April 17, 2015
| 1 | 6 |
| Siebert Field | Minneapolis, Minn. | Attn: 593 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| VIDEO: Postgame Comments |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Early runs and an eighth-inning, three-run home run by Jordan Smith led Minnesota over Penn State, 6-1, in Big Ten baseball action Friday night on Siebart Field.
After Penn State (12-21, 2-7 B1G) left the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, Minnesota (14-19, 4-9 B1G) scored two runs in the bottom half and another in the second for an early 3-0 lead.
RHP Ben Meyer (3-4) limited Penn State's scoring to a solo home run in the third by left fielder Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.), scattering six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.
LHP Nick Hedge (1-5) pitched a career-high 7 2/3 innings for the Nittany Lions, holding Minnesota scoreless for five straight innings before Smith's homer in the eighth came in a full count with two outs. He ultimately allowed the six runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out seven.
A sacrifice fly from right fielder Matt Fielder and an RBI-single from shortstop Michael Handel gave the Golden Gophers a 2-0 lead after the first, and centerfielder Dan Motl hit an RBI-single in the second for a 3-0 advantage.
The Nittany Lions got on the scoreboard the very next inning, as Guers hit a solo home run to right field. It was his fifth of the season for a new single-season career high.
Motl and Handel both posted a game-high two hits each to lead the Golden Gophers, who totaled nine hits to the Lions' six.
The series will continue Saturday at 3:05 p.m. Eastern/2:05 p.m. Central and Sunday at 2:05 Eastern/1:05 p.m. Central. Penn State LHP Taylor Lehman (1-3, 7.39) is slated to face Minnesota RHP Tim Shannon (1-4, 7.05) Saturday.