GOPHER BASEBALL:
The University of Minnesota baseball team closed out their three game series on the west coast this afternoon against No. 1 UCLA, falling to the Bruins 5-2 to finish the weekend at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Marcus Kruzan got the ball to start for Minnesota and was credited with the loss. The right-hander went five innings with three strikeouts. Ben Gregory was a bright spot for the Golden Gophers, coming out of the bullpen and throwing two shutout innings with two strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gophers were trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning when they first put runs on the board. Minnesota got an RBI single up the middle from Davis Hamilton, scoring Weber Neels from second base.
The Gophers kept the deficit at 3-1 before closing the gap further in the top of the sixth, picking up a run on a two-out solo home run off the bat of Neels, tightening the Bruins lead to 3-2.
The Gophers were unable to get any closer, as UCLA added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to their tally on the way to a 5-2 final.
GAME NOTES
» Minnesota’s highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed one run across.
» Minnesota pitchers limited UCLA to just 1-for-5 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 35 UCLA hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 14 fly balls while striking out five.
» Neels led the Golden Gophers at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a home run and an RBI.
UP NEXT
The Golden Gophers return to Siebert Field next week, hosting the North Dakota State Bison for a Tuesday mid-week matchup before welcoming the Northwestern Wildcats for a three game weekend series.
GOPHER SOFTBALL
The Minnesota Golden Gophers dropped the series finale to No. 4 Nebraska, 11-2, Sunday afternoon at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
Sydney Schwartz (10-13) got the start for Minnesota (14-30, 6-12 B1G) and took the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings. Natalie Susa provided relief, throwing 2.1 innings.
At the plate, Tara Wolocko led the Gophers with a triple and an RBI, while Schwartz added an RBI knock. Minnesota totaled three hits in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Minnesota struck early in the bottom of the first inning, answering Nebraska’s opening run with two of its own. Wolocko delivered an RBI triple to tie the game before Schwartz followed with an RBI single to give the Gophers a 2-1 lead.
Nebraska (36-6, 17-1 B1G) responded in the second, taking a 3-2 advantage on a two-run home run from Jesse Farrell. The Huskers continued to build momentum in the fourth inning, plating three runs highlighted by a two-run homer from Jordy Frahm to extend the lead to 6-2.
The Huskers added a run in the fifth before breaking the game open in the sixth, scoring four runs on five hits to push the margin to 11-2.
Minnesota was unable to generate further offense after the first inning, as Nebraska’s Jordy Frahm shut down the Gopher lineup in relief, tossing four hitless innings with six strikeouts.
Nebraska finished with 15 hits in the game, led by Farrell’s three-hit, three-RBI performance
UP NEXT
Minnesota remains at home next week for their final week of play at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The Gophers host North Dakota on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. CT before welcoming Wisconsin for a three-game weekend series.
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
