University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Softball Gets Ready to Host NCAA Regional Championships
5/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Gopher Softball Gets Ready to Host NCAA Regional Championships
The Minnesota Golden Gophers will be making their sixth trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament in school history and fourth appearance in the past seven years. Minnesota will also be host to a regional site for the first time, welcoming No. 2 and top-seed Arizona, along with No. 16 DePaul, Princeton, Penn State and Boston to Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
Minnesota is 5-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with four of its five victories coming in the Gophers last two trips to the regional tournament in 1998 and 1999. After claiming the Big Ten Conference tournament in 1999, Minnesota won its opening two regional games over Creighton and Cal State Northridge, before falling to host UCLA and Missouri. The Golden Gophers have been outscored 19-40 during NCAA action.
The Gophers were 13 games over .500 heading into the conference season with one of the toughest schedules in the nation. Fourteen of the Gophers' 19 losses came to teams who are currently listed or who were among the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Top 25 Poll (No. 5 California, No. 7 Nebraska (2), No. 9 Cal State Fullerton, No. 11 Michigan (2), No. 12 Florida Atlantic (3), No. 20 Ohio State (2), Wisconsin (2) and Iowa), with victories over No. 11 Michigan, No. 12 Florida Atlantic, No. 15 Oregon State, No. 17 Pacific and Massachusetts who is receiving votes. The Gophers are 7-14 this season versus teams listed in the top 25.
Minnesota Hosts NCAA Regional No. 2 Site: Minneapolis, Minn. - Jane Sage Cowles Stadium May 16 - Thursday's Schedule: Game 1 No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 6 Boston Noon Game 2 No. 2 DePaul vs. No. 5 Penn State 2:30 Game 3 No. 3 Minnesota vs. No. 4 Princeton 5:00 Game 4 Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser 7:30 May 17 - Friday's Schedule: Game 5 Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser 2:30 Game 6 Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner 5:00 Game 7 Game 1 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner 7:30 May 18 - Saturday's Schedule: Game 8* Game 7 Loser or Bye vs. Game 6 Loser 2:30 Game 9 Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner 5:00 Game 10* Game 1 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner 7:30 May 19 - Sunday's Schedule: Game 11 Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner Noon Game 12* Game 11 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser 2:30 * if necessary The Minnesota Co-Head Coaches
Minnesota co-head coach Lisa Bernstein is in her 11th season with the Gophers. Her overall record is 392-271-2 (.591). In the last six seasons, Minnesota is 287- 148-1 (.666), qualifying for four NCAA tournaments and winning the 1999 Big Ten Tournament title. She is the all-time wins leader in Minnesota history.
Minnesota co-head coach Julie Standering is in her fourth season with her current title and her 11th year with the program. Her record is 152-89-1 (.638) as a co-head coach and 282-150-1 (.658) since being elevated to associate head coach in 1996.
The Minnesota Lineup Pos. Name Avg. Runs RBI Note 1B Nanchy .231 6 11 First career HR vs. Okla. St. 2B Nichols .256 19 30 2 HR's in FIU doubleheader SS Wallace .190 8 3 All- IronKids Tournament 3B Nygren .358 14 30 88 total bases on the season LF Hays .404 39 6 .447 on base percentage CF Roberts .247 12 11 Team-high four triples RF Sward .258 23 5 25 of 30 stealing bases C Thul .286 12 25 Team-leading 8 home runs DP Recknor .216 1 6 Hit .400 at Triangle Classic DP Marten .165 4 3 IronKids Classic MVP Pos. Name W-L ERA SO Note P Marten 22-12 1.06 281 Four No-hitters this season P Recknor 14-7 1.02 112 Triangle Classic MVP Gophers Earn NFCA All-Mideast Region
Three members of the Minnesota softball team earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Mideast Region. Senior Tammi Hays</ a> and sophomore Piper Marten garnered first-team accolades, while junior Jordanne Nygren was named second team at third base.
