University of Minnesota Athletics
Tuesday, April 12
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
St. Thomas
Players Mentioned
OF
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INF
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RHP
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LHP
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RHP
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C/OF
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LHP
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RHP
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C
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INF
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Gophers Host St. Thomas for a Mid-Week Game
4/11/2022 7:43:00 PM | Baseball
Minnesota defeated UST 12-0 on March 1
Tuesday, April 12
St. Thomas at Minnesota
First Pitch: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Siebert Field
Minnesota Starter: LHP Jack Liffrig (8.00 ERA, 1-2, 18.0 IP, 11 SO)
St. Thomas Starter: TBD
Stream: B1G+
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-20, 1-5 Big Ten) are set to play their second of four mid-week games of the season against St. Thomas (5-19, 2-7 Summit) in their first season transitioning to Division I. The Gophers, who defeated UST 12-0 on March 1, are coming off their first Big Ten win of the year in a victory over No. 23 Maryland. The Tommies defeated NDSU on Saturday before falling in the second and third games.
SCOUTING ST. THOMAS
-In fall 2021 St. Thomas became the first institution to make a direct move in all sports from NCAA D-III into D-I athletics. The Tommies are in year one of a five-year provisional period as they look to establish full membership in Division I, and become the 358th D-I institution.
-Chris Olean enters his 13th year as the head coach of St. Thomas Baseball in 2021-22 and his 26th season as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Olean established himself among the top coaches in Division III with a 338-149-1 record (.693 win %) and seven of a possible 11 conference championships.
-In 2022, UST is led by left-hander Graham Laubscher, who was named Summit League Pitcher of the Week after tossing 8.1 shutout innings, striking out 15 and allowing just two hits in a 6-0 win over NDSU Friday.
-Offensively, Charlie Barholomew leads UST with a .270 average with 11 RBI.
-UST's 2021 season saw them post a 37-10 final record and No. 2 ranking in the final national poll. They went 11-5 in the postseason and made it all the way to the Division III World Series.
SERIES HISTORY
-Minnesota leads the all-time series, 1-0. The Gophers blasted a season-best five home runs in the 12-0 win on March 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Chase Stanke hit two while Easton Bertrand, Kyle Bork and Ronald Sweeny had one each.
-Jack Liffrig, who will start Tuesday, worked 7.2 innings and allowing just three hits from the Tommies. He struck out one and didn't surrender any walks.
LAST TIME OUT
-Minnesota fell 11-7 Friday and 5-4 on Saturday before taking down No. 23 Maryland (25-7, 4-2 Big Ten) 4-3 on Sunday.
-The Terps scored four runs in the fourth inning Friday to take a 6-2 lead before cruising to a series-opening victory.
-UMD went up 5-1 after another four-run fourth inning Saturday. The Gophers would fight back, cutting the lead to 5-4, but couldn't tie the game despite loading the bases in both the sixth and seventh innings.
-Minnesota never trailed Sunday. They led 3-1 heading into the seventh, paced by Aidan Maldonado's six innings of work with just one earned run.
-Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, a two-out triple from Brady Counsell followed by a passed ball allowed him to score the game-winning run. Tom Skoro struck out the side to close it out in the ninth.
GOPHERS HITTING THE LONG BALL
-Minnesota ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 31 home runs in 29 games this season. Chase Stanke ranks fifth in the conference with nine while Jack Kelly has hit six. Easton Bertrand and Ronald Sweeny are up next with four apiece.
MINNESOTA SWIPING BASES AT A HIGH RATE
-The Gophers have been aggressive on the base paths this season, swiping 38 bases in 48 attempts. The 'U' ranks third in the conference in stolen bases and have gotten contributions from nine different players. Bateman (11), Wilhite (8) and Bertrand (5) lead the team.
COUNSELL CRUSHING IN CONFERENCE PLAY
-In Minnesota's six conference games, freshman Brady Counsell has led the team in average (.313), total bases (12), triples (1), home runs (1) and ranks second in hits (5).
-In his two starts against Maryland, he went 3-for-8 with a pair of triples and runs. He scored the game-winning run on a passed ball on Sunday to help pull the upset.
