Minnesota Scene: Rob Fornasiere, longtime Gophers baseball assistant coach, says he's retiring

Rob Fornasiere, who is in his 33rd season on the Gophers baseball coaching staff, revealed Sunday he will retire at the end of the season.

Fornasiere joined the Gophers in the fall of 1985 after five seasons as the coach at Normandale Community College. Fornasiere and Gophers coach John Anderson are the longest-tenured coaching duo in NCAA Division I baseball. In 2008, Fornasiere was named the ABCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

Fornasiere, a Sun Prairie, Wis., native, arrived at Normandale in 1981. He coached Normandale to a 105-29 record, four conference titles, a regional title and a trip to the NJCAA World Series in 1983.

Joel Rippel

Jake Stevenson and Max Meyer combined on a four-hitter for the Gophers in a 3-1 victory over Michigan State on Sunday at Siebert Field.

Stevenson allowed one run and four hits in 5⅔ innings, and Meyer retired all 10 hitters he faced for his 13th save. The Gophers (34-13, 16-4 Ten) remain first in the Big Ten, a game ahead of Michigan.

Bethel earned its first MIAC baseball playoff title with an 8-0 victory over St. John's on Sunday at CHS Field. Bethel freshman starter Sam Riola allowed one hit in seven innings.

• NSIC champion Augustana and St. Cloud State are seeded fifth and sixth, respectively in an NCAA Division II baseball regional in Magnolia, Ark.

• Minnesota Duluth hit four home runs and routed Emporia State 9-1 in a Division II regional final in Winona, Minn., and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time.

• St. Benedict lost 3-0 to host Luther in their Division III regional final.