All Things Gopher Baseball

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7-6 win today in kind of a weird one. Gophers faltered in the 7th giving up 4 runs I think it was to give Air Force a 6-4 lead but responded 3 of their own in the bottom of the inning to take the lead back. Gophers also had a 3 run 5th. Jack Kelly had a big day at the plate with a triple and homerun while Will Semb really pitched well going the last 2.2 innings.
I know we saw Kyle Bork leave Friday with a injury but I wonder about a couple others as well. Easton Bertrand who has been among the Gophers top hitters did not play this weekend and I thought I saw him trying to stretch something out against NDSU.
 

Time for a look around the conference.
Purdue 14-0 (RPI 87) - They've played an extremely weak schedule but hey, 14 wins in a row is difficult regardless of you are playing
Maryland 12-2 (6) - Climbed into some of the top 25 rankings. Looking very solid thusfar. 3 game sweep @ Baylor was a very strong statement.
Rutgers 12-3 (29) - Very good start for the Knights
Michigan 8-7 (36) - They've played a very tough schedule and have seen a mix of results. They'll definitely be in the upper crust of the Big Ten again.
Michigan State 7-7 (43) - Not as strong of schedule as Michigan but some good wins and some head scratching losses in there.
Iowa 6-6 (107) - Hawkeyes looking OK so far. Started out great but then lost to D-2 Loras (WHAT?!)
Indiana 6-9 (85) - Extremely difficult schedule. Got swept @Clemson and then played Arkansas & Stanford in a tournament. Taking their lumps now but should be a factor again in Big Ten.
Ohio State 5-8 (95) - Buckeyes seem to be struggling to find their groove.
Illinois 5-8 (165) - Tough start. They are 1-3 against Kansas if that tells you anything.
Penn State 5-9 (204) - They aren't good.
Nebraska 4-9 (197) - Started 1-6 with a brutal schedule but have started to even out. They'll be alright.
Minnesota 5-12 (222)
Northwestern 4-10 (237)
 

Hoping to see one of the Gopher games in Omaha this weekend. I was really hoping to see Ireland pitch against Tebrake, who is the BIG East preseason pitcher of the year but can't make it Friday night. Creighton will certainly test the Gophers.
 


Another really tough loss. Gophers fell behind early 4-0 and battled back to tie it at 4 with a Stanke single and Kelly triple to start the 9th but the Gophers failed to score Kelly with 3 shots at it and that was the story of the night with the Gophers leaving 14 on base. Creighton got a couple of 2 strike hits to start the inning and would walkoff with the win. Couple situations where I thought the team missed Anderson tonight as it seemed to be ideal pinch hitting opportunities and no move was made including a big one in the 9th that seemed like an easy call.
 


5 errors today including 2 more for Sweeny in an ugly game. Tied the game at 2 in the top of the 4th I think it was and then gave up an 8 run bottom of the 4th included a couple errors. Gophers lose by a TD 14-7 and will try to avoid a sweep tomorrow.
 

Went and saw that nightmare in person. All I can say is wow. Gophers now fall into last place in the B1G for the nonconference season.
 
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Familiar story in a 4-2 loss today. Jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st and that held until the 4th when Creighton tied it on the strength of 2 walks. Gophers had a chance to take the lead back with 1st and 2nd nobody out but failed to convert. Score stayed 2-2 until the 9th when Creighton loaded the bases with nobody out on the strength of 2 hit batters and a bunt single. Couple groundouts gave them the lead and they held it. Difference in the game was 7 walks/hbp to 2 for Creighton and just not being able to execute when given the situation.
 

Last non-conference weekend of the year before Big Ten play starts. The Leathernecks of Western Illinois come into town carrying a 2-16 record.

I know we've beaten this drum to death but it's just the most glaring:
24.1 innings pitched over the weekend and 30 freebies (BB + HBP).
 



Astounding how bad they've been last couple years. The recruiting has been pretty solid- top half of B10 no doubt. Lots of underachievers and bad luck it seems.
 

If we land at the bottom of the conference again does Anderson get a gentle nudge out the door, does he get another year to right things, or is he there until he says he's done? It feels like this very proud program has been going in the wrong direction in fairly spectacular fashion since that great 2018 season (48-83, .366).
 





Gophers win game 2 7-2. JP Massey with a nice outing allowing just 2 unearned while only walking 1 in 6 2/3 innings. Jack Kelly and Otto Grimm stay hot and Brady Counsell comes through with a big double and 2 RBI.
 

Got the much needed sweep with a 6-1 win today. Offense definitely left some runs on the board today, way too many missed scoring opportunities. Maldonado gets the win picking up 9 strikeouts in 5 innings of work.
 