Hays earned her third all-region honor after being named second team in both 2001 and 2000. The Hastings, Minn., native led the Golden Gopher in batting average, at- bats, hits, runs, on-base percentage and stolen bases for the third consecutive year. Her .404 batting average this year is the fifth highest in school history, while bringing her career average to .346. Hays set school records with 86 stolen bases in her career and three in a single game in 2002. She also ranks in the school's top five in five different career offensive categories.
Marten, a two-time All-Big Ten Conference honoree, led the league with 281 strikeouts in the regular season, breaking her own school record of 249 set in 2001. In just two seasons, Marten owns the Minnesota school record with 530 career strikeouts. She also posted her second consecutive, 20- win season, while throwing four no-hitters in 2002, including a perfect game. Marten also struck out a school-record 15 batters on two occasions.
Nygren is also making her third appearance on the all-Region team, after being named first team her first and second years at Minnesota. Nygren led the Gophers in RBI, slugging percentage and walks and was second on the team in hits and on-base percentage. With six home runs in 2002, she now stands second on Minnesota's all- time list with 34, while driving in 136 runs in her career.
30 Wins... Again With a 6-0 victory over Drake on April 17, the Minnesota softball team earned its seventh consecutive 30-win season. Since coming to Minnesota in 1992, Lisa Bernstein and Julie Standering have led the Golden Gophers to at least 30 wins nine times, including a school-record 48 victories in both 1998 and 1999.
Minnesota Win Totals in the Bernstein/ Standering Era Year Record Year Record Year Record 1992 33-28-1 1996 44- 18 2000 31-28 1993 32-24 1997 37-19 2001 36-22-1 1994 19-43 1998 48-21 2002 37-19 1995 27-29 1999 48-20 NCAA Division I Regional Top 10's Announced
The NCAA Division I Women's Softball Committee released its final Division I women's softball biweekly regional poll. In order to be ranked, each team's record must be above .500. Minnesota was 4-9 this season versus ranked regional teams.
Mideast Region 1. Michigan 46-9 2. Ohio State 53-12 3. Penn State 32-24 4. Iowa 35-18 5. Central Michigan 38-14 6. Wisconsin 31-20 7. Illinois-Chicago 42-20 8. Northwestern 24-18 9. Minnesota 35-19 10. Illinois 34-24 Big Ten Battles
The Minnesota softball team dropped its final two Big Ten Conference games, a pair of games at Wisconsin, 2-1 and 1-0. The losses knocked the Gophers out of the conference tournament, ending their regular season at 37-19, 7-8 in the league. The Gophers finished eighth in the Big Ten standings, missing the conference tournament for the third straight season after winning the tournament title in 1999.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers concluded their home schedule with a 4-1 ten inning loss to Northwestern, on April 26. Minnesota has lost four of its five extra- inning decisions this season. The final three scheduled home games were cancelled due to weather and unplayable field conditions.
Minnesota earned its third Big Ten Conference sweep of the season, downing Indiana 4-0, following a 8-0 five-inning romp of the Hoosiers, April 19-20.
Gophers Piper Marten and Angie Recknor threw back-to-back shutouts for the fifth time this season. During Minnesota's 8-0 victory, Shelly Nichols, Anne Thul</ a> and Jordanne Nygren all hit home runs. The Gophers exploded for six runs in the third inning, the most runs the Gophers had scored in a single inning this year.
The Gophers dropped both of their games to No. 12 Michigan, but swept Michigan State April 12-14, earning their second conference sweep of the season. Marten threw her second one-hitter of the season in the opener and picked up her fourth save of the season in the nightcap. Thul hit her fifth home run of the season. Michigan outscored the Gophers 16-4 in its two victories, while racking up 20 hits.
Minnesota dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Ohio State on April 7th. Nichols went 2-for-3, with a double and a homerun, along with three RBI in the nightcap. In the opener, Minnesota managed just two hits against OSU's Wendy Allen .
