University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
7-21, 0
Purdue
13-15, 0
'U' Shutout by Purdue in B1G Home Opener
4/7/2023 6:12:00 PM | Baseball
Tucker Novotny struck out eight in 6.0 innings
MINNEAPOLIS -- Four pitchers combined to throw a shutout on Friday as the Purdue Boilermakers blanked the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 3-0, in their Big Ten home opener.
Sophomore Tucker Novotny (0-4) got the ball to start for Minnesota (7-21, 2-2 Big Ten) and took the loss despite another stellar outing. The southpaw went six innings, giving up two runs, zero earned, on two hits, allowing two walks and striking out eight. Sophomore Noah Rooney came out of the bullpen and threw three innings, giving up one unearned run on one hit.
Junior Brett Bateman led the way offensively for the Golden Gophers, going 2-for-4 in the ballgame. Sophomore Ike Mezzenga doubled to make up the third of Minnesota's four hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Neither team scored until the top of the seventh, when Purdue struck for all three of its runs. The runs came on one hit, a wild pitch, two Gophers errors and a hit-by-pitch. Two runs scored off of fielder's choice plays and another came in on a sacrifice fly.
Minnesota managed zero chances with runners on third in the shutout, going a total of 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. The Golden Gophers last got a runner on third in the seventh, when junior Boston Merila made it 90 feet away from scoring with one out.
GAME NOTES
» Left-hander Tucker Novotny fanned eight Boilermakers hitters, putting together six innings of two-run ball for Minnesota. It's the third time this year he's gone six-or-more innings on the mound.
» The Golden Gophers out-hit the Boilermakers at a 4-3 clip.
» Brett Bateman had two hits and stole two bases in Friday's game.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 36 Purdue hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out eight.
» Purdue was led offensively by senior Jake Parr, who went 1-for-3.
» Sophomore Khal Stephen led the Boilermakers pitching staff, throwing six shutout innings.
UP NEXT
Minnesota (7-21, 2-2 Big Ten) hosts Purdue (13-15, 4-3 Big Ten) tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT on B1G+ for game two.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: STEPHEN, Khal (4-1)
L: Novotny, Tucker (0-4)
S: SUVAL, Aaron (2)
Batting:
RBI: ALBRECHT, Evan 1 ; CORNBLUM, Couper 1
SH: ALBRECHT, Evan 1
SF: CORNBLUM, Couper 1
Base Running:
RUNS: STEVENS, Jo 1 ; PARR, Jake 1 ; ALBRECHT, Evan 1
HBP: FRANCO, Sam 1 ; CASKENETTE, Connor 1 ; THOMPSON, Cam 1
Batting:
2B: Mezzenga, Ike 1
Base Running:
SB: Bateman, Brett 2
HBP: Merila, Boston 1
