University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
St. Thomas
Players Mentioned
Gophers Best St. Thomas 15-5 in 2026 Siebert Field Opener
3/25/2026 11:12:00 PM | Baseball
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The University of Minnesota baseball team played out their 2026 Siebert Field opener against the University of St. Thomas tonight, taking down the Tommies 15-5 in eight innings via mercy rule.
Nathan O'Donnell picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Minnesota, throwing one inning without giving up a hit. Ethan Felling also made an impact on the mound for Gophers, throwing one shutout inning while tallying three strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling to an early 2-0 deficit, the Gophers first put runs on the board in the first inning with an RBI single from Weber Neels to score Easton Richter from third base.
The Gophers kept the deficit at 2-1 before taking the lead in the third. Richter got things started, plating one run on an RBI groundout to first. A pair of RBI singles from Neels and Jameson Martin bumped Minnesota to a 4-2 lead before the end of the frame.
Minnesota's lead had disappeared by the time the sixth inning arrived and turned into a 5-4 St. Thomas advantage, when the Gophers re-took control in the sixth. Ty Allen tallied his fourth home run of the year with a three run shot to left to tie the game at five runs a piece.
The runs continued to pile on for Minnesota in the sixth with an RBI grounder from Martin to retake the advantage. Two more runs came across on a wild pitch and bases loaded walk before Michael Lippe drove two in on a single to center field, pushing the Gopher lead to 12-5.
Minnesota held the Tommies without a run before their offense got back to their scoring ways in the seventh when Davis Hamilton came in to score on a bases loaded walk and Jack Mosh crossed home on a wild pitch to make it 14-5.
The Gophers closed out the game in the bottom of the eighth, with Ethan Cole coming around to score on another bases loaded walk to trigger the ten run mercy rule at a 15-5 scoreline.
GAME NOTES
» Minnesota's highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed eight runs across.
» The Gophers out-hit the Tommies at an 11-6 clip.
» Richter stole two bases in Wednesday's game.
» The Gophers swiped five bases as a team.
» Minnesota pitchers limited St. Thomas to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 39 St. Thomas hitters in the game, allowing 13 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out six.
» The Gophers drew 21 walks from St. Thomas pitching.
» Ty Allen led the Golden Gophers at the plate, going 1 for 2 with a home run and an RBI.