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Gophers baseball hands No. 9 Oregon first Big Ten loss

Minnesota earned its second win over a ranked opponent last weekend in Eugene.

Tony Liebert

Oregon first baseman Jacob Walsh makes a catch as Minnesota outfielder Parker Knoll dives safely back to first as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday, March 15, 2025, at PK Park in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon first baseman Jacob Walsh makes a catch as Minnesota outfielder Parker Knoll dives safely back to first as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday, March 15, 2025, at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We are less than 20 games into the Ty McDevitt era of Gophers baseball, but there have been plenty of highs and lows. After an impressive start to non-conference play with a win over No. 7 Virginia, they started 1-2 in Big Ten play then lost 29-1 at home against Kansas. They responded well this weekend, winning one of three games on the road against No. 10 Oregon.

A 1-2, three-game road trip isn't going to change your season-long outlook, but Oregon was the preseason favorite in the Big Ten. Minnesota will now hold the distinction of handing the Ducks their first-ever conference loss as a Big Ten baseball program, after winning 9-1 on Sunday.

Starting pitcher Noah Rooney had a great day on the mound with five strikeouts, zero earned runs and only three hits allowed in four innings. Charlie Sutherland and Brayden Hellum both had two hits and two RBIs at the plate.

Minnesota lost 5-2 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday, but if you combine all three games, the Gophers out-scored Oregon 13-10, so it should be viewed as a successful road trip against the only ranked team in the conference.

Through 18 games, Minnesota is 8-10 overall and 2-4 in the conference. They sit in 12th place in the Big Ten after playing two series against first-place Oregon and sixth-place Purdue. A challenging schedule to start the season has them at No. 17 in the latest NCAA RPI.

The Gophers will travel back to the Twin Cities and host St. Thomas at U.S. Bank Stadium on Wednesday, then they will have a non-conference series against High Point over the weekend. Their first series of the year at Siebert Field is scheduled for March 28-30 against Iowa.

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Tony Liebert
TONY LIEBERT

Tony Liebert is particularly known for his coverage of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, though he also contributes to coverage of the Minnesota Vikings, Timberwolves and Twins. His writing style is noted for providing in-depth analysis and insights, making him a go-to source for fans looking for comprehensive coverage of Minnesota sports.

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