The Golden Gophers swept Penn State, April 5-6. It was Minnesota's first conference series sweep since the 1999 season. Veronica Roberts had three RBI in the Gophers' 5-4 triumph.
The Gophers split their series with Illinois, winning the opener 2-0, while dropping the second by the identical score at Caswell Park in North Mankato, Minn.
< td>Sophmore Piper Marten
Sophomore pitcher Piper Marten continued her dominant season as she threw her fourth no-hitter of the year in the nightcap of Minnesota's sweep of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Marten struck out 10 in her eighth complete-game shutout of the season.
During Minnesota's 6-0 victory over Drake, Marten threw her first career collegiate perfect game. Marten struckout 10 of the first 12 Bulldogs she faced en route to her third no-hitter this season and Minnesota's first perfect game since Angie Recknor blanked Akron on March 25, 2000. Marten concluded her masterpiece with a school-record 15 strikeouts, tying her own mark she already held, along with Heather Brown and Jennifer Johnson.
Marten also struckout 15 in her first no- hitter this season against Boston University on Feb. 15. She combined with Lyn Peyer to no-hit Pittsburgh on March 9, 1-0 during the FSU Tournament. Marten relieved Peyer after the rookie started the game and walked the only two batters she faced. Marten went on to throw the complete-game shutout, striking out 13.
Minnesota No-Hitters
Piper Marten vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay 5/2/02 Piper Marten* vs. Drake 4/17/ 02 Piper Marten/Lyn Peyer</ a> vs. Pittsburgh 3/9/02 Piper Marten vs. Boston 2/15/ 02 Angie Recknor* vs. Akron 3/25/ 00 Brenda Bixby** vs. Louisiana Tech 3/7/92 Brenda Bixby vs. South Florida 2/ 22/92 Sarah Maschka* vs. NE Louisiana 3/ 1/91 Judy Oliverius vs. Ohio State 5/ 3/86 Judy Oliverius vs. Wichita State 3/25/85 Judy Oliverius vs. New Mexico State 3/8/85 Gretchen Larson vs. Pima 3/10/ 83 * Perfect Game ** Nine Innings Minnesota Single Game Strikeout Record 15 Piper Marten vs. Drake 4/17/ 02 15 Piper Marten vs. Boston 2/ 15/02 15 Heather Brown vs. Beth.- Cookman 3/24/99 15 Jennifer Johnson vs. CS- Fullerton 3/20/96 Marten Earns All-Big Ten Softball Honors
For the second consecutive year, Minnesota's Piper Marten earned third team All-Big Ten Conference accolades. The sophomore not only led the conference in strikeouts, but also led the league with 42 appearances.
Marten was second in the league with four saves, a .156 opponent batting average, 217.1 innings pitched and wins, posting a 22-12 record. Marten threw four no- hitters during the season, including a perfect game, while posting a 1.06 earned run average.
Queen of K's
Piper Marten led the Big Ten with 281 strikeouts, setting Minnesota's single season record the sophomore set last season. In just two seasons in Maroon and Gold, Marten already owns the program's career record with 530 strikeouts. Angie Recknor, who became the first Gopher to surpass the 200-strikeout plateau in 2000 (227) is third on the school's career list.
Minnesota Career Strikeout Record 1. 530 Piper Marten 2001-C 2. 528 Jennifer Johnson 1993- 97 3. 453 Angie Recknor 2000-C 4. 413 Steph Klaviter 1996-99 5. 289 Brenda Bixby 1988-92 Minnesota Single Season Strikeout Record 1. 281 Piper Martin 2002 2. 249 Piper Martin 2001 3. 227 Angie Recknor 2000 4. 186 Jennifer Johnson 1996 5. 163 Steph Klaviter 1999 Marten Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week
Minnesota's Piper Marten was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after recording a perfect game against Drake. Marten was 3-1 overall on the week, including a five- inning complete-game shutout of Indiana. For the week, Marten struck out 31 batters in 19.1 innings and gave up just three walks. She was also 7-for-15 at the plate (.467), with a double and two runs batted in.
