April 18, 2015
| 1 | 8 |
| Siebert Field | Minneapolis, Minn. | Attn: 823 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| VIDEO: Postgame Comments |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Shortstop Michael Handel went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and three Minnesota pitchers limited Penn State to six hits, as the Golden Gophers defeated the Nittany Lions, 8-1, in Big Ten baseball action Saturday afternoon on Siebart Field.
Big hits with two outs proved costly for Penn State (12-22, 2-7 B1G) in the third and fourth innings. LHP Taylor Lehman (1-4) retired the first two Minnesota (15-19, 5-9 B1G) batters of the third, but yielded back-to-back singles and a triple by third baseman Tony Skjefte for the game's first two runs. Lehman was again able to retire the first two batters in the fourth after a pick-off and foul out, but again yielded back-to-back singles, and then Handel homered to left field for a 5-0 lead.
Left fielder Greg Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) led the Nittany Lions offensively, as he went 2-for-5 and doubled in the sixth inning. He then advanced to third on a fly out, and was driven home by shortstop Jim Haley (Upper Darby, Pa.) for Penn State's lone run.
The Lions had scoring chances in the fourth and eighth innings, but left two in scoring position in the fourth and the bases loaded in the eighth.
RHP Tim Shannon (2-4) was strong for the Golden Gophers, yielding just one run on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. The bullpen yielded just one hit and two walks over the remainder of the game.
Lehman went six innings for the Lions, allowing five runs on nine hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
Minnesota centerfielder Dan Motl extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a two-RBI single in the eighth inning, as the Gophers added three runs in the frame for the final margin.
The series will conclude Sunday starting at 2:05 p.m. Eastern/1:05 p.m. Central. Penn State RHP Nick Distasio (1-4, 3.78 ERA) is slated to face Minnesota RHP Fred Manke (0-0, 4.50).