Northwestern
Minnesota
Minnesota's Ninth-Inning Rally Tips Northwestern, 2-1
4/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 2012
Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome)
Score: Minnesota 2, Northwestern 1
Records: NU (10-21, 3-8 Big Ten), Minnesota (19-17, 5-3 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Sunday, April 15 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn), 1:05 p.m.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Freshman right-hander Brandon Magallones was brilliant for eight innings, but Minnesota got two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally past Northwestern 2-1 Saturday afternoon at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
A pair of talented young hurlers locked horns as Magallones opposed Minnesota sophomore southpaw DJ Snelten.
Magallones struggled with his command out of the gates as the Golden Gophers had a runner at second with no one out in the bottom of the first, but a double-play liner helped him face the minimum in the frame.
Kyle Ruchim led off the top of the second with the first hit of the game and he was at second base with one away when Minnesota returned the favor, doubling him off base to end the threat.
Both hurlers were dominant as neither team put multiple baserunners aboard in the same inning until the top of the eighth inning. Walker Moses singled with one away before Hamilton Wise worked a walk to give NU two aboard for the top of the order. Zach Morton came back from a 1-2 count to earn a free pass of his own to load the bases. Paul Snieder then delivered a sacrifice fly to center to put the Wildcats in front 1-0.
Billy Soule then came on in relief to face Jack Havey and shortstop Matt Puhl made a terrific diving stab to rob Havey of an RBI single and keep the Northwestern lead at one.
Through eight innings, all three of Minnesota's hits came with two outs in an inning. A bunt single by Jake Bergren to start the bottom of the ninth gave the Gophers their first leadoff man aboard since the first inning.
A sacrifice bunt moved Bergren to second before Matt Olinger delivered an RBI single through the right side to tie the game. Matt Halloran won a long battle with Magallones, singling to left field to give Minnesota runners at the corners with one away. Northwestern brought on Ruchim in relief on the mound and Kurt Schlangen delivered a single to right field to plate the game-winning run.
Magallones (5-2) suffered the defeat despite handcuffing the Gophers over the first eight innings. He worked 8 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out seven. Soule (2-2) got the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief.
The teams conclude their series Sunday with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m.
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