University of Minnesota Athletics
Tuesday, March 14
Minneapolis, MN
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Gonzaga
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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C
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Gophers Host Defending WCC Champs in Mid-Week Series
3/12/2023 11:52:00 PM | Baseball
Gonzaga comes to town for games Tuesday and Wednesday
Tuesday, March 14
Minnesota vs. Gonzaga
First Pitch: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (U.S. Bank Stadium)
Minnesota Starter: RHP Ben Shepard (0-1, 3.27 ERA, 11.0 IP, 8K)
Gonzaga Starter: TBA
TV: B1G+
Wednesday, March 15
Minnesota vs. Gonzaga
First Pitch: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (U.S. Bank Stadium)
Minnesota Starter: TBA
Gonzaga Starter: TBA
TV: B1G+
MINNEAPOLIS. -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-14, 0-0 Big Ten) are hosting a two-game mid-week series against Gonzaga (2-11, 0-0 WCC) at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Bulldogs are coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022 and were picked to repeat as conference champions in the league's preseason poll. Both games will be streamed on B1G+ and live stats will be available at Gophersports.com.
LAST TIME OUT
-Minnesota was swept by West Virginia in three games last weekend. The Gophers fell 15-7, 7-2 and 7-4 in Morgantown, W.V., from Friday through Sunday.
HISTORICAL NOTES
-The 'U' is in its 135th year in program history in 2023
-John Anderson is in his 42nd year at the helm of Gopher Baseball, holding a 1,349-978-3 (.582) record. This includes a 604-400 (.603) B1G mark. Under his watch, the Gophers have won 11 B1G titles and hold 19 NCAA Tournament appearances.
-The winningest coach in Big Ten history, Anderson won his 600th conference game in April vs. Penn State. He's the only B1G coach to reach that mark.
-Anderson coached his 1,000th career B1G game in May against Indiana. He's the only coach in conference history to hit that mark.
SCOUTING GONZAGA
-Gonzaga (2-11, 0-0 WCC) is led by Mark Machtolf, who enters his 20th season as the Gonzaga University baseball head coach in 2023.
-The defending West Coast Conference champion Bulldogs were picked to repeat in 2023 by the coaches in the league. Gonzaga made the NCAA Tournament last year and won a postseason game for the first time under its current format.
-GU had four preseason All-Conference selections, with Owen Wild, Cade McGee, Savier Pinales and Grayson Sterling being named Preseason All-WCC.
-In 2023, Brian Kalmer leads the team with a .345 batting average, seven home runs and 19 RBI.
SERIES HISTORY
-Minnesota is 3-3 all-time against Gonzaga. The two teams last met in 2019 in Surprise, Ariz., with the Bulldogs coming away with a victory.
GOPHERS AT U.S. BANK STADIUM
-Minnesota is 2-4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2023, with wins over NIU and SDSU last week.
-The Gophers went 6-6 last season at U.S. Bank Stadium. They swept Western Illinois and defeated Air Force, Kansas and West Virginia once each.
-Dating back to 2020, Minnesota is 17-26 when playing at U.S. Bank Stadium.
'U' LOOKING TO BUILD ON MID-WEEKS
-The Gophers got off the schneid last week with wins over Northern Illinois (5-3) and South Dakota State (3-2). Minnesota trailed in both games early before coming from behind to take its first two victories of the season.
-The 'U' finishes its U.S. Bank slate this week with Gonzaga and Houston before heading outdoors.
GOPHERS SWIPING BASES AT A HIGH RATE
-Base stealing is a key element of Minnesota's game. They finished in the top-5 of the Big Ten last year and are on pace again in 2022.
-The Gophers are 19-27 in stolen bases, a number that's good for 7th in the league. Brady Counsell leads the team with seven on the season.
HOLETZ HOLDING FIRM IN SENIOR YEAR
-Fifth year senior Richie Holetz has been a major bright spot on the mound for the Gophers this spring. In his second year on campus since coming over from Omaha, he leads all starting pitchers in innings pitched (21.0), lowest opponent batting average (.260), hits (20) and earned runs (8).
-Holetz tossed a Minnesota-best 6.0 innings against No. 7 Vanderbilt last Sunday, giving up just three earned runs against one of the nation's top teams.s.
SWENSON SWINGING FOR FENCES
-Redshirt senior Riley Swenson had a big weekend at the Cambria College Classic for Minnesota. The Chaska native went 3-for-7, hitting two home runs and driving in a pair of RBI.
-Swenson was the Gophers lone representative on the All-Tournament Team for his performance. He also hit a home run on Tuesday vs. NIU, becoming the first Gopher to hit home runs in three consecutive games this decade.
BATEMAN PACING GOPHERS ONCE AGAIN
-Junior center fielder Brett Bateman is back for year three for Minnesota. He's Minnesota's returning leader in average (.312), hits (67), starts (52) and total bases (78).
-The Arden Hills, Minn., native had a team-best 22 multi-hit games as a sophomore in 2022, including 17 two-hit games and five three-hit games
-So far in 2023, he's leading the team with 20 hits and a .351 average, with seven multi-hit games.
MINNESOTA AGAINST NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS
-Minnesota is set to play seven teams that made last year's NCAA Tournament. The Gophers will play UCSB, OSU, Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Maryland and Ole Miss (National Champion). 13 of their 56 scheduled games are against teams that made the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will host Houston Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium. All games will be streamed on B1G+.
