University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Softball Pounds Indiana
4/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Minneapolis, Minn. - Minnesota pounded out nine hits, including three home runs en route to an 8-0 five-inning romp of Indiana in the Gophers' home opener in front of 336 fans at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. It was the fifth straight game Minnesota racked up six or more runs, while moving to 32-16 on the season and 6-5 in the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers remain winless in the league at 0-13 and 12-26-1 overall. Shelly Nichols, Anne Thul and Jordanne Nygren all hit their team- leading sixth home run of the season.
Nichols got the Gophers on the board leading off the second inning with a solo shot, but Minnesota exploded for six runs in the third inning to blow the game open.
Stephanie Sward, Tammi Hays, Piper Marten and Nichols all singled in the sixth before Thul hit a three run blast to cap the scoring. It was the most runs the Gophers had scored in a single inning this year and have now outscored their opponents 29-12 in the second frame.
Nygren hit her 34th career home run to lead off the fifth inning to end the game due to the NCAA eight-run lead after five innings rule. Nichols and Thul both drove in three RBI, while Nichols and Nygren each scored twice.
Marten struck out six, while giving up just two hits to up her record to 20-10 on the year. It is the second consecutive season Marten has earned 20 wins, after posting 23 during her freshman season.
Marten now has 248 strikeouts on the season, just one behind her own school record set in 2000. The Gophers will conclude their series with Indiana, Saturday at noon.
Score by Innings R H E Indiana............. 000 00 - 0 2 2 Minnesota........... 016 01 - 8 9 0 E - Ochoa; Cooke. DP - Hoosiers 2. LOB - Hoosiers 3; Gophers 1. HR - Nygren(6); Nichols(6); Thul(6). Win - Marten (20-10). Loss - Cooke (1- 10).
