University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 28
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
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North Carolina
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Preview: Minnesota Hosts the 2020 CambriaCollegeClassic
2/27/2020 12:42:00 PM | Baseball
Friday, Feb. 28
North Carolina vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Gophers Starter: RHP Max Meyer (1-1, 4.22 ERA)
North Carolina Starter: LHP Will Sandy (0-1, 4.35)
Saturday, Feb. 29
Duke vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP J.P. Massey (1-0, 5.59 ERA)
Duke Starter: RHP Cooper Stinson (2-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sunday, March 1
NC State vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Drake Davis (1-0, 8.59 ERA)
NC State Starter: LHP Chris Villaman (1-0, 1.59 ERA)
After playing .500 baseball and notching a pair of signature wins against Arizona and TCU through the first eight games of the season, Gopher Baseball will host the 2020 CambriaCollegeClassic at U.S. Bank Stadium this upcoming weekend. Over the course of the three-day event, Minnesota will take on three juggernaut opponents hailing from the Atlantic Coast Conference in North Carolina, No. 14 Duke and No. 13 NC State.
In total, six teams will partake in the first annual CambriaCollegeClassic, as Minnesota also welcomes in two fellow Big Ten Conference programs in Iowa and Purdue. At the end of the third and final day of competition, the team with the best round robin record will be crowned the tournament champion. An all-tournament team and tournament MVP will also be announced on Sunday night.
Last Time Out
Minnesota enters the CambriaCollegeClassic after dropping two-out-of-three games to TCU last weekend. The Maroon & Gold dropped games one and three, recording their lone win in the series in game two. J.P. Massey earned the win in game two, with Bubba Horton securing his first save of the season. Easton Bertrand, Jordan Kozicky and Jack Wassel all homered in the series. The Gophers then rebounded this past Wednesday, winning their first midweek game of the season over SDSU, 4-2.
2020 Snapshot
The Gophers embark on the CCC with a 4-4 record, having won games against Oregon, Arizona, TCU and SDSU so far this season. With a pair of signature wins on their resume, the Minnesota offense is batting .257 through the first eight games of 2020, while opponents are hitting .248 off Gopher pitching.
First Annual CambriaCollegeClassic
Although this is the first CambriaCollegeClassic at U.S. Bank Stadium, the early-season tournament is primed to be a major event in the Twin Cities for years to come. With the current deal running through the 2025 season, baseball fans in the area can get used to the trend of seeing some of the top collegiate programs in the country in Minneapolis during the winter months. New to this year will be countless new awards such as tournament MVP and an all-tournament team, as well as Club Cambria lounge for fans on the main concourse.
Against the Tournament Field
The Gophers have a limited history against their upcoming ACC opponents, with Saturday's match-up against Duke marking the first-ever game between the two schools. Minnesota possesses a 1-1 all-time record against UNC, although these teams have not played since the 2001 campaign. The deepest history resurfacing this weekend will come against NC State, who swept Minnesota in a three-game series in 2019 to move the Gophers' record to 2-5 against the Wolfpack.
Power Surge
After failing to homer in the first five games of the season, Gopher bats erupted for multi-home run affairs against TCU in games two and three. Bertrand (two), Kozicky (one) and Wassel (one) combined for four home runs over Minnesota's previous two weekend contests.
Horton Breaking Out
Two of Minnesota's three wins in 2020 have been locked down by lefty reliever Horton, who notched two-plus inning saves against both Arizona and TCU. Pitching a combined five innings in the two games, Horton scattered two hits and struck out an astounding 10 opposing batters.
Meyer Strikes Out Double-Digits
In last Friday's series-opening loss to TCU, Gopher ace Max Meyer struck out 10 Horned Frogs in just 5 2/3 frames. Meyer also allowed a career-high four earned runs in the game.
Schoeberl and Thoresen Notch Milestone Firsts
In Wednesday's win over SDSU, freshman Trent Schoeberl registered his first career win after throwing 5 1/3 innings with zero earned runs and five strikeouts. Schoeberl has now pitched 8 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run to begin his Gopher career. Sam Thoresen saved the first game of his career with two no-hit innings to close out the game.
