After getting good pitching performances in losses during the first two games of the season, the Gophers baseball team lost Monday in a decidedly different way.
Minnesota lost an 11-9 slugfest to South Alabama at Eddie Stanky Field, dropping to 0-3 on its season-opening road trip.
Jaguars sophomore Brett Jackson got his first career hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, a two-run, pinch-hit homer that broke an 8-8 tie.
Gophers starter Brad Pautz struggled early, allowing three runs in the first two innings. Minnesota scored five in the third, though, to grab its first lead. A three-run homer by Gophers designated hitter Phil McDermott, his second in as many games, was the big blow.
South Alabama (4-4) continued to rock Pautz, who lasted just four-and-one-third innings. Kai Freeman didn’t have success either and the Jaguars took an 8-5 lead. Minnesota’s Craig Selander doubled in freshman Ben Birk to tie the game at eight in the top of the sixth, setting up Jackson’s shot in the bottom half of the inning.
Mike Fischer gave up just one unearned run in four innings of work to get the win for South Alabama.
Eric Welter had three hits for the Gophers, and Selander and Birk each had two hits and two RBIs.

GAME SUMMARY
Gophers 005 003 100 — 9 12 2
So. Ala 210 052 10X — 11 14 2
Pautz, Freeman (5), Felling (8) and Guse; Sparks, Cooke (6), Fischer (6) and Wiley, Touchstone. W — Fischer, 1-0. L — Freeman, 0-1. HR — McDermott (2), Jackson (1).
Softball wins two
The No. 20 Gophers won two games on Sunday in Arlington, Tex., to cap a 3-2 weekend.
Minnesota won a pair of 2-0 games over Louisiana Tech and Texas-Arlington a day after losing two of three games.
Senior Jennifer Johnson got her first win of the year against Louisiana Tech, throwing a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Tracey Carey and Dana Ballard had the RBIs for the Gophers, and Amber Hegland had two hits.
In the second game, third baseman Jodi Halvorson went 3-for-3 and drove in both Gophers runs. Wendy Logue bumped her record to 3-1 with six innings of six-hit ball. Johnson came on in the seventh with one runner on and retired three straight Texas-Arlington hitters for the save.
Minnesota (5-2) beat Texas A&M (4-3) on Saturday in eight innings, and lost to Baylor (1-0) and Stephen F. Austin (6-3). Hegland and Shannon Beeler hit home runs in the final game.
Minnesota swept a doubleheader from Detroit Mercy on Friday, 11-1 and 17-0.
The Gophers play a doubleheader on Thursday in North Carolina against the Tar Heels. They also play there Friday through Sunday in the Triangle Classic Tournament.
Schemmel will stay at U
Jeff Schemmel, senior associate men’s athletics director, has withdrawn his name from consideration for the athletics director position at Texas Tech. Schemmel was one of two finalists for the position.
Schemmel said the factors in his decision included a generous offer from Minnesota men’s athletics director Mark Dienhart, but said the most important factor had to do with his family.
“There are many reasons for the decision, but most important was a concern for our two teenaged sons, that they not be uprooted at this time in their lives from a community, a school and friends that they truly enjoy,” Schemmel said.