Indiana University Athletics
HOOSIERS DROP TWO
5/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HOOSIERS DROP TWO
Josh Holthaus drilled a three-run home run in the bottom of
the ninth to give the Golden Gophers (33-17, 17-5) a come-from-behind
5-4 victory over the Hoosiers (27-23, 7-15) in game one of a
doubleheader. In the second game, pitcher Ben Birk and Brandon
Kitzerow combined to shutout the Hoosiers 2-0.
Behind 4-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Minnesota took
advantage of two Hoosier fielding errors to put runners on second
and third with one out. On a 3-2 pitch, Holthaus hammered relief
pitcher Tom Willerer's offering over the left field wall giving
the Golden Gophers the 5-4 walk-off victory.
Minnesota got on the board in the bottom of the first when Josh
Holthaus doubled off the wall in right field to score Mark Devore
from second base giving the Gophers a 1-0 lead. Indiana tied
it up at 1-1 in the top of the sixth when designated hitter Joe
Sadler scored on Eric Blakeley's ground out. Minnesota came back
in the bottom of the sixth on a Mike Arlt RBI single to left
field that scored Jason Kennedy from second.
The Hoosiers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eight when Minnesota
left fielder Scott Howard dropped an Eric Blakeley fly ball allowing
two runs to cross the plate. Indiana added a run in the top of
the ninth to give the Hoosiers a 4-2 lead.
In the second game, left hander Ben Birk turned in another outstanding
pitching performance for Minnesota. Birk went 6 1/3 innings,
allowed only four hits, and struck out four to earn his third
consecutive victory in Big Ten play. The junior allowed only
two runners to reach third all game and was able to work out
of jams in the second and fifth innings. He retired 15 of the
last 17 batters he faced. Brandon Kitzerow relieved Birk in the
top of the seventh and struck out the final two batters to earn
his seventh save of the season.
All the offense Minnesota would need came in the second inning
when Jack Hannahan smacked a David Ferris offering over the right
centerfield wall to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead. Minnesota added
an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a RBI single
off the bat of Jeremy Negen that scored Chris Guetzlaff from
second.
Minnesota and Indiana will square off again Sunday afternoon
in a
doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at Siebert Field.
