University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, March 18
Omaha, NE
6:30 PM
University of Minnesota
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Creighton
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Creighton Wins Game One with Walk-Off Single
3/18/2022 9:55:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Golden Gophers fell to the Creighton Bluejays in walk-off fashion on Friday night at Charles Schwab Field.
Minnesota held Creighton scoreless from the third inning through the eighth inning after trailing 4-0 early. The Gophers would tie the game in the ninth inning before the Bluejays scored the game-winning run on a walk-off single to win, 5-4.
Jack Kelly paced the Gophers (5-13, 0-0 Big Ten) once again offensively, going 3-for-5 with a triple, double and a single. Boston Merila went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
Starting pitcher Sam Ireland (2-0) lasted a season-low 4.0 innings, striking out one while allowing six hits and four earned runs. Richie Holetz pitched a season-best 2.2 innings in relief, striking out three and shutting out the Bluejays. Left-hander Tom Skoro tossed 1.1 innings, striking out three and allowing no runs. Will Semb (1-3) took the loss after pitching in the ninth.
The Bluejays (7-6, 0-0 BIG EAST) started the scoring with a two-spot in the bottom of the first. After a hit-by-pitch and a double, the home team plated two with a sacrifice fly and a two out RBI single. They would add another in the second after getting a one out walk, a stolen base and a clutch RBI single to take a 3-0 lead.
CU would turn a leadoff walk and a fielding error by Ronald Sweeny into their fourth run of the game. A sacrifice fly by Bluejays' center fielder Esposito gave the home team a 4-0 advantage after three.
Minnesota would finally get onto the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Sweeny ripped a line drive that was misplayed by the left fielder and reached second base on the play. He moved over to third after a groundout by Joe Hauser and went on to score after a sacrifice fly by Andrew Wilhite.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Gophers got it going again offensively in the seventh. Stahl, Grimm and Stanke drew walks to load the bases with one out. After a pop out by Kelly, Merila drove in two runs with a single down the line in left field. After 6.5 innings, the 'U' had trimmed the Bluejays lead to just one at 4-3.
The Gophers threatened again in the eighth, getting a two out double from Drew Stahl. After Brett Bateman was intentionally walked, Otto Grimm struck out looking to end the inning.
After shutting down the Bluejays in the eighth, Minnesota broke through in the ninth inning with a run to tie the game. Chase Stanke singled to start the inning before Kelly blasted a triple to deep center field, scoring Stanke to tie it up. Kelly would end up stranded on third as the 'U' left the bases loaded in the ninth. A pop up, strike out and line out ended the inning and the game went to the bottom of the ninth.
Back-to-back singles to start the ninth inning left runners on first and third base with no one out for the home team. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, CU's Chris Esposito delivered the game-winning hit, a single to left field to push the final run across.
UP NEXT
Minnesota plays Creighton again tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Charles Schwab Field.
Minnesota held Creighton scoreless from the third inning through the eighth inning after trailing 4-0 early. The Gophers would tie the game in the ninth inning before the Bluejays scored the game-winning run on a walk-off single to win, 5-4.
Jack Kelly paced the Gophers (5-13, 0-0 Big Ten) once again offensively, going 3-for-5 with a triple, double and a single. Boston Merila went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
Starting pitcher Sam Ireland (2-0) lasted a season-low 4.0 innings, striking out one while allowing six hits and four earned runs. Richie Holetz pitched a season-best 2.2 innings in relief, striking out three and shutting out the Bluejays. Left-hander Tom Skoro tossed 1.1 innings, striking out three and allowing no runs. Will Semb (1-3) took the loss after pitching in the ninth.
The Bluejays (7-6, 0-0 BIG EAST) started the scoring with a two-spot in the bottom of the first. After a hit-by-pitch and a double, the home team plated two with a sacrifice fly and a two out RBI single. They would add another in the second after getting a one out walk, a stolen base and a clutch RBI single to take a 3-0 lead.
CU would turn a leadoff walk and a fielding error by Ronald Sweeny into their fourth run of the game. A sacrifice fly by Bluejays' center fielder Esposito gave the home team a 4-0 advantage after three.
Minnesota would finally get onto the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Sweeny ripped a line drive that was misplayed by the left fielder and reached second base on the play. He moved over to third after a groundout by Joe Hauser and went on to score after a sacrifice fly by Andrew Wilhite.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Gophers got it going again offensively in the seventh. Stahl, Grimm and Stanke drew walks to load the bases with one out. After a pop out by Kelly, Merila drove in two runs with a single down the line in left field. After 6.5 innings, the 'U' had trimmed the Bluejays lead to just one at 4-3.
The Gophers threatened again in the eighth, getting a two out double from Drew Stahl. After Brett Bateman was intentionally walked, Otto Grimm struck out looking to end the inning.
After shutting down the Bluejays in the eighth, Minnesota broke through in the ninth inning with a run to tie the game. Chase Stanke singled to start the inning before Kelly blasted a triple to deep center field, scoring Stanke to tie it up. Kelly would end up stranded on third as the 'U' left the bases loaded in the ninth. A pop up, strike out and line out ended the inning and the game went to the bottom of the ninth.
Back-to-back singles to start the ninth inning left runners on first and third base with no one out for the home team. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, CU's Chris Esposito delivered the game-winning hit, a single to left field to push the final run across.
UP NEXT
Minnesota plays Creighton again tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Charles Schwab Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Steier, T. (2-0)
L: Semb, Will (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Kelly, Jack 1 ; Stahl, Drew 1
3B: Kelly, Jack 1
RBI: Kelly, Jack 1 ; Merila, Boston 2 ; Wilhite, Andrew 1
SH: Bateman, Brett 1
SF: Wilhite, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Grimm, Otto 1 ; Stanke, Chase 1 ; Sweeny, Ronald 1 ; Stahl, Drew 1
SB: Stanke, Chase 1 ; Sweeny, Ronald 2
Batting:
2B: Wegner, J. 1
RBI: Voth, B 1 ; Esposito, C. 3 ; Hayes, S. 1
SF: Voth, B 1 ; Esposito, C. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meggs, A. 1 ; Roden, A. 1 ; Wegner, J. 2 ; Hess,K 1
SB: Hess,K 1
CS: Meggs, A. 1
HBP: Roden, A. 1
Game Leaders
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RBI
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AB
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Players Mentioned
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