Kozicky Added to Bobby Bragan Watch List
Kozicky was named to the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List last week, which includes 36 players across the nation. The national award is based on an offensive player's performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
Career Firsts Applenty
Gophers Noah Berghammer, Otto Grimm and Drew Stahl all received their first career starts during the TCU series. Although the latter two players already hauled in their first collegiate hits two weekends ago, Berghammer notched the first base hit of his career in game three against TCU. Bennett Theisen also made his college debut on the mound against TCU.
Breakouts on the Horizon
Second-year starters Zack Raabe and Wassel appear to be breaking out for the Gophers at the plate in 2020. Raabe owns a .313/.389/.438 line to begin the year, while Wassel is hitting .321/.441/.571.
Milestone Watch
As the lone senior on the roster, Kozicky has numerous career milestones in sight as he embarks on his final season in Gold Country. Kozicky is just 42 hits away from reaching 200 for his career, while also being within striking distance of Minnesota's top-10 all-time lists in the following stats: doubles (11 needed), home runs (six needed), and RBI (45 needed). Already in 2020, Kozicky moved onto the career top-10 list for most hit by pitches, currently in 10th place all-time with 20.
Back at the Bank
After being away from their second home for the entirety of 2019 due to the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Minnesota is set to return to U.S. Bank Stadium this season. The Gophers begin their 2020 home slate with 14 consecutive contests at U.S. Bank, running from Feb. 22 to March 11. When the U last competed at U.S. bank in 2018, they went 8-5 with series wins against Iowa and St. John's, whie sweeping series against Purdue and Penn State.
On the Draft Radar
Meyer headlines the list of Minnesota's potential upcoming draftees, having been listed as the No. 24 overall prospect for the 2020 MLB Draft by MLB Pipeline.CBN also acknowledged Meyer in their 2020 Draft Preview section as a player likely to be selected within the first two rounds of this June's MLB Draft. Meyer was previously drafted out of high school in the 34th round by the
Minnesota Twins. Overall, the Gophers have 16 draft-eligible players in 2020. Junior right-handed pitchers Patrick Fredrickson, Sam Thoresen, Drake Davis and Joshua Culliver, as well as position players Kozicky, Jack Kelly, Ronald Sweeny and Drew Hmielewski are among those also generating significant draft buzz.
Diamond Rooks
Eleven new faces can be found in the Gopher dugout this season, as the team welcomes eight freshmen and three transfers to the 2020 ranks. Davis will also be making his debut in the Maroon & Gold this year after sitting out the entirety of the 2019 season due to NCAA transfer restrictions. This year's rookie class was ranked third in the Big Ten and 54th in the country by CBN. Ten of the aforementioned 12 players received national rankings from either Perfect Game or Prep Baseball Report, while all 12 were ranked among the best at their position in their home state.
Familiar Faces
Coupled with the newcomers are 23 returners to Minnesota's 2020 dugout, including four positional starters and four starting pitchers. These returners will be led by Kozicky, the lone senior, although 12 juniors are back from last year as well.
2019 in Review
The Gophers finished the 2019 campaign at 29-27 (15-9), earning a berth in the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and for the 33rd time since the tournament began in 1981. As the No. 4 seed, Minnesota advanced all the way to the semifinal game before their journey came to a close with a loss to Ohio State. Included in the tournament was a season highlight for the U, as the Gophers upset No. 1 seeded Indiana to keep their bid for a championship alive.
TV Schedule Announced
Minnesota will appear on television four times this season and on three occasions at home in 2020. The Gophers will be featured on BTN on April 5 at home against Rutgers (2 p.m. CT), April 10 at Illinois (4 p.m. CT) and on May 9 at home against Michigan (8 p.m. CT). The Gophers' May 8 home contest against Michigan will air on ESPNU at 8:30 p.m. CT.
Up Next
After the completion of the CambriaCollegeClassic, Minnesota will host two midweek games against North Dakota State and South Dakota State on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, respectively.
