It’s a clean slate for the Gophers and Buckeyes today.  They’ve split the first two games this weekend, so the series hinges on this afternoon.  Yesterday’s low scoring affair was a bit unexpected; we’ll see if the bats wake up today.  With a lefty on the mound, Eric Decker slides down a couple spots in the batting order, but that’s the only change to Minnesota’s lineup today.

Minnesota starting pitcher – RHP Seth Rosin, 1-1, 4.55 ERA
Ohio State starting pitcher – LHP Eric Best, 4-0, 5.08 ERA

Minnesota batting order
1) DH Matt Nohelty
2) SS AJ Pettersen
3) 2B Derek McCallum
4) RF Michael Kvasnicka
5) C Kyle Knudson
6) 1B Nick O’Shea
7) CF Eric Decker
8) LF Justin Gominsky
9) 3B Kyle Geason

Ohio State batting order
1) LF Zach Hurley
2) 2B Cory Kovanda
3) CF Michael Stephens
4) 3B Justin Miller
5) C Dan Burkhart
6) DH Ryan Dew
7) RF Michael Arp
8) 1B Matt Streng
9) SS Tyler Engle

A somewhat shallow sac fly by Michael Kvasnicka brought home AJ Pettersen in the opening inning and the Gophers are on the board first. Short day for Eric Best. Minnesota quickly plated four against him in the top of the second, prompting Ohio State to bring in righty Ross Oltorik with just one out and Pettersen on third. Oltorik proved as hittable as Best, however. The Gophers piled on three more before the inning was done and led 8-0 after two. Minnesota can’t be slowed. The Buckeyes are on their fourth pitcher in four innings and the Gophers have stretched their run total to 16 with four runs in the third and fourth innings. Seth Rosin buckled a little in the top of the fifth, Ohio State started to hit him a bit, but the Buckeyes’ three runs didn’t put much of a dent in Minnesota’s lead. Rosin settled down and fanned two straight to work out of a one-out jam with runners on second and third.