Gophers scene: U, Mendez both place ninth in Raleigh regional golf meet

The Gophers men's golf team finished in a tie for ninth place out of 13 teams Saturday in the NCAA Raleigh (N.C.) regional.

Minnesota was 20 over par at Lonnie Poole Golf Course as a team, well back of winner Georgia Tech, 27 under, which ran away with the team title. The Yellow Jackets came into the regional No. 2 in the Golf Week/Sagarin rankings. Washington, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Florida State will also advance to the NCAA Championships.

Freshman Jose Mendez was the Gophers' top golfer, who also finished in a tie for ninth among individuals at 1 under. He had rounds of 67, 72 and 73 for a 212 total.

Mendez had the second-best score among golfers not on the top five teams. Wake Forest's Cyrus Stewart finished at 3 under, to get the one individual spot for nationals.

Alex Gaugert was Minnesota's next finisher, closing with a 78 to tie for 39th at 7 over.

Big Ten champion Indiana routed the Gophers 8-0 in Bloomington to win the final regular-season series of the year two games to one.

The No. 8-ranked Hoosiers (38-13, 21-3) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Brad Hartong's sacrifice fly. Indiana scored three more runs in the sixth and four in the eighth.

The Hoosiers will be the top seed and the Gophers the fourth in the Big Ten tournament starting Wednesday in Omaha, Neb. Minnesota will face fifth-seeded Michigan at 9 p.m. on the first day.

The Gophers men's team was fourth after six of 21 events and women's team third seven events on Saturday at the Big Ten outdoor track and field championships Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind. The men had 23 points, the women 41.

Trevor Yedoni of the Gophers won the long jump, going 24 feet, 10 inches. Dominique Howard was fourth in the discus (196-7).

Two Gophers women finished second in their events Sophomore Jess Herauf was the runner-up in the heptathlon (5,490), which was a career high and ranks second in program history. Nicole Murphy was second in the javelin (175-9).

Other high finishes: Kelli Budd in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:17.21). Alex Beckman finished fifth (5,057) in the heptathlon, Audra Winter seventh (4,908) and Amanda Beckman eighth (4,806).