Minnesota vs. Gonzaga
First Pitch: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (U.S. Bank Stadium)
Minnesota Starter: RHP Ben Shepard (0-1, 3.27 ERA, 11.0 IP, 8K)
Gonzaga Starter: TBA
TV: B1G+
Wednesday, March 15
Minnesota vs. Gonzaga
First Pitch: 3 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn. (U.S. Bank Stadium)
Minnesota Starter: TBA
Gonzaga Starter: TBA
TV: B1G+
MINNEAPOLIS. -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-14, 0-0 Big Ten) are hosting a two-game mid-week series against Gonzaga (2-11, 0-0 WCC) at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Bulldogs are coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022 and were picked to repeat as conference champions in the league's preseason poll. Both games will be streamed on B1G+ and live stats will be available at Gophersports.com.
LAST TIME OUT
-Minnesota was swept by West Virginia in three games last weekend. The Gophers fell 15-7, 7-2 and 7-4 in Morgantown, W.V., from Friday through Sunday.
HISTORICAL NOTES
-The 'U' is in its 135th year in program history in 2023
-John Anderson is in his 42nd year at the helm of Gopher Baseball, holding a 1,349-978-3 (.582) record. This includes a 604-400 (.603) B1G mark. Under his watch, the Gophers have won 11 B1G titles and hold 19 NCAA Tournament appearances.
-The winningest coach in Big Ten history, Anderson won his 600th conference game in April vs. Penn State. He's the only B1G coach to reach that mark.
-Anderson coached his 1,000th career B1G game in May against Indiana. He's the only coach in conference history to hit that mark.
SCOUTING GONZAGA
-Gonzaga (2-11, 0-0 WCC) is led by Mark Machtolf, who enters his 20th season as the Gonzaga University baseball head coach in 2023.
-The defending West Coast Conference champion Bulldogs were picked to repeat in 2023 by the coaches in the league. Gonzaga made the NCAA Tournament last year and won a postseason game for the first time under its current format.
-GU had four preseason All-Conference selections, with Owen Wild, Cade McGee, Savier Pinales and Grayson Sterling being named Preseason All-WCC.
-In 2023, Brian Kalmer leads the team with a .345 batting average, seven home runs and 19 RBI.
SERIES HISTORY
-Minnesota is 3-3 all-time against Gonzaga. The two teams last met in 2019 in Surprise, Ariz., with the Bulldogs coming away with a victory.
GOPHERS AT U.S. BANK STADIUM
-Minnesota is 2-4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2023, with wins over NIU and SDSU last week.
-The Gophers went 6-6 last season at U.S. Bank Stadium. They swept Western Illinois and defeated Air Force, Kansas and West Virginia once each.
-Dating back to 2020, Minnesota is 17-26 when playing at U.S. Bank Stadium.
'U' LOOKING TO BUILD ON MID-WEEKS
-The Gophers got off the schneid last week with wins over Northern Illinois (5-3) and South Dakota State (3-2). Minnesota trailed in both games early before coming from behind to take its first two victories of the season.
-The 'U' finishes its U.S. Bank slate this week with Gonzaga and Houston before heading outdoors.
GOPHERS SWIPING BASES AT A HIGH RATE
-Base stealing is a key element of Minnesota's game. They finished in the top-5 of the Big Ten last year and are on pace again in 2022.
-The Gophers are 19-27 in stolen bases, a number that's good for 7th in the league. Brady Counsell leads the team with seven on the season.
HOLETZ HOLDING FIRM IN SENIOR YEAR
-Fifth year senior Richie Holetz has been a major bright spot on the mound for the Gophers this spring. In his second year on campus since coming over from Omaha, he leads all starting pitchers in innings pitched (21.0), lowest opponent batting average (.260), hits (20) and earned runs (8).
-Holetz tossed a Minnesota-best 6.0 innings against No. 7 Vanderbilt last Sunday, giving up just three earned runs against one of the nation's top teams.s.
SWENSON SWINGING FOR FENCES
-Redshirt senior Riley Swenson had a big weekend at the Cambria College Classic for Minnesota. The Chaska native went 3-for-7, hitting two home runs and driving in a pair of RBI.
-Swenson was the Gophers lone representative on the All-Tournament Team for his performance. He also hit a home run on Tuesday vs. NIU, becoming the first Gopher to hit home runs in three consecutive games this decade.
BATEMAN PACING GOPHERS ONCE AGAIN
-Junior center fielder Brett Bateman is back for year three for Minnesota. He's Minnesota's returning leader in average (.312), hits (67), starts (52) and total bases (78).
-The Arden Hills, Minn., native had a team-best 22 multi-hit games as a sophomore in 2022, including 17 two-hit games and five three-hit games
-So far in 2023, he's leading the team with 20 hits and a .351 average, with seven multi-hit games.
MINNESOTA AGAINST NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS
-Minnesota is set to play seven teams that made last year's NCAA Tournament. The Gophers will play UCSB, OSU, Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Maryland and Ole Miss (National Champion). 13 of their 56 scheduled games are against teams that made the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
UP NEXT
Minnesota will host Houston Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium. All games will be streamed on B1G+.
Weber Neels Highlights
Wednesday, May 28
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