University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Sweep Penn State in Softball Series
4/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
State College, Pa. - The 25th-ranked Minnesota softball team took advantage of Penn State errors, along with a Jordanne Nygren home run en route to completing its first Big Ten Conference series sweep since the 1999-2000 season. The Golden Gophers downed Penn State 3-2, improving their record to 26-11 overall and 3-1 in the conference, while the Nittany Lions fell to 16-17, 2-4 in the league.
Penn State scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, but Nygren hit her fourth home run of the season and the 32nd of her career to tie the game in the bottom of the frame. Tammi Hays was on second base at the time, after leading off with a single.
After struggling early, Piper Marten cruised following the first inning to up her record to 16-7 on the year. The sophomore from Farmington, N.M., threw her 11th complete game of the season, striking out seven.
Minnesota took the lead with an unearned run in the sixth inning. With two outs and Allie Fisk on third, Hailee Nanchy hit a smash to Penn State's Susan Shuplock at second base. Shuplock booted the ball, allowing Fisk to race home.
In just her second start of the season, rookie Rachel Keeney picked up her first collegiate hit, while providing terrific defense at third base for Minnesota. In the third inning with a runner on first, Keeney snared a line drive and threw the runner out for a double play. She added three more assists.
Minnesota will continue its road trip Sunday at noon with a doubleheader against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.