Regional Experience
Four members of the 2002 Minnesota softball team were part of the 1999 squad that also advanced to the NCAA Regionals. Seniors Tammi Hays</ a>, Meghan Smith and Christine Linberg, along with redshirt junior Jordanne Nygren were all rookies that season.
Hays, Smith and Nygren all started Minnesota's four regional games, while Linberg did not see action. Both Hays and Nygren hit .200 going 2-for-10, while Smith was hitless in five at-bats. Hays scored a run and Nygren drove in a RBI.
Florida Atlantic Invitational Review Minnesota completed the Florida Atlantic Parents' Weekend Tournament with a 3-2 mark. The Golden Gophers downed No. 11 Florida Atlantic (38-6) and picked up a pair of victories over Florida International for its three wins. Minnesota dropped an eight-inning 1-0 game to No. 19 Iowa and a 4-1 tilt to FAU.
Florida State Invitational Review The Golden Gophers fell for the second time to No. 4 Nebraska, 4-0 in the championship game of the Florida State Invitational. The Gophers ended the tournament with a 4-2 mark. In the semifinal game, Minnesota downed then No. 8 Michigan, 7-0. The Gophers exploded for six runs in the second inning.
Piper Marten and Jordanne Nygren were selected to the all-tournament team. Marten went 3-1 during the tournament, while Nygren hit .368 with four RBI.
Worth Softball Classic Review
The Gophers completed the Worth Classic in Fullerton, Calif., with a 4-2 record, behind No. 7 Cal State Fullerton (6-0).
Tammi Hays</ a> posted a .476 batting average during the tournament, Angie Recknor was 3-0 for Minnesota, with a save. She did not allow an earned run in victories over San Jose State, then No. 10 Pacific and then No. 11 Oregon State.
Minnesota's only losses came in a pair of one-run eight-inning losses to No. 8 California (2-1) and CS Fullerton (1-0), ending an 11-game winning streak for Minnesota.
Triangle Softball Classic Review
With a perfect 5-0 record, the Golden Gophers won the Triangle Classic in Raleigh, N.C. Angie Recknor was named the tournament's most valuable player, while Piper Marten and Jordanne Nygren joined Recknor on the all-tournament team.
Recknor was 2-0, with a save during the tournament, while batting a team-leading .400 with a double and two RBI. Marten was 3-0 during the tournament, striking out a staggering 31 batters in 19 innings with a 0.74 ERA. The Golden Gophers posted a team earned run average of 0.40.
Nygren Hits Number 34
In Minnesota's 8-0 win over Indiana on April 19, Jordanne Nygren hit her sixth home run of the season and the 34th of her career to end the game in the fifth inning.
Nygren, who hit a school-record 14 round- trippers in both her first and second seasons at Minnesota, now trails only Shannon Beeler for the school record. Beeler hit a Big Ten record 43 home runs from 1996-99, which stands 10th in NCAA history.
Shelly Nichols, who is also just a junior, has moved into fifth place on the all-time school list with seven home runs this season.
< td>Junior Angie Recknor
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Minnesota Career Home Run Record 1. 43 Shannon Beeler 1996- 99 2. 34 Jordanne Nygren 1999-C 3. 16 Angel Braden 1998-01 4. 15 Jennifer McGuinness 1991-94 5. 13 Shelly Nichols 2000-C Stealing Gophers
In Minnesota's 7-2 win over Concordia-St. Paul on April 24, Tammi Hays</ a> stole her 21st base of the season and the 82nd of her career to surpass Mischel Doerr's school record of 81. Steph Midthun and Laura Peters share the single-season school mark with 31 steals, set in 1998. Hays will also end her career in the program's top five in runs scored, games played, at-bats, hits and batting average.
Hays has not been the only Gopher stealing bases this season. Minnesota has stolen 80 bases this season, led by Hays and freshman Stephanie Sward's 25. Sward and Hays are two Gophers that share the school record with three steals in a single game. The Gophers have been successful in 75 percent of their attempts, while holding their opponents to just 40 swipes on the season.