Next 2 weekends we face Rutgers and Maryland. Both teams looking very strong. Rutgers hasn't played too tough of a schedule but they've handled their business. Maryland is currently top 25 and looking very good with an RPI of 10.

SCHOOLCONFCPCT.OVERALLPCT.STREAK
Purdue1-01.00017-1.944W2
Rutgers2-1.66716-6.727W1
Michigan2-1.66712-10.545W2
Illinois2-1.6679-11.450L1
Michigan State1-2.33310-8.556W1
Nebraska1-2.3338-12.400L2
Penn State1-2.3337-12.368L1
Maryland0-0.00018-5.783L1
Iowa0-0.00011-9.550L1
Northwestern0-0.0009-11.450L1
Indiana0-0.0009-13.409W2
Minnesota0-0.0008-15.348W3
Ohio State0-1.0008-12.400L1
 




Gophers fall to 0-5 in B1G play as they fell to Maryland 5-4 yesterday. Todays game is on BTN.
 

Maryland got a couple in the 7th to tie it after the Gophers went to the bullpen. Counsell with a 2 out triple in the 8th and scored the winning run on a passed ball. Nice start for Maldonado against a really good offense, Maryland got hits but he limited damage and didn't give up many free passes.
 

16 free passes on Friday, never really in it.
7 free passes on Saturday, keep it close but lose by 1
4 free passes on Sunday, squeak one out.

Rutgers and Maryland are probably the best teams in conference right now so while 1-5 is disappointing, at least that portion of the schedule is over. Glad they pitched better this weekend (especially Saturday + Sunday)

Next up:
@iowa
vs Penn State
Iowa is decent, Penn State is below average. A 3-3 record the next couple weekends is the minimum requirement but if the Gophers wish to get back into the Big Ten tourny discussion then they gotta start thinking 4-2.
 

Conference standings....top 8 advance to Big Ten Tournament

1. Rutgers 8-1
2. Illinois 7-2
T3. Maryland 4-2
T3. Northwestern 4-2
T5. Iowa 4-4
T5. Michigan 3-3
7. Nebraska 4-5
8. Purdue 3-4
-----------------------------
T9. Michigan State 2-4
T9. Indiana 2-4
11. Penn State 3-6
12. Ohio State 2-5
13. Minnesota 1-5
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
Conference standings....top 8 advance to Big Ten Tournament

1. Rutgers 8-1
2. Illinois 7-2
T3. Maryland 4-2
T3. Northwestern 4-2
T5. Iowa 4-4
T5. Michigan 3-3
7. Nebraska 4-5
8. Purdue 3-4
-----------------------------
T9. Michigan State 2-4
T9. Indiana 2-4
11. Penn State 3-6
12. Ohio State 2-5
13. Minnesota 1-5
Click to expand...

Well, the Gophers better turn it on now. Why is it that I don’t have confidence they have it in them this year to make the move rapidly up the standings list?
 

Quick game just 2 hourish. 2-5-3 for Minnesota 1-4-0 for St. Thomas.
 


Horrendous 7th gonna cost the Gophers the win and result in a sweep. This one falls squarely on the coaching staff. Yes Skoro had pitched the day before but it was less than 20 pitches so with 1 out and 1 on and in a game you are in complete control with the Iowa 8 and 9 hitters up why are you going away from your best pitcher to this point this season to bring in DeLuga who while he has been good lately has a tendency to be inconsistent. Well the move that I questioned right away and my brother watching with me did as well did in fact not work out well at all. DeLuga gave up 3 straight singles to make it 3-1 and then the Gophers went to the bullpen for the closer and former Iowa pitcher Semb but it was to face the big lefty Williams instead of leaving the left/left matchup out there. Semb got the groundout to make it 3-2 though. They pitched around the next guy before a single, double, walk, single, and walk followed making it 6-3 Iowa and bringing in Liffrig. He gave up a hit as well to make it 8-3 before a strikeout ended the inning.
No excuse to remove Skoro, he wasn't hurt, he wasn't giving up hard contact, he had only thrown like 10 pitches, he was throwing strikes and had good stuff.
 

It is really sad to see this program scuffling along. I am struggling to put my finger on the reasons. Coach Anderson is a legend but I wonder if we might need to go a different direction.
 

ecoperson said:
It is really sad to see this program scuffling along. I am struggling to put my finger on the reasons. Coach Anderson is a legend but I wonder if we might need to go a different direction.
Click to expand...
Those words are hard to read… although I understand the sentiment. This team is in a bad spot right now.
 
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