University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Milwaukee
Gophers Drop Matinee to Pesky Panthers
2/26/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2012
Tied 1-1 heading into the seventh, Milwaukee put up three runs and added another two in the eighth and ninth to defeat the University of Minnesota baseball team, 6-1, today at the H.H.H. Metrodome. With the loss, the Gophers drop to 3-4 on the season and split the four games with the Panthers.
Minnesota scored the first run of the game in the first inning when Dan Olinger provided a sacrifice fly, which scored Troy Larson from third. With one out, Larson singled to right, while Kurt Schlangen advanced him to third when he hit a ground rule double in the right field corner.
Milwaukee knotted the game at 1-1 when Mitch Ghelfi had a sacrifice fly, which scored Paul Hoenecke after he led off the inning with a double. Will Fadness also connected for a double to put two on, one out when Ghelfi hit the sac fly.
The two teams went scoreless until the Panthers pushed across three runs in the top of the seventh. Minnesota walked in a run when the Gophers allowed a hit by pitch, a walk and a hit by pitch to load the bases prior to the RBI walk by Fadness. Hoenecke scored on a passed ball to make it 3-1, while Mark Strey had a sac fly to left field for the third run.
The Gophers then allowed a run in the top of the eighth and another in the top of the ninth to put the game at 6-1. Olinger had a double in the top of the ninth, but the Gophers couldn't convert into a run.
Austin Lubinsky started for the Gophers and came out of the game in the seventh inning. Facing 20 batters, he allowed one earned run (first inning), struck out three on four hits during 6.0 innings of work. Milwaukee starter had the no-decision, but pitched 5.1 innings and struck out five. Minnesota's Jordan Jess picked up the loss (0-1), while Panthers' Alex Erdmann had the win (1-0).
Olinger went 2-3 on the day with a RBI, while Schlangen was 2-4. Michael Handel and Larson each had a hit in the game, who batted in the leadoff and two spot for the other Gopher hits.
Minnesota looks to return to the win column when it hosts New Mexico State, Thursday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. The game against the Aggies will showcase the upcoming DQ Classic next weekend. Minnesota and NMS play again on Friday night (as part of the DQ Classic), while West Virginia and Nebraska will also participate in the annual event.
