University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHER SOFTBALL ADVANCES TO FINAL OF METRODOME SOFTBALL CLASSIC
2/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Minnesota (5-1) advances to the championship game of the Metrodome Softball Classic for the first time in the four-year history of the tournament. The Gophers will play either Louisville (4-2), Northern Iowa (1-5), or Western Illinois (4-2) Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Gophers scored a first-inning run when Hailee Nanchy hit a two-out single to left-center field, scoring Angie Recknor from second base. Louisville scored two runs in the second inning to take a 2-1 lead, but Jessie Green singled in her first collegiate at bat in the fourth inning, scoring Veronica Roberts from second base, to tie the game 2-2.
Marten singled to start the seventh inning, and Tammi Hays bunted Marten over to second base and reached on a Louisville error. Allie Fisk sacrificed the runners to second and third. Recknor hit a ground ball to shortstop, but Louisville's Keola Calderon failed to touch first base, loading the bases. Braden hit a ground ball to third base, where the Cardinals' Kenzie Meisenburg touched third base for a force out and threw home. Louisville catcher Lisa McMillan touched home plate, but failed to tag Marten. After a short delay, Marten touched the plate and was ruled safe, ending the game. Marten pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to record her fifth victory of the season.
Earlier in the day, Marten pitched a complete-game six-hitter as Minnesota defeated Western Illinois, 8-3. Braden added two hits, including her third home run of the season. In six games, Braden is hitting .579 (11-for-19) with three doubles, three home runs and 12 runs batted in.
Minnesota 8, Western Illinois 3 Western Illinois 010 200 0 - 3 6 2 Minnesota 004 022 x - 8 10 0 Sullivan, K. Smith (6) and Goebel. Marten and Smith. WP - Marten (4-0). LP - Sullivan (1-1). HR - (WIU) Maxwell (1), Pickens (1), (MIN) Braden (3). Minnesota 3, Louisville 2 Louisville 020 000 0 - 2 8 2 Minnesota 100 100 1 - 3 8 1 McClure, Rockwell (5), Rak (7) and McMillan. Recknor, Green (4), Marten (5) and Smith. WP - Marten (5-0). LP - Rockwell (0-2). HR - none. METRODOME SOFTBALL CLASSIC Saturday's Games Western Illinois 6, UW-Green Bay 3 Louisville 4, Northern Iowa 2 Minnesota 8, Western Illinois 3 Northern Iowa 10, UW-Green Bay 1 (UW-Green Bay eliminated) Minnesota 3, Louisville 2 Sunday's Games Northern Iowa vs. Western Illinois, 10 a.m. (loser eliminated) 10 a.m. Winner vs. Louisville, Noon (loser eliminated) Noon Winner vs. Minnesota, 2 p.m. (Championship Game)