North Carolina vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Gophers Starter: RHP Max Meyer (1-1, 4.22 ERA)
North Carolina Starter: LHP Will Sandy (0-1, 4.35)
Saturday, Feb. 29
Duke vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP J.P. Massey (1-0, 5.59 ERA)
Duke Starter: RHP Cooper Stinson (2-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sunday, March 1
NC State vs. Minnesota
First Pitch: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium
Minnesota Starter: RHP Drake Davis (1-0, 8.59 ERA)
NC State Starter: LHP Chris Villaman (1-0, 1.59 ERA)
After playing .500 baseball and notching a pair of signature wins against Arizona and TCU through the first eight games of the season, Gopher Baseball will host the 2020 CambriaCollegeClassic at U.S. Bank Stadium this upcoming weekend. Over the course of the three-day event, Minnesota will take on three juggernaut opponents hailing from the Atlantic Coast Conference in North Carolina, No. 14 Duke and No. 13 NC State.
In total, six teams will partake in the first annual CambriaCollegeClassic, as Minnesota also welcomes in two fellow Big Ten Conference programs in Iowa and Purdue. At the end of the third and final day of competition, the team with the best round robin record will be crowned the tournament champion. An all-tournament team and tournament MVP will also be announced on Sunday night.
Last Time Out
Minnesota enters the CambriaCollegeClassic after dropping two-out-of-three games to TCU last weekend. The Maroon & Gold dropped games one and three, recording their lone win in the series in game two. J.P. Massey earned the win in game two, with Bubba Horton securing his first save of the season. Easton Bertrand, Jordan Kozicky and Jack Wassel all homered in the series. The Gophers then rebounded this past Wednesday, winning their first midweek game of the season over SDSU, 4-2.
2020 Snapshot
The Gophers embark on the CCC with a 4-4 record, having won games against Oregon, Arizona, TCU and SDSU so far this season. With a pair of signature wins on their resume, the Minnesota offense is batting .257 through the first eight games of 2020, while opponents are hitting .248 off Gopher pitching.
First Annual CambriaCollegeClassic
Although this is the first CambriaCollegeClassic at U.S. Bank Stadium, the early-season tournament is primed to be a major event in the Twin Cities for years to come. With the current deal running through the 2025 season, baseball fans in the area can get used to the trend of seeing some of the top collegiate programs in the country in Minneapolis during the winter months. New to this year will be countless new awards such as tournament MVP and an all-tournament team, as well as Club Cambria lounge for fans on the main concourse.
Against the Tournament Field
The Gophers have a limited history against their upcoming ACC opponents, with Saturday's match-up against Duke marking the first-ever game between the two schools. Minnesota possesses a 1-1 all-time record against UNC, although these teams have not played since the 2001 campaign. The deepest history resurfacing this weekend will come against NC State, who swept Minnesota in a three-game series in 2019 to move the Gophers' record to 2-5 against the Wolfpack.
Power Surge
After failing to homer in the first five games of the season, Gopher bats erupted for multi-home run affairs against TCU in games two and three. Bertrand (two), Kozicky (one) and Wassel (one) combined for four home runs over Minnesota's previous two weekend contests.
Horton Breaking Out
Two of Minnesota's three wins in 2020 have been locked down by lefty reliever Horton, who notched two-plus inning saves against both Arizona and TCU. Pitching a combined five innings in the two games, Horton scattered two hits and struck out an astounding 10 opposing batters.
Meyer Strikes Out Double-Digits
In last Friday's series-opening loss to TCU, Gopher ace Max Meyer struck out 10 Horned Frogs in just 5 2/3 frames. Meyer also allowed a career-high four earned runs in the game.
Schoeberl and Thoresen Notch Milestone Firsts
In Wednesday's win over SDSU, freshman Trent Schoeberl registered his first career win after throwing 5 1/3 innings with zero earned runs and five strikeouts. Schoeberl has now pitched 8 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run to begin his Gopher career. Sam Thoresen saved the first game of his career with two no-hit innings to close out the game.
