University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
4-8
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Kansas
3-6
Massey Leads Minnesota to Victory Over Kansas
3/5/2022 10:15:00 PM | Baseball
J.P. Massey tied a career-high with eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Golden Gophers took down the Kansas Jayhawks, 8-1, on day two of the Cambria College Classic on Saturday night at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Senior right-handed pitcher J.P. Massey (1-0) tossed a career-high 6.2 innings, striking out eight in the win. He allowed just five hits with two walks on the night.
Redshirt senior Jack Kelly went 3-for-4 with a home run, a two-run double and an RBI single to plate four of the Gophers runs. Boston Merila smacked three hits, including a pair of doubles while Brett Bateman tallied a 3-for-4 day at the plate with an RBI single.
Minnesota scored four of its six runs in the bottom of the third inning. Walks from Bateman and Stanke sandwiched a single from Stahl to load the bases with no one out. After a wild pitch allowed Bateman to score, Kelly blasted a double off the mesh wall in right center, easily plating Stahl and Stanke. Easton Bertrand would reach base on an error and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Kyle Bork to put the home team up 4-0.
The Gophers pushed another run across in the sixth. Merila hit his second double of the game, a shot off the wall in left field. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Andrew Wilhite before scoring on an RBI single from Bateman.
KU got on the board in the top of the seventh after stringing together a pair of hits, including a leadoff double and a two out, RBI single. Massey would leave the game with two outs and men on first and second in the seventh. Senior left-hander Tom Skoro came in and got his team out of the jam by inducing a flyout to end the inning.
The 'U' would answer right back in the bottom of the frame after Jack Kelly hit a no-doubter to right field for his second home run of the year, a solo shot. Minnesota would plate one more in the seventh after Bertrand singled, stole second and scored on an RBI single from Merila.
Skoro and freshman right-hander Seth Clauses would shut the Jayhawks down in the final two frames to seal the victory for Minnesota.
Notes:
-No. 12 Notre Dame (2-0) tops the Cambria College Classic standings heading into the final day. Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota and West Virginia (1-1) are tied for second while Kansas (0-2) is in last.
-J.P. Massey lasted a career-long 6.2 innings on Saturday night. His previous best was 5.2 innings against Duke on Feb. 29, 2020. His eight strikeouts tied a career-high.
-Tom Skoro has now gone five straight appearances in 2022 without allowing a run.
-Jack Kelly drove in a career-high four RBI, tallying his first three-hit game with Minnesota.
-Brett Bateman tallied multiple hits for the fifth time this season.
-Easton Bertrand continued his five-game hitting streak, now hitting safely in 10 of 12 games this year. He's 9-for-14 this week with two doubles and two home runs.
-The Gophers rank tied for seventh nationally in home runs this season with 19 through 12 games.
NEXT UP:
Minnesota hosts No. 12 Notre Dame at 6 p.m. tomorrow night to conclude the Cambria College Classic at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Massey, J.P. (1-0)
L: Vanderhei, R (2-1)
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Batting:
2B: Metcalf, N. 1
RBI: Baker, J. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Metcalf, N. 1
SB: Ditzenberger 1
CS: Burnham, C. 1
Batting:
2B: Kelly, Jack 1 ; Merila, Boston 2
HR: Kelly, Jack 1
RBI: Bateman, Brett 1 ; Kelly, Jack 4 ; Bork, Kyle 1 ; Merila, Boston 1
SH: Bertrand, Easton 1 ; Wilhite, Andrew 1
SF: Bork, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bateman, Brett 2 ; Stahl, Drew 1 ; Stanke, Chase 1 ; Kelly, Jack 2 ; Bertrand, Easton 1 ; Merila, Boston 1
SB: Bateman, Brett 2 ; Bertrand, Easton 1
