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Joe Christensen covered Major League Baseball for 15 years, including three seasons at the Baltimore Sun and eight at the Star Tribune, before switching to the college football beat. He’s a Faribault, Minn., native who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1996. He covered Jim Wacker’s Gophers for the Minnesota Daily and also wrote about USC, UCLA and the Rose Bowl for the Riverside Press-Enterprise before getting this chance to cover football again.
Email Joe to talk about the Gophers.
Posts about The Big 10
Red Wing native Pat Kelly helps Nebraska oust Gophers from Big Ten tourney
Posted by: Joe Christensen Updated: May 24, 2013 - 6:16 PM
Red Wing native Pat Kelly hit a three-run homer during Nebraska’s six-run fourth inning, and the Cornhuskers held on for a 7-4 victory over the Gophers on Friday, eliminating Minnesota from the Big Ten Tournament.
Still needing three wins to win the tournament, third-seeded Nebraska (27-29) will play Saturday at 3:35, facing the loser of Friday night’s winner’s bracket game between Ohio State and Indiana.
The 64-team NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday, and the Gophers (32-22) don’t expect a berth.
Fourth-seeded Minnesota finished 2-2 in the first Big Ten tourney at Target Field, including a 3-1 victory earlier Friday against Illinois.
This time, Gophers freshman Dalton Sawyer made his first collegiate start. The true freshman from Waconia, Minn., had posted a 3.09 ERA in 17 appearances, all in relief. He looked good for the first three innings, allowing just two baserunners, but things unraveled quickly in the fourth.
After Chad Christensen hit a leadoff single, Sawyer made an errant pickoff throw to first, allowing the runner to reach third base.
Sawyer also mishandled a suicide squeeze bunt by Tanner Lubach, three batters before Kelly hit his home run.
Trailing 6-0, the Gophers got right to work the next half-inning. Connor Schaefbauer hit an RBI single, and then with two outs, Matt Halloran hit a three-run homer over the right-field wall.
Just like that it was 6-4.
Nebraska added an insurance run in the seventh, as Kelly doubled and scored on Christensen’s sacrifice fly.
True freshman Sawyer gets the nod for Gophers against Nebraska
Posted by: Joe Christensen Updated: May 24, 2013 - 2:59 PMAfter fending off elimination with a 3-1 victory over Illinois on Friday afternoon, the fourth-seeded Gophers have to come right back and play third-seeded Nebraska in another Big Ten Tournament elimination game.
The Gophers will start lefthander Dalton Sawyer, a true freshman from Waconia, Minn.. He is 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA, but all 17 of his appearances have come in relief. Nebraska counters with senior righthander Ryan Hander.
The Gophers are 2-1 so far in the tournament, and Nebraska is 1-1. The winner of this game will play Saturday at 3:35 p.m., against either Indiana or Ohio State.
Nebraska went 2-1 against the Gophers at Siebert Field in mid-May, outscoring Minnesota in that series 17-4.
Don't let the Cornhuskers' 26-29 record fool you. Darin Erstad's team played a tough non-conference schedule with series against Cal State Fullerton, Texas, UC-Irvine, Arkansas and Oklahoma State.
GOPHERS (32-21)
1. Schaefbauer, 2B
2. Schlangen, RF
3. Henkemeyer, LF
4. Halloran, C
5. Olinger, 1B
6. Tatera, DH
7. Handel, SS
8. Abrahamson, 3B
9. Larson, CF
Starting pitcher: LH Sawyer (2-2, 3.09 ERA)
NEBRASKA (26-29)
1. Kelly, 2B
2. Pritchard, LF
3. Christensen, RF
4. Kalkowski, 1B
5. Scheffert, DH
6. Headley, 3B
7. Lubach, C
8. Darby, CF
9. Peters, SS
Starting pitcher: RH Hander (0-2, 6.00 ERA)
Target Field. First pitch: 3:35 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network
Crawford, Thonvold keep Gophers alive in Big Ten tourney
Posted by: Joe Christensen Updated: May 24, 2013 - 2:19 PMAlec Crawford pitched 6 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, and redshirt freshman Lance Thonvold recorded the final seven outs, as the Gophers defeated Illinois 3-1 on Friday in a Big Ten Tournament elimination game at Target Field.
Illinois (34-18) got knocked out of the tournament, but the Fighting Illini entered at No. 30 in the RPI rankings and still have a strong chance to make the 64-team NCAA field.
The Gophers (32-21) will need to win the conference tournament to advance, and they’re still four wins away. They are scheduled to face Nebraska at 3:35 p.m.
Illinois grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning, capitalizing on a two-out error by shortstop Michael Handel.
But Minnesota came back with three runs in the fourth off Illinois starter Ryan Castellanos. Andy Henkemyer lined a double, and Dan Olinger tied it with a two-out single to left field. The Gophers added three bloop singles after that -- by Mark Tatera, Handel and Ryan Abrhamson -- leading to two more runs.
With Crawford (4-2) at 100 pitches, the Gophers turned to Thonvold with two runners aboard in the seventh inning. Thonvold retired Thomas Lindauer to end that threat and pitched the final two innings.
