: Big Ten+
Sunday, April 28
Minnesota at Penn State
First Pitch: 11:00 a.m. CT
Location: Medlar Field, State College, Pa.
Gophers Starter: TBD
Nittany Lions Starter: RHP Frankie Sanchez (2-1, 5.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 24 K)
TV: Big Ten+
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball team returns to Big Ten play this weekend as they head on the road to State College, Pa. to take on the Nittany Lions.
First pitches are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT on Friday evening, 11:30 a.m. CT on Saturday morning and 11:00 a.m. CT on Sunday morning. All three games will be streamed on Big Ten+ with live stats available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
- The Gophers swept a two-game mid-week series with St. Thomas this week.
-The Maroon and Gold took game one in walk off fashion after 11 innings. After falling behind 5-0 in the third inning, the Gophers came crawling back, scoring one in the third, two in the fourth and one more in the fifth, sixth and seventh to tie the game at six. Three scoreless innings later, pinch hitter Drew Berkland led off the bottom of the 11th with a triple. Brady Counsell drove him in two batters later to walk it off.
-The 'U' shut out the Tommies on Wednesday night, their first of the season. Sam Kennedy, Justin Thorsteinson, Caden Capomaccio and Tyler Hemmesch combined for nine scoreless, allowing seven hits with 10 strikeouts.
Scouting the Nittany Lions
-At 19-17 overall and 6-9 in Big Ten play, Penn State currently sits as the 10th seed in the conference, just ahead of the Gophers.
-The Nittany Lions are coming off of a series loss on the road at Michigan State last weekend. After dropping the first two games, they bounced back to salvage the series on Sunday.
-J.T. Marr leads the Nittany Lions and is second in the Big Ten with a .420 average. His 1.075 OPS is eighth in conference ranks.
-Adam Cecere currently sits as No. 2 in the Big Ten in OPS at 1.233. He leads the team in home runs (13), RBIs (39) and runs (38).
-On the bump, Penn State is led by Travis Luensmann with a 4-2 record and 4.84 ERA. In 48.1 innings, he has struck out 41 hitters.
Opponent Series History
-The Gophers and Nittany Lions last faced each other back in 2022. The Gophers lead the all-time series 55-27.
-Minnesota took game one of their last series in 2022, 7-3, with contributions from Kyle Bork and Brady Counsell on back-to-back doubles.
-The Gophers fell 5-1 in game two and 6-5 in game three.
Shut Down Pitching
-The Gophers pitching staff has been dominate over the last 16 innings. They have not allowed a run in that span while striking out 20.
-Sam Kennedy made his first start of the season on Wednesday, throwing four shutout innings. In five appearances this season, he has a 0.79 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.
Immaculate Hemmesch
-Freshman Tyler Hemmesch added to his impressive freshman season on Wednesday night by pitching an immaculate inning.
-The Sartell, Minn. native came on in the top of the ninth inning against St. Thomas and struck out the side on nine straight pitches.
-In 10 appearances this season, Hemmesch has a 2.08 ERA and has punched out 21 batters in 21.2 innings. He is holding opponents to a .164 average against him and has allowed just two extra-base hits all year.
Wietgrefe's World
-Junior LHP Connor Wietgrefe became the first Gopher since 2008 to pitch a seven-inning complete game on Sunday in what was his sixth quality start of the season.
-The Prior Lake, Minn. native pitched a seven-inning complete game, allowing two runs with just one walk and seven strikeouts. It was his fifth win of the season and third in three starts in April.
-In three starts in the month of April, Wietgrefe has pitched 19.2 innings, allowing just four runs. He has struck out 17 batters and has a 1.83 ERA while picking up three wins.
-The southpaw currently ranks fourth in the Big Ten in ERA (3.30), tied for third in wins (5), fifth in innings (57.1) and seventh in strikeouts (53). He is one of just seven pitchers to have a complete game in the Big Ten this season.
Neels by the Numbers
-Sophomore Weber Neels has picked up where he left off after a stellar freshman season.
-Neels leads the team in RBIs (33). He is second in average (.328), on base percentage (.441), doubles (10), walks (21) and is third in hits (43). He is also slugging .519 with five home runs for the season.
-Splitting time at catcher and first base, Neels is one of three players that has played all 36 games this season and leads the team with 282 putouts.
Consistency in Counsell
-Counsell has been a consistent bright spot in the Gophers lineup. He ranks in the top five in all offensive categories including leading the team in home runs (9), runs (34), hits (46), total bases (82), walks (23) and stolen bases (15).
