University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
15-35, 0
Northwestern
22-27, 0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Skoro, Tom (1-0)
L: Beshears (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Beshears 1 ; Bianchina 1
HR: Beshears 1 ; O'Donnell 1 ; Fontes 2
RBI: Calarco 1 ; Beshears 4 ; O'Donnell 3 ; Fontes 5 ; Hrustich 1
SH: Santini 1
SF: Hrustich 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Herrera, P. 1 ; Calarco 2 ; Beshears 4 ; O'Donnell 2 ; Fontes 3 ; Livermore 1 ; Santini 1
SB: Herrera, P. 1
CS: Bianchina 1
Batting:
2B: Kelly, Jack 2 ; Sweeny, Ronald 1 ; Larson, Jake 1 ; Wilhite, Andrew 1
3B: Wilhite, Andrew 1
HR: Swenson, Riley 1
RBI: Bateman, Brett 2 ; Kelly, Jack 1 ; Swenson, Riley 3 ; Larson, Jake 3 ; Perry, Jake 2 ; Wilhite, Andrew 3
SF: Larson, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Merila, Boston 1 ; Stanke, Chase 1 ; Kelly, Jack 4 ; Swenson, Riley 2 ; Sweeny, Ronald 2 ; Larson, Jake 3 ; Perry, Jake 1 ; Wilhite, Andrew 1
SB: Stanke, Chase 1 ; Sweeny, Ronald 1 ; Larson, Jake 1
CS: Bateman, Brett 2
HBP: Merila, Boston 2 ; Swenson, Riley 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Gophers Offense Explodes in Win over Northwestern
5/19/2022 10:15:00 PM | Baseball
Larson/Swenson/Wilhite combine for eight hits, nine RBI
Minnesota (16-34, 6-16 Big Ten) scored five of its ten runs in the bottom of the fifth inning after trailing 6-5. The Gophers never trailed Northwestern (22-27, 8-14 Big Ten) again in their third straight conference win at Siebert Field.
Offensively, the Gophers were paced by three-hit outings from Andrew Wilhite (3-for-4, three RBI) and Riley Swenson (3-for-4, three RBI). Wilhite hit a single, double and triple, missing the cycle by a home run. Jake Larson (2-for-4) also drove in a career-high three RBI.
Sam Ireland started on the mound for Minnesota striking out five and giving up six earned runs in 5.0 innings. The Gophers chased out Northwestern starter Coby Moe after just 3.0 innings after he gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks.
Minnesota started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Riley Swenson blasted a three-run home run, his third of the year, to deep left field. NU answered back with a sacrifice fly in the top of the second before Wilhite drove in another Gophers run with an RBI single in the second to put his team up 4-1.
A three-run home run by NU's Ethan O'Donnell would tie the game in the top of the third. Jake Larson put the 'U' back on top 5-4 with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame, driving in Jack Kelly.
The Wildcats took their first and only lead of the game in the top of the fifth inning. A two-run home run to right center by outfielder Ruben Fontes put NU up 6-5 in Ireland's last inning of work.
The Gophers would make sure their starter left with a victory, scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Larson drove in a run on a fielder's choice before Wilhite drilled a double off the wall in right field, plating a pair. Brett Bateman drove in another run with an RBI single and the 10th run of the game came in on a double steal play with runners on first and third.
Minnesota scored three more in the bottom of the sixth to take a commanding 13-6 lead and break the game open. An RBI double from Larson and a two-run single from Jake Perry ballooned the lead to seven.
A three-run home run by NU's Fontes cut the lead to 13-9 before Kelly answered with an RBI double to put his team up 14-9 in the seventh.
Gophers right-hander Richie Holetz, who pitched 2.0 innings, left in the top of the eighth with the bases loaded. Left-hander Tom Skoro (1-0) came in to pitch and gave up an RBI single followed by a game-tying grand slam by NU's Jay Beshears.
The 'U' loaded up the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Bateman drove in Sweeny on an RBI groundout to put Minnesota back up one, 15-14. Skoro would close out the Wildcats in the ninth to earn his first win of the season.
UP NEXT
Minnesota and Northwestern play game two of the series tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. CT.