University of Minnesota Athletics
SOFTBALL SPLITS IN METRODOME CLASSIC ACTION
2/12/1999 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Minnesota used an explosive offensive display to jump to a 7-0 lead after two innings against Western Illinois. Freshman second baseman Jordanne Nygren jumped into the Gopher record books by hitting home runs in the first two at bats of her collegiate career. In the first inning, Nygren blasted a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence, scoring Steph Midthun, who had singled to lead off the game. Nygren smashed her second homer, a solo shot, to straight-away centerfield in the second inning. Nygren's second round-tripper followed a grand-slam home run by senior shortstop Shannon Beeler.
Western Illinois' Bridget Maxwell nailed a three-run home run in the bottom of the third to narrow the gap to 7-3. After the Gophers added what turned out to be the deciding run on a single by Lara Severson, the Westerwinds hit their second long ball uf the game, another three-run homer, this one by Shannon Goebel.
The Westerwinds rallied in the bottom the seventh inning, scoring one run and loading the bases before Gopher pitching ace Steph Klaviter entered the game and forced Laurie Bell, the third hitter in the lineup, to ground out to short. Klaviter earned the save, while Gopher starter Heather Brown was credited with the win.
Kansas pitcher Sarah Workman shut out the Gophers, throwing a four-hitter and striking out 14. Two of her strikeouts ended a bases-loaded Minnesota rally in the bottom of the sixth inning with the Jayhawks leading 5-0. Workman, who played her first game back after missing the 1998 season with an arm injury, struck out Gopher sluggers Beeler and Nygren to end the inning.
The Metrodome Classic continues on Saturday starting a 9 a.m. Minnesota is scheduled to play Nothern Illinois at 1 p.m. and Missouri at 3 p.m.
Metrodome Classic scores from Day 1: Missouri 2, Western Illinois 0 (9 inn.) Missouri 1, Northern Illinois 0 Kansas 3, Northern Illinois 0 Minnesota 8, Western Illinois 7 Kansas 7, Minnesota 0
