University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
11-10, 1-0
Iowa
13-11, 2-2
Gophers Dominate in Big Ten Opener at Iowa
3/29/2024 8:36:00 PM | Baseball
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Minnesota got contributions from every part of their lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely, helping the Golden Gophers put double-digit runs on the board for the third-straight game and knock off the Iowa Hawkeyes 16-9 Friday.
Senior Justin Thorsteinson (2-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Minnesota (11-10, 1-0). The southpaw went 2.1 shutout innings while giving up four hits. Freshman Kyle Remington stepped up in the longest outing of his career, pitching 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Senior Thomas Gross also made an impact on the mound for the Gophers, throwing 1.2 shutout innings while allowing one hit, with no walks and one strikeout.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Golden Gophers were trailing 7-0 in the third inning when they first put runs on the board. Minnesota's offense started clicking and strung together seven runs in the third. Junior Jake Perry got things going for the 'U' with a two-run double to cut into the Hawkeye lead. Two batters later, Ike Mezzenga slugged a two-RBI double of his own before Boston Merila drove Mezzenga in with an RBI single to make it 5-7, Iowa.
It took Josh Fitzgerald just one pitch to tie the game as he hit his third homer of the season to knot things at seven.
The game remained tied until the very next inning, when the Gophers got going again on offense. Minnesota scored three runs in the frame, buoyed by a two-RBI double from sophomore Weber Neels, which brought the score to 10-7 in favor of the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota kept Iowa without a run before expanding their lead to 11-7 the following inning. The Golden Gophers scored once on an RBI single off the bat of junior Jake Larson.
Remington picked up his first Big Ten punch out in the bottom of the fifth to keep the Hawkeyes scoreless before the 'U' got back to their scoring ways the next inning. The Gophers scored five runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of sophomore Sam Hunt and a two-run double from sophomore Kris Hokenson, bringing the Minnesota advantage to 16-7.
Iowa put two runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Golden Gophers still coasted to the 16-9 win.
GAME NOTES
» Fitzgerald was a triple away from the cycle, going 3-4 with three RBIs and a walk.
» Every Minnesota starter reached base safely in the win.
» The Gophers have scored five or more runs in one inning five times this season, including twice tonight.
» Minnesota went 7-for-10 (.700) with runners in scoring position.
» The 'U' has scored 10 or more runs five times this year, including scoring 12 or more in each of their last three games.
» This is the second time this season that Minnesota has won after trailing by five or more runs.
» Mezzenga has reached base safely in all 20 games he has played and is on a 13-game hit streak.
» In his last three games, Fitzgerald is slashing .643/.688/1.286 with eight runs scored, four RBIs, two stolen bases and zero strikeouts.
» Prior to tonight's game, Minnesota had not won at Iowa since April 18, 2014.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thorsteinson, Justin (2-0)
L: Jack Whitlock (2-3)
Batting:
2B: Perry, Jake 1 ; Neels, Weber 1 ; Mezzenga, Ike 1 ; Fitzgerald, Josh 1 ; Hokenson, Kris 1
HR: Fitzgerald, Josh 1
RBI: Perry, Jake 3 ; Neels, Weber 2 ; Mezzenga, Ike 2 ; Merila, Boston 1 ; Fitzgerald, Josh 3 ; Hokenson, Kris 2 ; Hunt, Sam 2 ; Larson, Jake 1
SF: Perry, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Counsell, Brady 1 ; Perry, Jake 2 ; Neels, Weber 1 ; Mezzenga, Ike 2 ; Merila, Boston 2 ; Fitzgerald, Josh 3 ; Hokenson, Kris 2 ; Hunt, Sam 1 ; Larson, Jake 2
SB: Fitzgerald, Josh 1
HBP: Merila, Boston 1 ; Hokenson, Kris 1 ; Hunt, Sam 1
Batting:
2B: Sam Petersen 2 ; Raider Tello 1
RBI: Sam Petersen 2 ; Raider Tello 4 ; Davis Cop 1 ; Kyle Huckstorf 1 ; Gable Mitchell 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Andy Nelson 2 ; Sam Petersen 1 ; Raider Tello 1 ; Reese Moore 1 ; Ben Wilmes 1 ; Michael Seegers 1 ; Gable Mitchell 2
HBP: Reese Moore 1 ; Ben Wilmes 1