Minnesota Career Stolen Base Record 1. 84 Tammi Hays</ a> 1999-C 2. 81 Mischel Doerr 1990-93 3. 75 Steph Midthun 1996-99 4. 66 Rachel Nelson 1994-97 5. 62 Laura Peters 1995-98 IronKids Softball Classic Review
For the second consecutive season, the Minnesota Gophers won the IronKids Softball Classic. Piper Marten earned Tournament Most Valuable Player honors after throwing a complete-game shutout, as Minnesota downed the UMKC 2-0 in the title game. Marten finished the tournament with a 5-0 record with a 0.27 ERA.
Golden Gophers Jordanne Nygren, Tammi Hays, Erin Wallace, Anne Thul</ a> and Stephanie Sward joined Marten on the all- tournament team as the Golden Gophers hit .305.
Up Next
Minnesota will be looking to advance to its first Women's College World Series in school history. The eight regional champions will advance to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the opportunity to claim the national title at Don E. Porter Stadium.
1988 - Tucson, Ariz. South Carolina 1, Minnesota 0 South Carolina 001 000 0-1 3 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 1 1 The Gamecocks scored an unearned run in the third inning and made it stand up in Minnesota's NCAA tournament debut. Kelly Darrow's leadoff single in the first inning was the Gophers' only hit of the game.
Arizona 5, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 1 3 Arizona 005 000 x-5 7 1 The Wildcats sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning and scored all five runs of the game on four hits and two Gopher errors. Minnesota's lone hit was a leadoff double by Patricia Johnson in the second inning. Coincidentally, both current Minnesota co-head coaches participated in this game (Lisa Bernstein as a graduate assistant coach for Arizona, Julie Standering as a first-year player).
1991 - College Station, Tex. Utah 1, Minnesota 0 Utah 000 001 0-1 5 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 2 1 Utah scored the game's only run in the sixth inning and shut out the Gophers. Anne Weisbecker and Stacey Funderburg had Minnesota's two hits.
Minnesota 3, Texas A&M 0 Minnesota 000 102 0-3 7 1 Texas A&M 000 000 0-0 4 1 Robin Bumpus pitched a four-hitter to secure Minnesota's first-ever NCAA victory. Lezlie Weiss and Kari Blank hit consecutive doubles to produce the Gophers' first-ever NCAA run. Minnesota tied a school record and a NCAA tournament record with three double plays.
Utah 2, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 3 1 Utah 002 000 x-2 3 2 Utah scored two runs in the third inning and blanked the Gophers for the second consecutive game.
1996 - Lafayette, La. Nebraska 5, Minnesota 0 Nebraska 300 000 2-5 7 1 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 4 0 Nebraska's Ali Viola hit a three-run home run in the first inning as the Huskers handed the Gophers a shutout loss. Minnesota played its first errorless game in NCAA tournament history.
Nicholls State 2, Minnesota 1 Minnesota 100 000 0-1 8 0 Nicholls State 000 010 1-2 4 1 Nicholls State's Angela Dugas hit a home run to lead off the seventh inning to eliminate the Gophers. Minnesota took a 1- 0 lead in the first inning. Rachel Nelson singled, stole second, and scored when Shannon Beeler's single to left was bobbled by the Nicholls State left fielder. The Lady Colonels tied the score in the fifth inning before the game-winning home run in the seventh. Amber Hegland and Wendy Logue became the first Gophers to have two hits in an NCAA tournament game.
1998 - Fresno, Calif. Fresno State 2, Minnesota 1 Minnesota 000 001 0-1 6 3 Fresno State 002 000 x-2 6 1 The Bulldogs scored two runs in the third inning and held on as the Gophers rallied but fell just short in the regional's opening game. Minnesota loaded the bases with two out in the sixth inning, but Kate Schwartz's line drive down the left-field line fell foul by inches. Schwartz flied out to left field to end the threat. Shannon Beeler hit her 14th home run of the season with two out and none on in the seventh inning. The blast was Minnesota's first in its NCAA tournament history.