-A Milwaukee, Wis. native, Counsell is slashing .311/.411/.554. He has 46 hits, including nine doubles, and 28 RBIs. He has picked it up in April, slashing .400/.483/.700 with 16 RBIs, 12 runs scored and four home runs in 13 games this month.
-Counsell leads the team with 92 assists, playing all 36 games at second base.
Fitzgerald's Breakout Season
-After missing all of the 2023 season due to injury, redshirt junior Josh Fitzgerald has made his impact known in 2024.
-The Mason City, Iowa native is leading the team in average (.337), slugging percentage (.618) and on base percentage (.470). He is third in home runs (6), fourth in RBIs (24) and fifth in doubles (7) despite missing six games.
-Fitzgerald has also made a number of highlight reel plays in the outfield. He has spent time in right field before earning his spot as the regular center fielder in April.
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. He continued his freshman season by working 1.2 innings of relief against St. Thomas. .
-Charlie Sutherland has appeared in 24 games this season with eight starts. He has emerged as one of the Gophers' go-to hitters off the bench. For the season, he is slashing .255/.397/.383 with a home run, three doubles, seven RBIs and eight runs scored. He came up clutch against St. Thomas, hitting the game-tying RBI single to send the game to extra innings.
-Senior transfer Justin Thorsteinson has provided the Gophers a trustworthy arm in the back end of the bullpen. In 29.1 innings, he has a 3.07 ERA and 28 punch outs.
-Freshman Jack Spanier has seen an increase in playing time after flashing the leather at shortstop. In 18 games played, he has recorded 18 putouts and 35 assists. Spanier has also picked up nine hits, scored 11 runs and stole three bases since seeing more regular action.
What's on Deck
The Maroon and Gold will return to Big Ten action at home against Nebraska. The Gophers will honor their alumni during the weekend.
Minnesota at Penn State
First Pitch: 4:30 p.m. CT
Location: Medlar Field, State College, Pa.
Gophers Starter: RHP Will Semb (1-4, 8.74 ERA, 46.1 IP, 58 K)
Nittany Lions Starter: RHP Travis Luensmann (4-2, 4.84 ERA, 48.1 IP, 41 K)
TV: Big Ten+
Saturday, April 27
Minnesota at Penn State
First Pitch: 11:30 a.m. CT
Location: Medlar Field, State College, Pa.
Gophers Starter: LHP Connor Wietgrefe (5-2, 3.30 ERA, 57.1 IP, 53 K)
Nittany Lions Starter: RHP Jaden Henline (3-1, 8.44 ERA, 37.1 IP, 16 K)
TV: Big Ten+
Sunday, April 28
Minnesota at Penn State
First Pitch: 11:00 a.m. CT
Location: Medlar Field, State College, Pa.
Gophers Starter: TBD
Nittany Lions Starter: RHP Frankie Sanchez (2-1, 5.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 24 K)
TV: Big Ten+
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball team returns to Big Ten play this weekend as they head on the road to State College, Pa. to take on the Nittany Lions.
First pitches are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT on Friday evening, 11:30 a.m. CT on Saturday morning and 11:00 a.m. CT on Sunday morning. All three games will be streamed on Big Ten+ with live stats available on GopherSports.com.
Last Time Out
- The Gophers swept a two-game mid-week series with St. Thomas this week.
-The Maroon and Gold took game one in walk off fashion after 11 innings. After falling behind 5-0 in the third inning, the Gophers came crawling back, scoring one in the third, two in the fourth and one more in the fifth, sixth and seventh to tie the game at six. Three scoreless innings later, pinch hitter Drew Berkland led off the bottom of the 11th with a triple. Brady Counsell drove him in two batters later to walk it off.
-The 'U' shut out the Tommies on Wednesday night, their first of the season. Sam Kennedy, Justin Thorsteinson, Caden Capomaccio and Tyler Hemmesch combined for nine scoreless, allowing seven hits with 10 strikeouts.
Scouting the Nittany Lions
-At 19-17 overall and 6-9 in Big Ten play, Penn State currently sits as the 10th seed in the conference, just ahead of the Gophers.
-The Nittany Lions are coming off of a series loss on the road at Michigan State last weekend. After dropping the first two games, they bounced back to salvage the series on Sunday.
-J.T. Marr leads the Nittany Lions and is second in the Big Ten with a .420 average. His 1.075 OPS is eighth in conference ranks.
-Adam Cecere currently sits as No. 2 in the Big Ten in OPS at 1.233. He leads the team in home runs (13), RBIs (39) and runs (38).
-On the bump, Penn State is led by Travis Luensmann with a 4-2 record and 4.84 ERA. In 48.1 innings, he has struck out 41 hitters.
