University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Indiana
Gophers Launch Four Home Runs in Defeat
5/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score: Indiana 12, Minnesota 8 
The recent power surge in No. 19 Minnesota's lineup continued as it launched four homers in a 12-8 defeat to Indiana on Friday night. The Gophers' (29-14, 11-4 Big Ten) reign on top of the league standings came to a close after holding sole possession for 13 days.
Micah Coffey, Matt Fiedler, Jordan Smith and Matt Stemper all were responsible for smacking a ball out of the fences at Siebert Field. Fiedler and J. Smith paced the team with two RBI apiece, while Coffey added a pair of hits.
Dan Motl also drilled two doubles in his first two plate appearances that guided the Maroon and Gold to six extra-base hits in the nine-inning affair.
On the mound, Fiedler posted his shortest outing of the season with 3.1 innings pitched that featured three strikeouts, but also saw six runs cross the plate. Lucas Gilbreath, Fred Manke and Ty McDevitt all saw action out of the bullpen. Gilbreath struck out six batters, while Manke worked a clean frame in the ninth in his only stanza of work.
Both Indiana (27-16, 12-4) and Minnesota raced across two runs in the opening frame.
The Hoosiers opened the game and putting the first two batters on base by a single and a double. A wild pitch and a sacrifice fly gave the road team a 2-0 lead in its first at-bat.
The Gophers, however, responded with one big swing. After Motl opened with a double to the right-center gap, Fiedler stepped to the dish and drilled his sixth home run of the season out of the complex to tie the duel up at 2-2.
Minnesota then took the lead in its next chance at the plate. Matt Stemper drew a walk and Coffey flared a single through the right side. Riley Smith then beat out an infield single on a bunt down the third base line to load the bases with zero outs. J. Smith then grounded out to second, but it was enough to score Stemper and put the Gophers on top at 3-2.
With runners on the corners, Motl delivered a ground-rule double in the right-center gap to bring in another. Connor Schaefbauer then got the job done by a run-scoring ground out. When all was said and done, Minnesota held a 5-2 lead.
Indiana then scored four straight runs across the third and fourth stanzas by way of two home runs to regain the lead at 6-5.
The lead did not last long and the Gophers rattled off two more roundtrippers in the ensuing at-bat. Coffey and J. Smith belted solo home runs to left and center, respectively and put the home squad back on top.
The Hoosiers found life in the fifth and sixth frames. Indiana combined to plate six runs on seven hits, including three doubles to take a 12-7 lead.
Stemper brought the margin down to four with a leadoff solo shot over the left field wall in the home half of the sixth.
That was the last run to cross the plate from either team as the game's final three innings were scoreless. Indiana went on to win 12-8 and send Minnesota to just its third loss at home all season.
With four home runs on Friday, the Gophers have now drilled 14 homers in their last four games played, including 11 at Siebert Field.
The two Big Ten foes resume their series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. in Minneapolis, Minn.
