Feb. 24, 2012

Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Junior Eric Semmelhack allowed just one run in seven strong innings but it was not enough as the University of Minnesota claimed a 1-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team Friday night at the Metrodome.

Semmelhack (0-2) gave up just three hits and struck out six for the Panthers (0-4), who had runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings but could not find a way to plate the tying run.

"Eric Semmelhack was fantastic," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "He pounded the strike zone and commanded three pitches. I really thought he did a great job of keeping them off-balance and gave us the extra effort on the mound. But our bats are just struggling right now. They are really trying to find their identity on offense."

TJ Oakes (2-0) pitched well for the Gophers (2-2), allowing just two hits in his 7.0 innings of work. He struck out four and walked one.

Minnesota had just four hits all game, but used two of them in the fifth inning to plate the only run of the contest. With two outs, Matt Halloran doubled in front of a triple off the bat of Michael Handel, scoring the only run of the game.

Milwaukee had opportunities all night, but could not come up with the big two-out hit. Senior Jim Lundstrom led off the seventh with a walk and advanced to second on a ground out. Another ground out ended the frame.

"We have a couple of key injuries in the lineup, but we are trying to find somebody to get that big hit and bust it open," Doffek said. "We all feel that - hitting is contagious and it can go either way. Right now we are having a tough time getting that two-out hit. They had one inning where they had two and we had four or five opportunities and did not get one."

In the eighth, junior Drew Pearson singled with one out. Freshman Luke Meeteer pinch ran and stole second, but was stranded there on another ground out to short.

The UWM defense came up big late, turning a 4-6-3 double play in the seventh after a leadoff walk and another in the eighth. The Gophers had loaded the bases with one out, but senior Greg Blohowiak came on in relief and induced a ground ball to third that turned into an impressive 5-2-3 double play to end the threat and give Milwaukee one last chance.

Pearson finished with two of the three hits on the night. Junior Jonathan Capasso had the other.

The two teams play a doubleheader Saturday, with game one starting at 2 p.m.