University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, March 13
12:00 PM
University of Minnesota
5-12
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Air Force
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Air Force
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Minnesota Gophers
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Gophers Defeat Air Force in Series Finale
3/13/2022 3:50:00 PM | Baseball
Jack Kelly went 3-for-4 with four RBI
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers took down Air Force, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.
In a game that saw three separate lead changes, the Gophers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to claw out of a 6-4 deficit and take the final game of the series.
Redshirt senior Jack Kelly paced the Minnesota offense, going 3-for-4 with a single, triple and a two-run home run. Junior right-hander Aidan Maldonado tossed 5.1 innings, striking out four while allowing five hits and two earned runs. He gave way to freshman George Klassen in the sixth, who pitched 0.2 innings. Sophomore Will Semb (1-2) came out of the bullpen to pitch 2.2 innings, earning his first win as a Gopher and striking out a career-high six batters.
Air Force started the scoring when it hit solo home runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead. Jack Kelly would put the Gophers on the board in the bottom of the fourth after hitting a leadoff triple and scoring on a wild pitch.
Minnesota would keep the pressure on offensively, as Brett Bateman hit a one out triple down the left field line to get his team going in the bottom of the fifth. After Otto Grimm drew a walk, Chase Stanke drove in Bateman with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2. After Stanke, a hanging curveball to Jack Kelly was blasted into the upper deck in right field to put the Gophers up 4-2, giving the home team its first lead of the game. The home run was Kelly's fourth of the year and second of the weekend.
The Falcons big inning would come in the top of the seventh. Klassen walked the first two hitters of the inning before being replaced by fellow freshman Sam Malec. A bunt for a hit and a throwing error by Malec resulted in a run scoring and the runners moving to second and third with no one out. A two-run double by Falcons second baseman Tamiya helped the visitors retake the lead at 5-4. Will Semb came in for the 'U' to close out the inning. After striking out the first hitter he faced, a wild pitch allowed another run to score.
Trailing 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Gophers refused to go down quietly. Otto Grimm singled to center to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He would move up to third after a Stanke groundout to second. Kelly drove him in with his third hit of the game, a single to left center. Ronald Sweeny but some pressure on the defense with a bunt single. A poor throw to first by the pitcher resulted in Sweeny moving to second and Kelly going to third. They would both score on a wild pitch, with Sweeny scoring on an error after initially getting in a rundown between third and home. This put the Gophers up 7-6 heading into the eighth inning.
Semb faced the minimum in the eighth inning before getting into a bit of trouble in the ninth. After getting the first out, the next two hitters doubled and singled, respectively. With two runners on and one out, Semb struck out the final two hitters to close the game and seal the victory for Minnesota.
UP NEXT
Minnesota (5-12) plays a three game series at Creighton next weekend in Omaha, Neb.
In a game that saw three separate lead changes, the Gophers scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to claw out of a 6-4 deficit and take the final game of the series.
Redshirt senior Jack Kelly paced the Minnesota offense, going 3-for-4 with a single, triple and a two-run home run. Junior right-hander Aidan Maldonado tossed 5.1 innings, striking out four while allowing five hits and two earned runs. He gave way to freshman George Klassen in the sixth, who pitched 0.2 innings. Sophomore Will Semb (1-2) came out of the bullpen to pitch 2.2 innings, earning his first win as a Gopher and striking out a career-high six batters.
Air Force started the scoring when it hit solo home runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead. Jack Kelly would put the Gophers on the board in the bottom of the fourth after hitting a leadoff triple and scoring on a wild pitch.
Minnesota would keep the pressure on offensively, as Brett Bateman hit a one out triple down the left field line to get his team going in the bottom of the fifth. After Otto Grimm drew a walk, Chase Stanke drove in Bateman with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2. After Stanke, a hanging curveball to Jack Kelly was blasted into the upper deck in right field to put the Gophers up 4-2, giving the home team its first lead of the game. The home run was Kelly's fourth of the year and second of the weekend.
The Falcons big inning would come in the top of the seventh. Klassen walked the first two hitters of the inning before being replaced by fellow freshman Sam Malec. A bunt for a hit and a throwing error by Malec resulted in a run scoring and the runners moving to second and third with no one out. A two-run double by Falcons second baseman Tamiya helped the visitors retake the lead at 5-4. Will Semb came in for the 'U' to close out the inning. After striking out the first hitter he faced, a wild pitch allowed another run to score.
Trailing 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Gophers refused to go down quietly. Otto Grimm singled to center to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He would move up to third after a Stanke groundout to second. Kelly drove him in with his third hit of the game, a single to left center. Ronald Sweeny but some pressure on the defense with a bunt single. A poor throw to first by the pitcher resulted in Sweeny moving to second and Kelly going to third. They would both score on a wild pitch, with Sweeny scoring on an error after initially getting in a rundown between third and home. This put the Gophers up 7-6 heading into the eighth inning.
Semb faced the minimum in the eighth inning before getting into a bit of trouble in the ninth. After getting the first out, the next two hitters doubled and singled, respectively. With two runners on and one out, Semb struck out the final two hitters to close the game and seal the victory for Minnesota.
UP NEXT
Minnesota (5-12) plays a three game series at Creighton next weekend in Omaha, Neb.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Semb, Will (1-2)
L: MOATS (0-1)
Batting:
2B: TAMIYA 2
HR: GARCIA 1 ; ALTORFER 1
RBI: GARCIA 1 ; ALTORFER 1 ; TAMIYA 2
Base Running:
RUNS: GARCIA 1 ; ALTORFER 2 ; THOMASON 1 ; JOE 1 ; TAMIYA 1
SB: COVIN 1 ; GARCIA 1 ; ALTORFER 1 ; BOOKER 1
CS: GARCIA 1
HBP: GARCIA 1 ; ALTORFER 1
PO: BOOKER 1
Batting:
3B: Bateman, Brett 1 ; Kelly, Jack 1
HR: Kelly, Jack 1
RBI: Stanke, Chase 1 ; Kelly, Jack 3
SF: Stanke, Chase 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bateman, Brett 1 ; Grimm, Otto 2 ; Kelly, Jack 3 ; Sweeny, Ronald 1
CS: Stahl, Drew 1
HBP: Stanke, Chase 1 ; Wilhite, Andrew 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
3
ph/2b
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballC/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballWeber Neels Highlights
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Gophers (11) - Michigan State (5) Highlights
Friday, May 16
Gophers (4) - Michigan State (3) Highlights
Thursday, May 15
Gopher Baseball Senior Salute
Monday, May 12