Kozicky Added to Bobby Bragan Watch List
Kozicky was named to the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List last week, which includes 36 players across the nation. The national award is based on an offensive player's performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
Career Firsts Applenty
Gophers Noah Berghammer, Otto Grimm and Drew Stahl all received their first career starts during the TCU series. Although the latter two players already hauled in their first collegiate hits two weekends ago, Berghammer notched the first base hit of his career in game three against TCU. Bennett Theisen also made his college debut on the mound against TCU.
Breakouts on the Horizon
Second-year starters Zack Raabe and Wassel appear to be breaking out for the Gophers at the plate in 2020. Raabe owns a .313/.389/.438 line to begin the year, while Wassel is hitting .321/.441/.571.
Milestone Watch
As the lone senior on the roster, Kozicky has numerous career milestones in sight as he embarks on his final season in Gold Country. Kozicky is just 42 hits away from reaching 200 for his career, while also being within striking distance of Minnesota's top-10 all-time lists in the following stats: doubles (11 needed), home runs (six needed), and RBI (45 needed). Already in 2020, Kozicky moved onto the career top-10 list for most hit by pitches, currently in 10th place all-time with 20.
Back at the Bank
After being away from their second home for the entirety of 2019 due to the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Minnesota is set to return to U.S. Bank Stadium this season. The Gophers begin their 2020 home slate with 14 consecutive contests at U.S. Bank, running from Feb. 22 to March 11. When the U last competed at U.S. bank in 2018, they went 8-5 with series wins against Iowa and St. John's, whie sweeping series against Purdue and Penn State.
On the Draft Radar
Meyer headlines the list of Minnesota's potential upcoming draftees, having been listed as the No. 24 overall prospect for the 2020 MLB Draft by MLB Pipeline.CBN also acknowledged Meyer in their 2020 Draft Preview section as a player likely to be selected within the first two rounds of this June's MLB Draft. Meyer was previously drafted out of high school in the 34th round by the
Minnesota Twins. Overall, the Gophers have 16 draft-eligible players in 2020. Junior right-handed pitchers Patrick Fredrickson, Sam Thoresen, Drake Davis and Joshua Culliver, as well as position players Kozicky, Jack Kelly, Ronald Sweeny and Drew Hmielewski are among those also generating significant draft buzz.
Diamond Rooks
Eleven new faces can be found in the Gopher dugout this season, as the team welcomes eight freshmen and three transfers to the 2020 ranks. Davis will also be making his debut in the Maroon & Gold this year after sitting out the entirety of the 2019 season due to NCAA transfer restrictions. This year's rookie class was ranked third in the Big Ten and 54th in the country by CBN. Ten of the aforementioned 12 players received national rankings from either Perfect Game or Prep Baseball Report, while all 12 were ranked among the best at their position in their home state.
Familiar Faces
Coupled with the newcomers are 23 returners to Minnesota's 2020 dugout, including four positional starters and four starting pitchers. These returners will be led by Kozicky, the lone senior, although 12 juniors are back from last year as well.
2019 in Review
The Gophers finished the 2019 campaign at 29-27 (15-9), earning a berth in the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and for the 33rd time since the tournament began in 1981. As the No. 4 seed, Minnesota advanced all the way to the semifinal game before their journey came to a close with a loss to Ohio State. Included in the tournament was a season highlight for the U, as the Gophers upset No. 1 seeded Indiana to keep their bid for a championship alive.
TV Schedule Announced
Minnesota will appear on television four times this season and on three occasions at home in 2020. The Gophers will be featured on BTN on April 5 at home against Rutgers (2 p.m. CT), April 10 at Illinois (4 p.m. CT) and on May 9 at home against Michigan (8 p.m. CT). The Gophers' May 8 home contest against Michigan will air on ESPNU at 8:30 p.m. CT.
Up Next
After the completion of the CambriaCollegeClassic, Minnesota will host two midweek games against North Dakota State and South Dakota State on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, respectively.
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