April 16, 2010
Site: Evanston, Ill. (Rocky Miller Park)
Score: Minnesota 8, Northwestern 7
Records: NU (10-22, 3-4 Big Ten), Minnesota (14-20, 4-3 conference)
Next NU Event: Saturday, April 17 -- vs. Minnesota (Rocky Miller Park), 1 p.m.
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern pounded out 17 hits but saw a late rally come up just short as the Wildcats dropped their series opener to Minnesota 8-7 Friday afternoon at Rocky Miller Park. NU got the tying and winning runs in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth inning, but were unable to complete the comeback.
Trailing 8-5 against Minnesota closer Scott Matyas entering their last at-bat, the Wildcats refused to go away. Paul Snieder led off the frame by collecting his fourth hit of the contest. Following a strikeout, Zach Morton drew a walk and Trevor Stevens singled to left to put the tying run on base.
Colby Everett then came through with his career-best fourth hit of the game to plate Snieder from third and make it an 8-6 game. Pinch hitter Alex Seyferth followed with a slow roller on the infield that plated another run, but he was retired on the play for the second out. The groundout put the tying run at third and the winning run at first, but Matyas was able to record a strikeout to allow Minnesota to hold on for the win.
"I'm really proud of the way that our guys battled out there," Northwestern head coach Paul Stevens said. "This group refuses to give up. Unfortunately, we came up a little bit short today, but it wasn't for a lack of effort."
The Golden Gophers notched solo tallies in each of the first two innings before NU tied the game in the bottom of the second as it recorded four hits against Minnesota starter Seth Rosin in the frame. Geoff Rowan and Chad Noble had run-scoring hits to help make it a 2-2 game.
The game remained knotted until sixth when the Gophers were able to plate three runs off Wildcat starter Francis Brooke. Michael Kvasnicka started the inning with a solo homer and Kyle Geason added a two-run single off reliever Matt Gailey.
Minnesota would add another run in the seventh on a throwing error before Northwestern began to chip away at the 7-2 deficit. With one out in the bottom half of the seventh, Noble tripled off the top of the wall in right and Snieder followed it up with a two-run bomb that got the Wildcats back within 7-4.
Kyle Knudson answered the home run with a solo shot of his own in the top of the eighth as the Gophers stretched their lead back up to four. NU had an opportunity for a big inning in the eighth, but was forced to settle for only one run.
Luke Rasmussen relieved Rosin on the mound and consecutive singles to Stevens and Everett. Both runners moved into scoring position before pinch hitter Jack Havey brought home Stevens from third when he reached on a throwing error. Matyas then came on for Rasmussen and recorded a flyout for the first out before hitting Arby Fields with a pitch to load the bases.
Matyas continued to struggle with his control as his pitch to Noble got away from the catcher, Knudson. However, Knudson was able to recover in time to nab Everett at the plate attempting to score. Noble followed with a rocked to second base that was knocked down in time to retire the Wildcat catcher at first.
David Jensen, who worked three innings of relief, worked around a two-out double in the top of the ninth before Northwestern's rally came up just short in the bottom half.
NU finished with a 17-14 advantage in the hit column in the slugfest, but stranded 11 baserunners to only five for Minnesota.
The teams resume their three-game series at 1 p.m. Saturday at Rocky Miller Park.