Facing elimination, Gophers turn to Crawford against Illinois
Posted by: Joe Christensen Updated: May 24, 2013 - 11:42 AMThe Gophers will send Alec Crawford to the mound against Illinois on Friday in a Big Ten Tournament elimination game.
Minnesota would need to win five consecutive games, including two today, to win this tournament and secure the Big Ten’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The Gophers probably won’t qualify for an at-large bid.
Illinois can make a strong case to make the tournament regardless of today’s outcome. The Fighting Illini rank 30th in the latest RPI rankings.
One hour after this game ends, the winner will face third-seeded Nebraska.
ILLINOIS (34-17)
1. Lindauer, SS
2. Hurwitz, DH
3. Justin Parr, CF
4. Jordan Parr, LF
5. Hohl, 3B
6. Kerian, 1B
7. Roper, 2B
8. Hendrickson, RF
9. Norris-Jones, C
Starting pitcher: RH Castellanos (3-1, 5.20 ERA)
GOPHERS (31-21)
1. Schaefbauer, 2B
2. Schlangen, RF
3. Henkemeyer, LF
4. Halloran, C
5. Olinger, 1B
6. TBA, DH
7. Handel, SS
8. Abrahamson, 3B
9. Larson, CF
Starting pitcher: RH Crawford (3-2, 2.62 ERA)
Target Field. First pitch: 12:05 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network
Indiana defeats Gophers 4-2, sending Minnesota to losers bracket in Big Ten Tournament
Posted by: Joe Christensen Updated: May 23, 2013 - 10:34 PMBig Ten baseball is getting better and better, Gophers coach John Anderson keeps saying. On Thursday night, Indiana helped prove his point.
The Hoosiers are the conference’s showcase team this year, and they looked the part in defeating Minnesota 4-2 in a Big Ten Tournament winner’s bracket game at Target Field.
Indiana (41-13) jumped on Gophers starter DJ Snelten for three first-inning runs and knew that lead was in good hands with Aaron Slegers, the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.
Slegers (9-1) held Minnesota to one run on five hits over seven innings. He had seven strikeouts, no walks and threw 64 of his 94 pitches for strikes.
The Gophers tried coming back against Indiana’s bullpen in the eighth, as Troy Larson delivered his third hit and scored. Minnesota put two runners on in the ninth, but Hoosiers closer Ryan Halstead struck out Larson to end the game.
Top-seeded Indiana will face Ohio State on Friday night, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship game. The fourth-seeded Gophers fell to the loser’s bracket, where they’ll meet Michigan on Friday at noon, with the winner advancing to face Nebraska one hour later.
Indiana entered the tournament ranked 14th in the latest RPI rankings, and other Big Ten teams weren’t far behind, including Illinois (30th), Michigan State (35th), Nebraska (42nd) and Ohio State (62nd).
It’s been enough to make Big Ten coaches hopeful this could be the year they finally land more than three teams in the 64-team NCAA Tournament.
The Gophers (31-21) know they need to win this double-elimination tournament to get into the NCAA tourney with the Big Ten’s automatic bid.
The top-seeded Hoosiers not only led the Big Ten in almost every offensive category this season, they also led the conference with a 2.54 ERA.
Minnesota had one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the Big Ten, but its pitchers ranked second behind Indiana with a 2.86 ERA.
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recent posts
- Red Wing native Pat Kelly helps Nebraska oust Gophers from Big Ten tourney
- True freshman Sawyer gets the nod for Gophers against Nebraska
- Crawford, Thonvold keep Gophers alive in Big Ten baseball
- Facing elimination, Gophers turn to Crawford against Illinois
- Indiana defeats Gophers 4-2, sending Minnesota to losers bracket in Big Ten Tournament
- Gophers turn to Snelten against Big Ten's top pitcher
- Henkemeyer's ninth-inning single lifts Gophers past Illinois in Big Ten tourney
- Gophers face Illinois in B1G Tournament opener: Windle vs. Duchene
- Christensen: Big Ten could land four teams in NCAA baseball tourney
- Christensen blog: Former Gophers QB Shortell transfers to Jacksonville State
- Christensen blog: U football joins Big Ten push to strengthen nonconference schedules
- Gophers/UNLV football opener set for 6 p.m., on Aug. 29
- Christensen: Scary moment from spring game highlights speed, toughness
- Christensen: Receiver Harbison returns from knee injury with strong spring game
- Christensen: Carter to Vikings, Gray to 49ers, Stoudermire to Bengals
- Christensen blog: Big Ten officially adopts new East, West football divisions for 2014
- Gophers set rosters for Saturday's spring game
- Christensen: Big Ten's talent gap shows again in draft
- BTN's DiNardo impressed with Gophers but Kill hopes to see better Saturday
Post By Category
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- Nebraska eliminates Gophers from Big Ten tourney, season likely over
- Reusse: Track and field now, more basketball later for U's Ellenson
- Gophers football players giving back in academics
- Hartman: Mbakwe stood out at NBA combine, knees a concern
- MSU Mankato reaches World Series in Division II baseball
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