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Great pitching performances by Novotny and Rooney but the bats were stone cold silent through 8. Counsell led off 9th with a HR and Neels followed it up! 2-2 in top 9th!!!
 



Heck of a comeback
Novotny got himself in trouble in the one bad inning but was largely very good
Rooney was solid out of the pen
Clausen had a couple hiccups where he just lost the zone but man that breaking ball for out 1 was beautiful
Didn't love the approach much of the night offensively, just felt like we were constantly in defense mode on our heels instead of attacking
Tough night on the bases with the Perry mistake and couple runners thrown out stealing including the Bateman over slide of 2nd
 

Going into the top of the 9th, I was thinking we could hit for 15 innings and not score. I thought on Neels' home run the pitcher might have tried to quick pitch him a little and then grooved a fastball, and he didn't miss it. Winning is fun - we should do it more often.

By the way, is it just me or does the Big 10 need to up its streaming game? I signed up for ESPN+ for a month for both some Gopher baseball and softball games, and have been checking out a lot of other games the past few weeks, and their productions are a lot better. And not just the Big12 or SEC, etc - even Sun Belt and American and other conferences are pretty good. With Big10+, the camera work, replays, etc leave a lot to be desired. Last year I think three of the four road series for Gophers didn't even have a center field camera, and instead just the view from behind home through the net. I get that most of these telecasts are student produced and I am sure it is great experience for them, but they are charging money for it and the Big 10 already makes a jillion dollars in TV revenue. Time to improve them, IMO.
 


SomeGopherFan said:
Going into the top of the 9th, I was thinking we could hit for 15 innings and not score. I thought on Neels' home run the pitcher might have tried to quick pitch him a little and then grooved a fastball, and he didn't miss it. Winning is fun - we should do it more often.

By the way, is it just me or does the Big 10 need to up its streaming game? I signed up for ESPN+ for a month for both some Gopher baseball and softball games, and have been checking out a lot of other games the past few weeks, and their productions are a lot better. And not just the Big12 or SEC, etc - even Sun Belt and American and other conferences are pretty good. With Big10+, the camera work, replays, etc leave a lot to be desired. Last year I think three of the four road series for Gophers didn't even have a center field camera, and instead just the view from behind home through the net. I get that most of these telecasts are student produced and I am sure it is great experience for them, but they are charging money for it and the Big 10 already makes a jillion dollars in TV revenue. Time to improve them, IMO.
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On the streaming point...absolutely! You should've seen those SEC fans complaining about BTN+ during the Cambria Classic. They are spoiled with the ESPN production.
 

SomeGopherFan said:
Going into the top of the 9th, I was thinking we could hit for 15 innings and not score. I thought on Neels' home run the pitcher might have tried to quick pitch him a little and then grooved a fastball, and he didn't miss it. Winning is fun - we should do it more often.

By the way, is it just me or does the Big 10 need to up its streaming game? I signed up for ESPN+ for a month for both some Gopher baseball and softball games, and have been checking out a lot of other games the past few weeks, and their productions are a lot better. And not just the Big12 or SEC, etc - even Sun Belt and American and other conferences are pretty good. With Big10+, the camera work, replays, etc leave a lot to be desired. Last year I think three of the four road series for Gophers didn't even have a center field camera, and instead just the view from behind home through the net. I get that most of these telecasts are student produced and I am sure it is great experience for them, but they are charging money for it and the Big 10 already makes a jillion dollars in TV revenue. Time to improve them, IMO.
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The attention that the conference gives to broadcasting baseball is ridiculously bad. SEC and ACC blow us away with their network coverage.
 

Saturday lineup...
Bateman CF
Counsell 2B
Neels 1B
Perry 3B
Merila DH
Mezzenga SS
Hunt RF
Swenson C
Jurgella LF

Klassen P
 

Haven't said this much the past 2+ years, but we have a two game winning streak, and 3 of 4, and St. Thomas or Western Illinois were not a part of it. Let's keep it going!
 





Deja Vu. OsU gets three doubles in a row to take a 2-0 lead in second
 

Replay review going on for play at second. The only replay shown is so wide you can't see anything. The umpires might as well watch cartoons for 90 seconds.

Hunt with a double and game tied 2-2!
 



11 strikeouts through 6 innings. We are still within reach, but we need to get the bats going.
 

