University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
5-14
Creighton
8-6
Creighton Takes Game Two, 14-7
3/19/2022 5:30:00 PM | Baseball
An eight-run, six-hit bottom of the fourth inning for the Bluejays doomed the Gophers, who would be unable to get back in the game during Saturday's matinee. Minnesota also had a season-high five errors, all of which were committed in the third and fourth innings.
Otto Grimm paced the offense with a 3-for-3 day at the plate while Boston Merila and Brett Bateman had two hits each. Starting pitcher J.P. Massey lasted 3.2 innings, striking out four but giving up nine runs (seven earned).
Creighton got the scoring going in the bottom of the third inning with a pair of unearned runs. With one out and a man on first, J.P. Massey forced what looked like a routine ground out to short. Drew Stahl's throw was misplayed at first by Ronald Sweeny, allowing the runners to go to second and third. The next hitter rolled a soft ground ball to first, and after Sweeny stepped on the bag he tried to get the runner coming home. His throw sailed wide and two runs scored to put CU up 2-0.
Minnesota would respond right back in the top of the fourth with two runs of its own. Stahl hit a lead off double to left center and Stanke walked to start the frame. After a Jack Kelly strikeout, a base hit from Boston Merila scored Stahl. Next up, Otto Grimm came in to pinch hit and delivered an RBI single of his own to left field. The 'U' had a chance to add to the damage after loading up the bases with two outs, but Brady Counsell grounded out to first to end the inning.
After being held hitless for the first three innings, the Bluejays bats came alive in the fourth. CU tallied four hits and five runs off Massey in the inning. All five runs came with two outs and he was chased from the game after just 3.2 innings. Left-hander Jack Liffrig came in to replace Massey in the fourth. The Bluejays tagged on three more runs with a pair of hits and a Gophers error to go up 10-2.
The Gophers added one back in the top of the fifth before the Jays tallied three more in the bottom of the frame. Minnesota kept fighting, stringing along a couple hits in the sixth before getting an RBI groundout from Jake Perry and a sacrifice fly from Counsell to make it 13-5.
Jack Kelly hit his fifth home run of the year in the seventh inning to get the Gophers back within seven at 13-6. Merila then walked and came around to score on an RBI double off the wall by Grimm, who tallied his second career three-hit game.
CU would add one more in the seventh to make the final score 14-7.
UP NEXT
Minnesota and Creighton will play the series finale tomorrow at noon inside Charles Schwab Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cancellieri (2-1)
L: Massey, J.P. (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Stahl, Drew 1 ; Grimm, Otto 1
3B: Bateman, Brett 1
HR: Kelly, Jack 1
RBI: Stahl, Drew 1 ; Kelly, Jack 1 ; Merila, Boston 1 ; Grimm, Otto 2 ; Perry, Jake 1 ; Counsell, Brady 1
SF: Counsell, Brady 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bateman, Brett 1 ; Stahl, Drew 1 ; Stanke, Chase 1 ; Kelly, Jack 1 ; Merila, Boston 2 ; Grimm, Otto 1
HBP: Larson, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: Wegner, J. 1 ; Clifford, N. 1
3B: Roden, A. 1
HR: Helligso, H. 1
RBI: Meggs, A. 1 ; Roden, A. 1 ; Wegner, J. 2 ; Voth, B 1 ; Esposito, C. 1 ; Hayes, S. 1 ; Hess,K 1 ; Clifford, N. 1 ; Helligso, H. 2
SF: Hess,K 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meggs, A. 2 ; Roden, A. 2 ; Wegner, J. 1 ; Voth, B 1 ; Witt, I 1 ; Esposito, C. 1 ; Hayes, S. 1 ; Hess,K 1 ; Clifford, N. 1 ; Helligso, H. 3
SB: Hayes, S. 1
HBP: Roden, A. 1 ; Wegner, J. 1 ; Hess,K 2
