University of Minnesota Athletics
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Gophers Split Saturday Doubleheader Against Illinois
3/14/2026 8:13:00 PM | Baseball
URBANA, IL. – The University of Minnesota baseball team closed out their first Big Ten Conference series of the season with a doubleheader against the University of Illinois today, splitting the pair of games with a 1-0 win to start the day and a 4-2 loss to close things out at Illinois Field.
GAME 1 | Minnesota 1, Illinois 0
Isaac Morton, Adam Urban and Brandon Jaenke combined to toss a 1-0 shutout in game one of today's doubleheader. Morton started and picked up the win for Minnesota, going seven shutout innings and striking out six. Jaenke was dealing out of the bullpen as well, going 1.1 shutout innings and striking out one.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gophers took the lead for good in the fourth, scoring the lone run of the game in the inning.
Easton Richter got the effort going with a leadoff single to the right side of the infield and reaching second on a throwing error by the second baseman. Weber Neels went on to drive Richter in on an RBI single out to center field.
Minnesota was able to hold on for the rest of the game, taking game one of the doubleheader, 1-0.
GAME NOTES
» Morton, Urban, and Jaenke combined to throw a three-hit shutout.
» Morton struck out six Fighting Illini hitters.
» Minnesota's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed one run across.
» Morton put together seven innings of shutout ball for the Gophers.
» The Gophers out-hit the Fighting Illini at a 6-3 clip.
» Richter stole two bases in Saturday's game.
» Minnesota pitchers limited Illinois to just 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 34 Illinois hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out seven.
» Richter led the Gophers at the plate, going 2 for 4.
GAME 2 | Illinois 4, Minnesota 2
The Gophers took the 4-2 loss in game two to close out the doubleheader, despite out-hitting Illinois 7-3 throughout the series finale. Ben Gregory was credited with the loss on the mound for Minnesota. Luke Ryerse started the ballgame and went four shutout innings without allowing a hit and striking out four.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gophers got on the scoreboard first in game two, capitalizing on an RBI single out to center field off the bat of Ty Allen to score Davis Hamilton from second base.
Minnesota lost their lead in the seventh after the Illini drove in their first run due to a throwing error. Illinois went on to tally three more runs on a pair of bases loaded walks and a RBI sacrifice fly before the end of the frame.
The Gophers got back on the board in the ninth when Michael Lippe came across to score on an RBI grounder from Jameson Martin, but were unable to close the rest of the 4-2 deficit before the conclusion of the game.
GAME NOTES
» Minnesota's highest scoring inning was the ninth, when it pushed one run across.
» The Gophers out-hit the Fighting Illini at a 7-3 clip.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 32 Illinois hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out five.
» Jack Spanier led the Gophers at the plate, going 1 for 4 with a double.