-For the season, he leads all true freshmen in appearances (19), batting average (.268) and hits (11).
MALDONADO MAKES HIS WAY
-Redshirt junior Aidan Maldonado brought his best stuff on Sunday in a win over No. 23 Maryland. He battled through 6.0 innings, striking out five and giving up a season-low one earned run.
-He picked up a no-decision, but it's the second time this year he's gone six-or-more innings against a ranked team. Maldonado went 6.0 innings against No. 12 Notre Dame on March 6, striking out five while allowing five hits and just two earned runs.
MINNESOTA OPENS UP ITS HOME SLATE AT SIEBERT
-The Gophers are in game four of 15 home games at Siebert Field this season.
-Despite going 2-8 at Siebert Field in 2021, Minnesota is 53-35 there in the last six seasons.
-The 'U' went 13-7 in 2019, 12-2 in 2018, 10-9 2017, 16-7 in 2016 at Siebert Field.
-The Gophers are 6-3 in their last nine home openers at Siebert Field. (Lost 7-6 to Michigan State on April 2, 2021).
BULLPEN SHINES IN BIG TEN HOME OPENING WEEKEND
-Minnesota's bullpen was stellar in its final two games this weekend against the No. 23 ranked Terps.
-In its final 9.2 innings pitched, the 'pen' allowed UMD to score in just runs. On Saturday, Richie Holetz, Josh Culliver, Noah DeLuga and Will Semb combined to go 5.2 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out seven.
-On Sunday, Noah DeLuga (picked up first career win) and Tom Skoro combined to go 2.2 shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five.
KELLY CRUSHING OPPOSING PITCHING
-Senior utility player Jack Kelly has been on a tear in his final collegiate season.
-He leads the team in hits (36) and RBI (30) while also totaling 11 multi-hit games.
-B1G Ranks: Batting Avg.: .375 (5th), SLG%: .729 (2nd), triples: 3 (2nd) and OB+SLG%: 1.180
$2 Hot Dogs
-Minnesota will be selling $2 hot dogs at Siebert Field Tuesday afternoon for its game against UST.
UP NEXT
Minnesota travels to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes from April 15-17. Friday's game is set for 7:05 p.m. CT on BTN.
St. Thomas at Minnesota
First Pitch: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Siebert Field
Minnesota Starter: LHP Jack Liffrig (8.00 ERA, 1-2, 18.0 IP, 11 SO)
St. Thomas Starter: TBD
Stream: B1G+
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-20, 1-5 Big Ten) are set to play their second of four mid-week games of the season against St. Thomas (5-19, 2-7 Summit) in their first season transitioning to Division I. The Gophers, who defeated UST 12-0 on March 1, are coming off their first Big Ten win of the year in a victory over No. 23 Maryland. The Tommies defeated NDSU on Saturday before falling in the second and third games.
SCOUTING ST. THOMAS
-In fall 2021 St. Thomas became the first institution to make a direct move in all sports from NCAA D-III into D-I athletics. The Tommies are in year one of a five-year provisional period as they look to establish full membership in Division I, and become the 358th D-I institution.
-Chris Olean enters his 13th year as the head coach of St. Thomas Baseball in 2021-22 and his 26th season as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Olean established himself among the top coaches in Division III with a 338-149-1 record (.693 win %) and seven of a possible 11 conference championships.
-In 2022, UST is led by left-hander Graham Laubscher, who was named Summit League Pitcher of the Week after tossing 8.1 shutout innings, striking out 15 and allowing just two hits in a 6-0 win over NDSU Friday.
-Offensively, Charlie Barholomew leads UST with a .270 average with 11 RBI.
-UST's 2021 season saw them post a 37-10 final record and No. 2 ranking in the final national poll. They went 11-5 in the postseason and made it all the way to the Division III World Series.
SERIES HISTORY
-Minnesota leads the all-time series, 1-0. The Gophers blasted a season-best five home runs in the 12-0 win on March 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Chase Stanke hit two while Easton Bertrand, Kyle Bork and Ronald Sweeny had one each.
