by Max Heath • @max_heath • Apr 26
Indiana bit the bullet that was Max Meyer in a 7-3 loss in the series opener against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The Hoosiers had a promising start after Matt Gorski’s opposite field homer in the bottom of the first gave them a quick 1-0 lead, but that was too small a lead for even Pauly Milto to hold.
A pop fly into the sunny, windy conditions of Bart Kaufman Field got the best of Justin Walker and fell for a one-out doubleto open the Gophers hitting on the day. Another single followed and a slapped ground ball to Scotty Bradley at first evened things quickly at 1-1.
That score would hold until the fourth where a leadoff double by Scotty Bradley put the Hoosiers in promising position. A single by Cole Barr moved Bradley to first and Grant Richardson exemplified perfect situational hitting with a groundball right side to score Bradley making it 2-1 in Indiana’s favor.
Minnesota would yet again answer in the following half inning. A single, a bunt, and a triple off of Milto in the fifth gave one of the nation’s best arms a two-run cushion. The cushion would be topped off in the eighth with a three-RBI triple.
Max Meyer was the story of the day. He recorded 12 strikeouts and allowed just six hits in seven innings. The Golden Gophers rode his arm for 125 total pitches and rightfully so. His replacement, Nick Lackney, surrendered a solo shot to Scotty Bradley in his first batter faced. Indiana made it a 7-3 game, but it was too little too late at that point.
Milto didn’t have his best game, but he wasn’t bad by any means. The Gophers just mustered timely hits, while being back by solid pitching.
Braden Scott and Matt Litwicki combined for two scoreless innings with Scott striking out three and Litwicki striking out two. Their performances were solid, but it was game over at that point.
Tanner Gordon will get the start in game two of the series at 12 noon Saturday with the Hoosiers looking to get revenge.
