University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Purdue
Anderson Deals Shutout to Guide Minnesota to Sweep
5/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score: Minnesota 3, Purdue 0 
Toby Anderson tossed a complete-game shutout to highlight a 3-0 win at Purdue on Sunday. The Gophers (33-15, 15-5 Big Ten) completed their third series sweep of the conference slate on the road, including sweeps at Michigan and Northwestern early this campaign.
Anderson worked a flawless 9.0 innings and allowed just four hits while tallying five strikeouts. The junior only faced three more batters than the minimum (30) in the nine-inning affair.
At the plate, Minnesota was led by its top two hitters in the lineup in Dan Motl and Connor Schaefbauer. Motl belted his 17th double of the season and contributed a two-run single, while Schaefbauer reached base four times by way of two singles and two walks.
Alex Boxwell, Matt Fiedler, Jordan Smith and Riley Smith each chimed in with a single apiece to round out the offensive attack.
After a clean opening two frames, the Gophers struck first in the top of the third. With two outs, Motl blasted a double to the right-center gap. Following consecutive walks from Schaefbauer and Fiedler, Motl raced home on a wild pitch by Purdue (7-42, 2-22) to make it 1-0.
The Maroon and Gold extended their lead to three when they plated two in the top of the seventh. Again with two down, the bats came alive. J. Smith drew a walked and R. Smith dropped down a bunt single down the line to put runners on first and second base.
Luke Pettersen then reached on a fielding error by the Boilermakers' third baseman to set up a bases loaded situation with the top of the order due up. Motl delivered with a two-out, two-strike single through the right side to score two and make it 3-0 in favor of the road team.
In the opening seven stanzas, Anderson retired 21 out of a possible 23 batters faced and was aided by strong defense. Toby Hanson flashed the leather and snared a sharp grounder to first base in the bottom of the fourth to get out of the inning.
J. Smith showed off his range on a sliding grab in left field in the home half of the sixth, while R. Smith made a full-extension leaping grab to swipe a would-be base hit in the hole between shortstop and third base in the bottom of the seventh.
Anderson churned right along in the final two innings, allowing just one baserunner while striking out three en route to his seventh win of the season.
The complete-game shutout was the Gophers' third as a staff. Anderson notched one to close the series at Northwestern, while Fiedler recorded one to open the road tilt at Georgia State.
With the win, Minnesota remains a half-game ahead of Indiana in the race for the regular season Big Ten title.
The Gophers return to the diamond next week, beginning with a short trip to Brookings, S.D. for a matchup against South Dakota State on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
