Minnesota was on the wrong side of a three-game sweep over the weekend against Creighton. The Gophers starting pitchers struggled in the first two games, while the offense went silent after the first inning in the finale.
Game One
As hot as junior Sam Ireland was in the first month of the season, he finally ran into some struggles in the series opener. Ireland found trouble early in the game as the Bluejays jumped out to a 4-0 lead through three innings.
Ireland lasted just one more inning, a season low, giving up four earned runs on six hits and striking out just one batter. The bullpen came in and shut the door for the next five innings and Minnesota rallied from behind.
Redshirt senior Jack Kelly was a big part of that comeback accounting for three hits, a home run shy of the cycle, and an RBI. Sophomore Boston Merila accounted for two more RBIs and Minnesota tied the game at four apiece heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Creighton walked it off to take the first game of the series 5-4.
Game Two
Starter J.P. Massey was able to shut out the Bluejays through two innings before his rough patch. Massey kept Creighton hitless in the first two innings before giving up the first two runs of the game. Minnesota answered right back to tie the game in the top of the fourth.
Then it all blew up.
Creighton put together four hits to score five runs and run Massey out of the game. Massey was an out away from getting through the fourth unscathed. Relief pitcher Jack Liffrig was called upon to clean up the mess, but the Bluejays plated three more before the frame was over.
Minnesota outscored Creighton 4-1 over the final three and a half innings, but the Bluejays already had a comfortable 13-3 lead.
The Gophers dropped the second game 14-7.
Game Three
Minnesota took its first lead of the series in the opening frame, scoring two runs courtesy of outfielder Brett Bateman. Bateman accounted for two hits, including an RBI-single and would later come around and score in the first.
That was the only offense that came for the Gophers which took away from a solid outing from starter Aidan Maldanado. He kept Creighton scoreless for four innings before giving up a pair in the fifth and getting pulled.
Reliever Josh Culliver kept the damage at just two when he came in with bases loaded and just one out. Culliver got out of the jam and the game remained tied at 2-2 through five.
The Bluejays had bases loaded with no one out in the eighth and plated two late runs on groundouts to take the lead.
Creighton completed the sweep with a 4-2 victory.
Up Next
Minnesota is back home for its next series, and the last one of the year at U.S. Bank Stadium when it hosts Western Illinois.
