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The Indiana Daily Student

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IU blows six run lead against Minnesota, eliminated in Big Ten Tournament

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It was déjà vu for IU.

After squandering a three-run lead and losing to Minnesota 5-4 Wednesday in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers suffered the same fate Friday night blowing a six-run lead against the Golden Gophers.

The Hoosiers’ tournament run ended Friday, losing 9-8 to Minnesota at Bart Kaufman Field.

“Tough game,” IU Coach Chris Lemonis said. “Probably got our hearts pulled out right there late in the game. I thought we did a lot of good things. Tip your hat to Minnesota for never quitting.”

Heading into the eighth inning, IU held a three-run lead after Minnesota had chipped away at it the entire game. An unlikely hero helped win the game for the Golden Gophers.

Coming into the game, sophomore catcher Eduardo Estrada had only one home run the entire season. His second couldn’t have come at a better time for Minnesota.

Estrada came into the game in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter with two runners on. Minnesota had already scored two runs in the inning and looked to narrow the lead even further.

Estrada did one better, belting a three-run home run to right field, giving Minnesota a one run-lead, its first lead of the game.

“Honestly, I kind of blacked out there for a little bit,” Estrada said. “I was up 2-1 and he came with a fastball and I was set for it. It just felt like that was one of my best swings of the year.”

That lead would stick.

The Hoosiers began to build their substantial lead in the third inning.

Sophomore catcher Ryan Fineman and freshman shortstop Jeremy Houston led off the inning with back-to-back walks. Senior second baseman Tony Butler proceeded to lay down a perfect bunt, allowing both runners to advance and for Butler to reach first.

Sophomore infielder Matt Lloyd would hit the first of two sacrifice flies in the inning, scoring Fineman. The Hoosiers double-stole on the next at-bat and both Houston and Butler would come home to score in the inning.

IU would add to its lead in the fifth and the sixth innings. In the fifth inning Butler and Lloyd would score in the inning, giving IU a five-run lead.

Houston would hit his second home run of the season in the sixth inning, but Minnesota would not go quietly.

Up until that inning, freshman pitcher Andrew Saalfrank pitched brilliantly, only allowing one hit through five innings. But in the sixth inning, he began to struggle.

“You’re in tournament play and you get greedy,” Lemonis said. “I probably got greedy going out there out there for the third time through the lineup.”

Minnesota began its comeback, scoring four runs in the sixth inning. Sophomore pitcher Tim Herrin came in for Saalfrank, but he was unable to put out the fire. It wasn’t the last time IU’s bullpen would struggle Friday.

“We’ve been good and their stuff was good, but we missed on a couple pitches and they got a couple hits in there,” Lemonis said of his bullpen. “These guys have pitched well as of late too. Obviously, we didn’t pitch good enough tonight.”

Lloyd would answer Minnesota’s scoring with a solo home run to lead off the seventh inning and Thursday’s hero senior infielder Alex Krupa would score on a Fineman double in the eighth inning.

However, in the bottom of the eighth, the game would unravel for IU.

Minnesota began the inning with three consecutive singles, loading the bases for sophomore outfielder Ben Mezzenga. He would hit a ball right off the first base, and the ball ricocheted off the base into right field. The strange bounce of the ball would allow two Golden Gophers to score.

The next batter was Estrada whose home run was the nail in IU’s Big Ten Tournament hopes.

IU awaits its NCAA Tournament fate, which will be announced Monday, but the Hoosiers are likely in the field. 

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