Gophers lose 6-2. 17 total strikeouts at the plate. Klassen not as sharp today - he put on some base runners and Buckeyes strung together some opposite field hits.
 

32 strikeouts in 2 games this weekend, at bats have to be more difficult
Klassen basically gave them the 2 runs loading the bases with hbp and walks
Need to get the win tomorrow and take the series
 


I believe we have to go all the way back to 2019 for last road series victory. Nice game all around. Another good outing from Holetz, bullpen improving, and pretty steady defense. If we could get a couple more guys hitting, we could find out way back to conference tourney.

Weather doesn't look real good for either midweek game.
 

Here’s how things stand in the Big Ten after the past weekend. Notice a theme? Road teams were awesome this weekend.

Indiana (5-1, 20-8, RPI #25) – Took 2/3 at Penn State. RPI is looking very solid. Huge series this weekend when they host Iowa.

Michigan (5-1, 15-12, RPI #63) – Took 2/3 at Illinois. After a slow start to the season they’re taking care of business at the moment. They host Nebraska this weekend.

Michigan State (4-2, 16-9, RPI #53) – Took 2/3 at Rutgers. That is a very impressive weekend for Sparty.

Maryland (2-1, 17-10, RPI #58) – Took 2/3 at Iowa. After a disappointing start they still have their RPI in a position that they can make a run for an NCAA berth. They host Rutgers this weekend.

Nebraska (2-1, 15-9-1, RPI #108) – Traveled to TX over the weekend and went 2-1 in non-conf play. Travel to Ann Arbor next.

Minnesota (2-1, 7-20, RPI #227) – Took 2/3 from the Buckeyes. Next up is the Boilers. I’ve made it plainly known that I’m not impressed with Purdue. Would be sweet to get another series win.

Purdue (3-3, 12-14, RPI #243) – Took 2/3 against Northwestern. The fact their record is 500 and their RPI is worse than Gophers tells you how bad their schedule has been.

Iowa (1-2, 17-6, RPI #66) – Disappointing for Hawkeyes. After climbing into the t25 rankings they lose 2/3 against Maryland. Next up is a road trip against the red-hot Hoosiers. They also had a mid-week loss to Illinois State which killed their RPI.

Rutgers (1-2, 14-13, RPI #35) – Lost 2/3 to Sparty. Look at what a strength of schedule does. Compare Purdue and Rutgers records and their RPI. Night and Day difference. Rutgers has Maryland up next followed by Michigan. They need to get their act together fast if they don’t want to be left out of NCAA again.

Northwestern (1-2, 3-19, RPI #277) – Lost 2/3 to Purdue. Bad team.

Illinois (2-4, 12-12, RPI #41) – Lost 2/3 to Michigan but played them tight. They get NW this weekend which should provide a layup.

Penn State (1-5, 14-10, RPI #132) – Took 1/3 from Indiana. They are off for B1G play this week. In 2 weeks they got Purdue which should give them a chance to climb back in the B1G tournament race.

Ohio State (1-5, 13-13, RPI #109) – After a decent start with some quality non-conf wins the Buckeyes have really laid an egg in the first 2 weekends. Next up for them is a trip to East Lansing where they face a pesky Spartan squad.
 

Finally, the weather has relented and the Siebert Field opener is here. Feels like this series and later at Illinois are critical to win if we want to be in mix for top 8. Will be difficult, but this is as good as I have felt about the pitching in 2 1/2 seasons. Let's keep it going!
 

SomeGopherFan said:
Finally, the weather has relented and the Siebert Field opener is here. Feels like this series and later at Illinois are critical to win if we want to be in mix for top 8. Will be difficult, but this is as good as I have felt about the pitching in 2 1/2 seasons. Let's keep it going!
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I think you're right. Looking at past history it's usually around 12 wins that earns you a ticket to the B1G tournament. There are some outliers where only 9 or 10 wins will do it but that's the exception. So if 12 is the goal and we have 2 in hand we likely need the following:
Purdue - 2
Iowa - 1
@Illinois - 2
@Nebraska - 1
Michigan - 1
@Maryland - 1
Rutgers - 2

The key is to avoid sweeps and to win the series against the lesser teams. (note: I don't consider Rutgers to be a lesser team....but we need to take an extra game somewhere).

If the pitching stays where it has been then it's possible.
 

Lineup for Friday.

