University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Maryland
Seven-Run Eighth Frame Propels Gophers to Win
4/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score: Minnesota 9, Maryland 5 
Minnesota saved its best for last in a thrilling, come-from-behind 9-5 victory against Maryland on Friday night at home. The Gophers (20-10, 5-1 Big Ten) scored seven runs on seven hits in their final at-bat to notch their sixth-straight victory.
Luke Pettersen led the way at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance that included an RBI. Dan Motl, Connor Schaefbauer and Jordan Smith each contributed a pair of RBI in the contest.
On the hill, Lucas Gilbreath earned the win after relieving starter Matt Fiedler and tossing 2.1 scoreless innings to go along with four strikeouts.
Things seemed to be going all in favor of Maryland (18-16, 4-2) early on. The Terrapins jetted off to the 3-0 lead through their first five innings at the plate, highlighted by a solo homer in the top of the fifth.
Maryland also was making diving catch and diving catch to rob Minnesota and limit the Big Ten's top offense to just three hits through the three-run lead.
However, the Maroon and Gold turned the momentum around in the bottom of the sixth. Pettersen led off the stanza with a single to left and was brought in on a triple off the bat of Motl. Schaefbauer brought the margin down to one on an RBI ground out to make the score line 3-2 in favor of Maryland.
After a clean seventh with neither team able to scratch across a run, the Gophers tied their season-best by scoring seven runs on seven hits in the home half of the eighth.
With two strikes and runners and first and second, Austin Athmann delivered with an RBI double down the line in right to knot the game up at 3-3. After Micah Coffey drew a walk to load the bases, Toby Hanson laced a run-scoring single through the left side that gave Minnesota a 4-3 lead and kept the bases juiced with just one out.
J. Smith then drilled a single to left that scored two more and kept the momentum going. Once Matt Stemper loaded the bases for the third time in the frame, Pettersen came up and flared a single to right, which made the game 6-3. Motl and Schaefbauer each netted an RBI and, after all was said and done, the Gophers had sent 12 batters to the plate to score seven runs and take a 9-3 stronghold on the contest.
The Terrapins did not go quietly as they bounced in a pair of runs and had the bases loaded with one retired. Senior pitcher Jordan Jess came on and showed his experience as he got the next two batters to strike out looking and sent Minnesota to its seventh win at home this campaign, 9-5.
The Gophers hit .471 on the night with runners on base and successfully advanced runners in 13 of their 19 chances. Minnesota collected double-digit hits (13) for the 21st time in 2016.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. at Siebert Field.
