University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Illinois
Gophers Split Doubleheader at Illinois
4/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score: Minnesota 3, Illinois 1 
| Box Score: Illinois 2, Minnesota 0
The No. 19 Minnesota baseball team opened the day with a 3-1 win at Illinois in the first game of the doubleheader, before it was upset 2-0 in the nightcap on Friday night. The Gophers (26-13, 10-3 Big Ten) tallied 19 hits on the day touted a 1.59 team ERA against the Illini (21-18, 7-7) on the day behind solid pitching.
Matt Fiedler and Dalton Sawyer each had quality outings to guide Minnesota on the mound, each throwing 7.0 innings and allowing a combined three runs, while striking out eight.
At the plate, four players secured three-hit days. Toby Hanson, Dan Motl, Connor Schaefbauer and Fiedler each contributed a trio of hits, with Motl notching a double.
The two teams are set to wrap up the series either on Saturday or Sunday at Illinois Field in Champaign, Ill. Stay tuned to GopherSports.com for an update on the series finale.
Game No. 1 - No. 19 Minnesota 3, Illinois 1
In the series opener, Matt Fiedler led the Gophers to a victory both on the hill and at the dish.
Fiedler improved his record to 7-2 as the ace of the staff behind a performance of 7.0 innings, six hits, one earned run and two strikeouts. He also tallied two hits and an RBI as the No. 3 hitter in the lineup.
Alex Boxwell and Dan Motl matched Fiedler's hit total for the team lead. Jordan Smith secured two RBI on one swing to pace the club.
The Minnesota offense was up against stiff competition as Illinois' top starter, Cody Sedlock, had it going early. However, the Gophers stayed patient and were able to sting him for three runs on nine hits while also accumulating three walks to send him to only his second loss of the season.
The Maroon and Gold got on the board in the top of the third to open the scoring. Luke Pettersen and Motl reached base by way of a walk and single to right-center, respectively. Connor Schaefbauer then laid down a bunt which he beat out on a close play at first to load the bases. Though Fiedler grounded into a double play, it was enough to race across Pettersen and gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead.
The Illini knotted the contest back up at 1-1 in the home half of the fourth on a run-scoring single to center with two outs.
It took until the sixth for the Gophers to find their rhythm at the plate. With the opening two batters send down on strikes, Minnesota strung together three consecutive hits and take a 3-1 lead.
Micah Coffey shot a single up the middle to begin the rally. Boxwell flared the next pitch into left and both runners were then advanced on a wild pitch. With a full count and two outs, J. Smith drove a single to center field that was enough to score two and give his team the advantage.
That was all the pitching staff needed. Fiedler worked a clean seventh and Lucas Gilbreath came on to earn his first career save after holding Illinois scoreless in the final two stanzas.
In the midst of the action, Austin Athmann extended his on-base streak to a career-best and team-high 26 games when he drilled a single up the middle in his final at-bat in the top of the ninth.
Game No. 2 - Illinois 2, No. 19 Minnesota 0
On the back end of the twin bill, the Gophers were held off the scoreboard for the first time since exactly one year ago in a 2-0 defeat to the Illini.
Dalton Sawyer produced another outstanding outing on the mound. The senior southpaw tossed 7.0 innings and allowed two runs on six hits, while striking out six. It was the eighth consecutive start with at least five strikeouts and 10th overall in 2016.
At the dish, Toby Hanson and Connor Schaefbauer were responsible for half of the team's offense as each lefty tallied two hits.
The Gophers were kept off the board by Illinois starter Doug Hayes, who tossed a complete-game shutout with six strikeouts.
The Illini struck first in the bottom of the second when they plated two runs on a two-RBI single up the middle to take a 2-0 lead.
Both pitchers then took over as there were three hits combined between the third and sixth frames.
In the seventh, Minnesota had its best chance to get on the score line. Hanson flashed a single to right and moved the second on after the right fielder bobbled the ball. Coffey then hit a ball up the middle to move Hanson to third and put runners on the corners. However, Hayes was able to induce a fielder's choice to thwart the potential damage.
Brian Glowicki came on and provided a clean inning of relief in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Gophers got a double from Hanson in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough to complete the comeback as Minnesota's five-game winning streak in Big Ten play was halted.
