Courtesy: University of Minnesota http://gophersports.com/

Senior righthander Ethan Vogt (Sauk Centre, Minn.) tossed a complete-game shutout as the Minnesota baseball team (12-5) won the opening game of a three-game weekend series against University of Hartford (1-10) on Friday night at the Metrodome by a 10-0 score. Vogt’s shutout was the first for the Golden Gophers since Cole DeVries shut out Ball State on March 11, 2006.

Vogt (1-1) did not walk a batter on the night, as he gave up seven hits and struck out three in nine innings of work to move to 1-1 on the season.

“Ethan does a good job of going out there, getting ahead of the hitter and getting the opposing hitters to put the ball in play,” said Minnesota Head Coach John Anderson. “It keeps the defense players on their toes and the game moves a good pace. That is a big part of why we have him pitching in the Friday spot right now. You want your Friday starter to get a series off on the right foot and save the bullpen for the rest of the series, he did a good job of that tonight.”

Sophomore centerfielder Matt Nohelty (Rothschild, Wis.) had a big game at the dish for the Gophers, going 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Senior Mike Mee (Richfield, Minn.) was also 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Mee has now delivered a hit in 16 of Minnesota’s 17 games. He also has 10 multi-hit games this year.

Dan Lyons (Rochester, Minn.) also reached base twice, and was 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs and two RBI. Sophomore Nate Hanson (Chanhassen, Minn.) was 2-for-4 with a run on the night.

Senior Kyle Baran (Apple Valley, Minn.) was 1-for-3 with his first home run of the season. Eight of the nine Golden Gopher starters reached base for Minnesota on the night.

The Golden Gophers got things started with a bang in the bottom of the first off Hawks’ starter Weston Szymanski. Lyons delivered his second home run of the season with Nohelty aboard to put the Gophers ahead 2-0. Two batters later, Baran connected with a solo shot over the center field fence to extend the Gopher lead to 3-0.

Minnesota scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After loading the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, a John Arlt (Lakeville, Minn.) sacrifice fly scored Hanson, who had singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Nohelty’s double two batters later scored Bryan Jost (Oakdale, Minn.) and Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.) to increase Minnesota’s lead to 6-0.

The Golden Gophers put up yet another crooked number in the bottom of the sixth when it plated three more runs. Mee parlayed a long at-bat with the bases full and two outs into a two-run single to center. Pinch-hitter Sean Kommerstad (Minnetonka, Minn.) connected on a ground-rule double to right one batter later that scored another run.

A bases loaded walk to pinch hitter Joe Maciej (Elk River, Minn.) scored Jeremy Chlan (Apple Valley, Minn.) with Minnesota’s final run in the bottom of the seventh.

Catcher Kevin Carlson (Edina, Minn.) had a good day for Minnesota. The senior threw out two of three Hawks attempting to steal second base and also recorded a stolen base of his own, his first since his redshirt freshman season in 2004, following an opposite field single in the fifth inning.

Minnesota will face Hartford in the second game of the series on Saturday, Mar. 24 at 2:05 p.m. and finish the series on Sunday, Mar. 25 at 1:05 p.m. Saturday’s game will be shown live on video on the Gold Zone, along with audio and will be broadcast on KLBB (1220 AM). Sunday’s game will be webcast on gophersports.com and broadcast on KLBB (1220 AM).