Opponent Series History
-The Gophers and Nittany Lions last faced each other back in 2022. The Gophers lead the all-time series 55-27.
-Minnesota took game one of their last series in 2022, 7-3, with contributions from Kyle Bork and Brady Counsell on back-to-back doubles.
-The Gophers fell 5-1 in game two and 6-5 in game three.
Shut Down Pitching
-The Gophers pitching staff has been dominate over the last 16 innings. They have not allowed a run in that span while striking out 20.
-Sam Kennedy made his first start of the season on Wednesday, throwing four shutout innings. In five appearances this season, he has a 0.79 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.
Immaculate Hemmesch
-Freshman Tyler Hemmesch added to his impressive freshman season on Wednesday night by pitching an immaculate inning.
-The Sartell, Minn. native came on in the top of the ninth inning against St. Thomas and struck out the side on nine straight pitches.
-In 10 appearances this season, Hemmesch has a 2.08 ERA and has punched out 21 batters in 21.2 innings. He is holding opponents to a .164 average against him and has allowed just two extra-base hits all year.
Wietgrefe's World
-Junior LHP Connor Wietgrefe became the first Gopher since 2008 to pitch a seven-inning complete game on Sunday in what was his sixth quality start of the season.
-The Prior Lake, Minn. native pitched a seven-inning complete game, allowing two runs with just one walk and seven strikeouts. It was his fifth win of the season and third in three starts in April.
-In three starts in the month of April, Wietgrefe has pitched 19.2 innings, allowing just four runs. He has struck out 17 batters and has a 1.83 ERA while picking up three wins.
-The southpaw currently ranks fourth in the Big Ten in ERA (3.30), tied for third in wins (5), fifth in innings (57.1) and seventh in strikeouts (53). He is one of just seven pitchers to have a complete game in the Big Ten this season.
Neels by the Numbers
-Sophomore Weber Neels has picked up where he left off after a stellar freshman season.
-Neels leads the team in RBIs (33). He is second in average (.328), on base percentage (.441), doubles (10), walks (21) and is third in hits (43). He is also slugging .519 with five home runs for the season.
-Splitting time at catcher and first base, Neels is one of three players that has played all 36 games this season and leads the team with 282 putouts.
Consistency in Counsell
-Counsell has been a consistent bright spot in the Gophers lineup. He ranks in the top five in all offensive categories including leading the team in home runs (9), runs (34), hits (46), total bases (82), walks (23) and stolen bases (15).
-A Milwaukee, Wis. native, Counsell is slashing .311/.411/.554. He has 46 hits, including nine doubles, and 28 RBIs. He has picked it up in April, slashing .400/.483/.700 with 16 RBIs, 12 runs scored and four home runs in 13 games this month.
-Counsell leads the team with 92 assists, playing all 36 games at second base.
Fitzgerald's Breakout Season
-After missing all of the 2023 season due to injury, redshirt junior Josh Fitzgerald has made his impact known in 2024.
-The Mason City, Iowa native is leading the team in average (.337), slugging percentage (.618) and on base percentage (.470). He is third in home runs (6), fourth in RBIs (24) and fifth in doubles (7) despite missing six games.
-Fitzgerald has also made a number of highlight reel plays in the outfield. He has spent time in right field before earning his spot as the regular center fielder in April.
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. He continued his freshman season by working 1.2 innings of relief against St. Thomas. .
-Charlie Sutherland has appeared in 24 games this season with eight starts. He has emerged as one of the Gophers' go-to hitters off the bench. For the season, he is slashing .255/.397/.383 with a home run, three doubles, seven RBIs and eight runs scored. He came up clutch against St. Thomas, hitting the game-tying RBI single to send the game to extra innings.
-Senior transfer Justin Thorsteinson has provided the Gophers a trustworthy arm in the back end of the bullpen. In 29.1 innings, he has a 3.07 ERA and 28 punch outs.
-Freshman Jack Spanier has seen an increase in playing time after flashing the leather at shortstop. In 18 games played, he has recorded 18 putouts and 35 assists. Spanier has also picked up nine hits, scored 11 runs and stole three bases since seeing more regular action.
What's on Deck
The Maroon and Gold will return to Big Ten action at home against Nebraska. The Gophers will honor their alumni during the weekend.
Weber Neels Highlights
Wednesday, May 28
Gophers (11) - Michigan State (5) Highlights
Friday, May 16
Gophers (4) - Michigan State (3) Highlights
Thursday, May 15
Gopher Baseball Senior Salute
Monday, May 12