1. Counsell, 2B
2. Perry, 3B
3. Bateman, CF
4. Neels, 1B
5. Mezzenga, SS
6. Merila, DH
7. Jurgella, LF
8. Hokenson, RF
9. Swenson, C

P. Novotny, LHP (0-3, 5.35 ERA)
 

Sure looked like Hokenson's blooper into LF hit the turf but the ump ruled he caught it and there wasn't any protest from MN but man, close play that saved a run. No score through 2. Novotny with 5k through 2 IP.
 
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Through 5 innings, 0-0 score. 3 hits combined between both clubs.
Novotny has 1 hit allowed, 8 k and 0 BB
Stephen (Purdue) has 2 hits allowed, 8 k and 1 BB.

Statistically these are the two worst hitting teams in the B1G.
 

Down 3 runs in the 7th and we get runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Then Hockenson executes a terrible bunt and pops it out to 3b in foul territory. Completely killed a potential rally.

Terrible decision to bunt there. Terrible execution. Even if it was successful, what are you accomplishing? Tying run would still be at plate and you gave up one of your nine remaining outs.

Just baffling
 

I was surprised by the bunt call too. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of the bunt anyway, but then the popout just takes the air out of the bubble. On top of being a poor hitting team, we seem pretty inefficient scoring wise (bunting hasn't been good, guys getting picked off, poor base running, not drawing a lot of walks, station to station, etc.)

From where I was sitting, I also thought that play in left was down, but not a definitive opinion. What I don't get is Anderson talks to the ump, but no conference among the four of them, and apparently we don't have video replay (?).

Counsel's fly ball to left was hit very high, and I think under different conditions ties up the game, but wind I thought kept it in park.

Also, with 2 out in 9th, and with tying run on deck, we don't have any left handed pinch hit option for Swenson?
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
Sure looked like Hokenson's blooper into LF hit the turf but the ump ruled he caught it and there wasn't any protest from MN but man, close play that saved a run. No score through 2. Novotny with 5k through 2 IP.
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Thought it was down too. Also thought Rooney might have got the guy at the plate on the squeeze play.
Very disappointing for Minnesota not to have replay capabilities or the pitch clock either, need to step it up.
 

SomeGopherFan said:
I was surprised by the bunt call too. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of the bunt anyway, but then the popout just takes the air out of the bubble. On top of being a poor hitting team, we seem pretty inefficient scoring wise (bunting hasn't been good, guys getting picked off, poor base running, not drawing a lot of walks, station to station, etc.)

From where I was sitting, I also thought that play in left was down, but not a definitive opinion. What I don't get is Anderson talks to the ump, but no conference among the four of them, and apparently we don't have video replay (?).

Counsel's fly ball to left was hit very high, and I think under different conditions ties up the game, but wind I thought kept it in park.

Also, with 2 out in 9th, and with tying run on deck, we don't have any left handed pinch hit option for Swenson?
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Hated the bunt call in that situation and then you add on especially against a reliever right away.
The no replay and no pitch clock is embarrasing.
I thought Counsell got enough of it off the bat even though it was a moonshot but just missed.
Swenson has shown me nothing to stay in the lineup at this point. He had a couple good weeks early and now every team has figured out to throw him breaking balls and he can't adjust. He isn't any better or a big enough upgrade defensively over Hunt or Neels for the lack of bat. Maybe you play him against lefties but even that would be questionable to me.
Noticed Berkland came on for Bateman in the 9th hopefully nothing serious there.
Lefty scheduled for Purdue tomorrow so I'd anticipate righty heavy Gopher lineup maybe go
2B-Counsell, 3B-Perry, CF-Bateman, C-Neels, DH-Merila, RF-Hunt, LF-Mezzenga, 1B-Bork, SS-Larson. Could also put Berkland in the OF and move things around depending if you'd rather have Berkland, Bork, or Larson in the lineup.
 

Goldy Gopher said:
Thought it was down too. Also thought Rooney might have got the guy at the plate on the squeeze play.
Very disappointing for Minnesota not to have replay capabilities or the pitch clock either, need to step it up.
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Yes I think they got him on the squeeze too.
 

Ugly one today, defense failed Shepard starting in place of Klassen who had been away from team due to a death in the family. Bullpen management was weird going to DeLuga first. Offense has been atrocious in conference play.
 

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