-Jack Liffrig, who will start Tuesday, worked 7.2 innings and allowing just three hits from the Tommies. He struck out one and didn't surrender any walks.
LAST TIME OUT
-Minnesota fell 11-7 Friday and 5-4 on Saturday before taking down No. 23 Maryland (25-7, 4-2 Big Ten) 4-3 on Sunday.
-The Terps scored four runs in the fourth inning Friday to take a 6-2 lead before cruising to a series-opening victory.
-UMD went up 5-1 after another four-run fourth inning Saturday. The Gophers would fight back, cutting the lead to 5-4, but couldn't tie the game despite loading the bases in both the sixth and seventh innings.
-Minnesota never trailed Sunday. They led 3-1 heading into the seventh, paced by Aidan Maldonado's six innings of work with just one earned run.
-Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, a two-out triple from Brady Counsell followed by a passed ball allowed him to score the game-winning run. Tom Skoro struck out the side to close it out in the ninth.
GOPHERS HITTING THE LONG BALL
-Minnesota ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 31 home runs in 29 games this season. Chase Stanke ranks fifth in the conference with nine while Jack Kelly has hit six. Easton Bertrand and Ronald Sweeny are up next with four apiece.
MINNESOTA SWIPING BASES AT A HIGH RATE
-The Gophers have been aggressive on the base paths this season, swiping 38 bases in 48 attempts. The 'U' ranks third in the conference in stolen bases and have gotten contributions from nine different players. Bateman (11), Wilhite (8) and Bertrand (5) lead the team.
COUNSELL CRUSHING IN CONFERENCE PLAY
-In Minnesota's six conference games, freshman Brady Counsell has led the team in average (.313), total bases (12), triples (1), home runs (1) and ranks second in hits (5).
-In his two starts against Maryland, he went 3-for-8 with a pair of triples and runs. He scored the game-winning run on a passed ball on Sunday to help pull the upset.
-For the season, he leads all true freshmen in appearances (19), batting average (.268) and hits (11).
MALDONADO MAKES HIS WAY
-Redshirt junior Aidan Maldonado brought his best stuff on Sunday in a win over No. 23 Maryland. He battled through 6.0 innings, striking out five and giving up a season-low one earned run.
-He picked up a no-decision, but it's the second time this year he's gone six-or-more innings against a ranked team. Maldonado went 6.0 innings against No. 12 Notre Dame on March 6, striking out five while allowing five hits and just two earned runs.
MINNESOTA OPENS UP ITS HOME SLATE AT SIEBERT
-The Gophers are in game four of 15 home games at Siebert Field this season.
-Despite going 2-8 at Siebert Field in 2021, Minnesota is 53-35 there in the last six seasons.
-The 'U' went 13-7 in 2019, 12-2 in 2018, 10-9 2017, 16-7 in 2016 at Siebert Field.
-The Gophers are 6-3 in their last nine home openers at Siebert Field. (Lost 7-6 to Michigan State on April 2, 2021).
BULLPEN SHINES IN BIG TEN HOME OPENING WEEKEND
-Minnesota's bullpen was stellar in its final two games this weekend against the No. 23 ranked Terps.
-In its final 9.2 innings pitched, the 'pen' allowed UMD to score in just runs. On Saturday, Richie Holetz, Josh Culliver, Noah DeLuga and Will Semb combined to go 5.2 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out seven.
-On Sunday, Noah DeLuga (picked up first career win) and Tom Skoro combined to go 2.2 shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five.
KELLY CRUSHING OPPOSING PITCHING
-Senior utility player Jack Kelly has been on a tear in his final collegiate season.
-He leads the team in hits (36) and RBI (30) while also totaling 11 multi-hit games.
-B1G Ranks: Batting Avg.: .375 (5th), SLG%: .729 (2nd), triples: 3 (2nd) and OB+SLG%: 1.180
$2 Hot Dogs
-Minnesota will be selling $2 hot dogs at Siebert Field Tuesday afternoon for its game against UST.
UP NEXT
Minnesota travels to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes from April 15-17. Friday's game is set for 7:05 p.m. CT on BTN.
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