A few Gophers fans were sprinkled around the mostly empty Target Field seats on Day 1 of the Big Ten baseball tournament Wednesday. The only maroon-and-gold presence on the field were the “M” helmets worn by the bat boys.
Toby Hanson sat with his father, possibly envisioning himself playing on the pristine big-league diamond. The reality, however, was that the Gophers freshman infielder and his dad were reluctant fans after Minnesota missed its chance to represent the home state in the conference showcase.