By Kaitlin Merkel/Murphy News Service
Three hits—one a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth—were all the Gopher baseball team needed Wednesday to beat the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits, 3-2.
With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, center fielder Alex Boxwell reached first on a SDSU error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Connor Schaefbauer. Right fielder Matt Fiedler hit a single up the middle to score Boxwell and win the game for Minnesota.
“I was just pretty happy to be in that situation. Boxwell did a great job of getting on and Connor did a great job of getting him over,” Fiedler said, “It was a first pitch fastball and I was able to stay inside of it and shoot it up the middle.”
The other two Gopher hits, solo home runs from Boxwell and shortstop Michael Handel, kept Minnesota ahead 2-1 through eight innings.
“I figured they were going to sneak a fastball by me so I was kind of ready for it,
Handel said, “With this nice wind blowing out today, I got a little bit of help from that I think.”
The Jackrabbits scored one run in the fifth inning on a double by SDSU right fielder Eric Danforth. Gopher starting pitcher Toby Anderson allowed a single to the next batter, but with runners on the corners Minnesota escaped from the inning after catching the Jackrabbits stealing at home.
“Everybody looks at the end of the game … and the game-winning hit but there are plays during the game that really change the game as well,” Handel said, “[Catcher Matt Halloran] made a great tag at home … preventing them from scoring and I think that really changed the momentum of the game.”
Anderson pitched five innings, giving up seven hits, one run and striking out four.
Minnesota relievers Reggie Meyer (1.2 IP, 1H, 0R, 1K) and Lucas Gilbreath (1.2 IP, 1H, 0R, 3K) pitched a combined 3.1 scoreless innings before reliever Ty McDevitt came on with one out in the ninth inning.
SDSU tied the game at 2-2 with a double by Jackrabbit second baseman Al Robbins. McDevitt responded by striking out the next two batters, setting the stage for the offense in the Gophers half of the ninth.
Minnesota improves to 15-19 on the season, while SDSU falls to 24-15.
Minnesota will take on Michigan in a three-game home series this weekend Friday-Sunday at Siebert Field.
Reporter Kaitlin Merkel is studying journalism and Spanish at the University of Minnesota.