University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Wrap Up FAU Invitational
3/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Boca Raton, Fla. - The No. 23 Minnesota softball team won its final game of the Florida Atlantic Parents' Weekend Tournament, a 2-1 decision over Florida International. The Gophers upped their record to 23-10 and completed the tournament with a 3-2 mark.
Tammi Hays scored both runs for the Gophers against FIU. The senior from Hastings, Minn., led off the game with a singe and scored on a Jordanne Nygren ground ball. Hays then doubled in the third inning and later stole home. She leads the Gophers with a .415 batting average.
The Golden Panthers did score in the fourth inning, but Minnesota's Piper Marten silenced their bats for much of the game. Marten upped her record to 15-6, throwing her 10th complete game of the season, while striking out nine.
In the first game of the day, the Golden Gophers fell to No. 16 and defending Big Ten Tournament champions Iowa in eight innings, 1-0. Marten was the tough-luck loser, throwing a one-hitter, while striking out 10. It was the third game this season Marten dropped a one-run eight-inning decision. She also lost to No. 7 California (2-1) and No. 9 Cal State Fullerton (1-0).
With the international tie-breaker rule in place, the Hawks' Katie Boney hit a ground ball to drive in Laura Chipman for the winning run, which was unearned.
Minnesota's only baserunners were Hays, who led off the game with a walk, and Marten, who followed with a fielder's choice, as Iowa's Kristi Hanks threw a complete-game no-hitter, while striking out six. It was the seventh double-digit strikeout game of the season for Marten.
The Gophers also fell to No. 11 and host Florida Atlantic, 4-1. After the Owls took the lead with a run in the first inning, Nygren hit her third of the home run of the season and 31st of her career in the fourth to tie the game. Marten provided the Gophers' only other base hit as Nikki Myers struck out 10 to up her record to 20-4.
FAU answered with a run in the fifth inning and hit a pair of solo home runs in the seventh to earn the victory, upping its record to 36-6 on the season. Marten was charged with the loss.
The Gophers will open the Big Ten season versus Illinois next Friday at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium at 6 p.m. Minnesota will conclude its series with Illinois Saturday at noon, followed by a Sunday noon doubleheader with Purdue.
