Minnesota defeated the North Dakota State University (NDSU) baseball team 12-3 on April 21 at Siebert Field. The Gophers scored six runs in the first two innings and maintained their lead throughout the game.
The result marks another loss for NDSU, who now have a record of 6-24 overall and 3-8 in Summit League play. Minnesota improved to a record of 23-17, with five wins and thirteen losses in Big Ten competition.
Minnesota started strong with a leadoff home run by Jack Spanier and an RBI sacrifice fly from Easton Richter, giving them a quick two-run advantage. In the second inning, Tyman Long hit a two-out RBI double before Weber Neels capped off the frame with a solo home run, extending Minnesota’s lead to 6-1.
Diego Trujillo led NDSU’s offense by hitting his first home run of the season—a two-run shot to deep center field—in the fourth inning. This brought NDSU within four runs at that point, but Minnesota responded by scoring five unanswered runs over the next five innings. Sam Hunt sealed Minnesota’s win with a three-RBI home run in the eighth inning.
Trujillo finished as NDSU’s top performer at bat, going two-for-four with two RBIs and scoring twice. The Bison used eight pitchers during the contest; Garrett Shupe made his start and recorded one strikeout over just more than an inning pitched while Cade Wiegert added two strikeouts in relief work.
NDSU is scheduled to return to action on Friday for a doubleheader against Oral Roberts. The matchup will include a rescheduled game originally set for March 29.
