After going 40-19 and finishing as the runner-up in the Baton Rouge Regional last year, the Golden Gophers entered 2010 as strong contenders to win the Big Ten Conference and perhaps make a deeper postseason run. But the first five weeks of the season have not gone according to plan. Minnesota has lost seven of its last nine games, including a series loss at Samford and a loss at home Tuesday against North Dakota State. Overall, the Gophers are just 7-14 heading into a series against Louisiana Tech this weekend.
"All I can do is keep working with the kids and try to keep their confidence up, which is difficult at times," Minnesota coach John Anderson told the Minnesota Daily after Tuesday's loss. "We're trying to get this thing turning around, but we're having a real hard time. We can't seem to string enough hits together to get a big inning."
There have been a few bright spots for Minnesota. Shortstop A.J. Pettersen has followed up his freshman All-America 2009 season with a strong start to his sophomore year, hitting .391/.433/.529. Junior slugger Michael Kvasnicka (.338/.443/.650 with a team-leading four home runs) has continued to mature as a hitter, drawing 16 walks while striking out just twice in 80 at-bats. Freshman righthander T.J. Oakes (1-0, 1.96) has been good in the rotation, and righty Scott Matyas (2.35 ERA) has been solid at the back of the bullpen.
But earlier in the spring, Anderson said his team was having difficulty replacing departed mainstays Derek McCallum, Matt Nohelty and Eric Decker in the lineup. That group provided athleticism and leadership, and seniors Tom Buske and Chauncy Handran were rock-steady if not overpowering on the mound.
Injuries have also played a role in Minnesota's scuffles, but the Gophers are mostly healthy now and will need to show more consistency heading into the conference schedule next weekend.
"We're 6-13 because we haven't been able to put three phases of the game together consistently," Anderson told the paper after Sunday's loss to Samford. "We need better execution to be able to play at a high level and win
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Originally Posted by Abominable Gorilla