Minnesota 4, CS Northridge 0 CS Northridge 000 000 0-0 3 1 Minnesota 004 000 x-4 10 0 The Gophers batted around in the third inning, scoring four runs, and Steph Klaviter threw a three-hit shutout to eliminate the Matadors. Amber Hegland singled home the first two runs with a bases-loaded single. Erin Mooney and Dana Ballard each hit run-scoring singles to close the scoring. Laura Peters became the first Gopher to collect three hits in an NCAA tournament game. Steph Midthun and Mooney each had two hits for Minnesota.
Minnesota 3, California 2 California 000 000 2-2 9 1 Minnesota 000 003 x-3 2 1 The Gophers defeated the Bears in a thrilling elimination game. After being no- hit for five innings, Minnesota broke a scoreless tie with three runs after two were out in the sixth inning. Amber Hegland walked with the bases loaded to force home Laura Peters with the first run. Erin Mooney singled in the infield to score Steph Midthun with the second run. Michelle Bennett followed with a walk, forcing home Shannon Beeler with the third run. California rallied with two runs in the seventh inning, but Steph Klaviter induced a game-ending groundout to save the game for Wendy Logue.
Fresno State 6, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 3 2 Fresno State 140 010 x-6 12 1 The Bulldogs scored five runs in the first two innings and defeated the Gophers to advance to the 1998 Women's College World Series. Amber Hegland had two of Minnesota's three hits against the eventual national champion. Despite the loss, the fourth-seeded Gophers had accomplished plenty in this tournament appearance. Minnesota won two games in an NCAA tournament for the first time. The Gophers placed Steph Klaviter, Erin Mooney and Steph Midthun on the all-tournament team.
1999 - Los Angeles Minnesota 2, Creighton 0 Creighton 000 000 0-0 5 3 Minnesota 002 000 x-2 4 1 Minnesota used two unearned runs and great pitching from Steph Klaviter to win its first game of a regional for the first time in school history. The Gophers scored their runs in the third inning. Steph Midthun scored the first run when Jordanne Nygren reached on a Creighton fielding error, and Angel Braden followed with a single to plate Tammi Hays with the second run. Klaviter made the two runs stand up with her 11th shutout of the season, a five-hitter with no walks and eight strikeouts.
Minnesota 2, CS Northridge 1 Minnesota 100 000 1-2 5 2 CS Northridge 001 000 0-1 6 2 The Gophers advanced to the winner's bracket final with a win over the Matadors. Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Steph Midthun scored on a double by Shannon Beeler. CSUN tied the game in the third inning on a run-scoring single by Jamie Moore. The game remained even until the seventh inning, when Dana Ballard lined a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead. Michelle Harrison completed 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief with a 1-2-3 seventh inning and earn her 10th victory of the season.
UCLA 5, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 2 1 UCLA 002 030 x-5 6 0 Top-ranked UCLA used the long ball and great pitching to advance to the regional championship game. Lyndsey Klein and Stacey Nuveman hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning to give UCLA a 2-0 lead, and Nuveman hit a three-run blast in the fifth inning to end the scoring. Courtney Dale allowed seventh-inning singles to Tammi Hays and Steph Midthun en route to her 30th victory of the season.
Missouri 3, Minnesota 0 Missouri 000 002 1-3 7 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 5 2 Missouri scored runs in the final two innings to end Minnesota's season. After five scoreless innings, the Tigers plated a pair of runs in the sixth inning on three hits and two Minnesota errors. Missouri added an insurance run in the seventh inning to clinch the victory. The Gophers had runners on in each of the first three innings, but failed to score. Missouri ace Stephanie Falk scattered five hits to earn her 27th victory of the season. Despite taking the loss, Minnesota pitcher Steph Klaviter struck out a career-high 10 batters in her final appearance as a Gopher.
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Gopher Softball Gets Ready to Host NCAA Regional Championships
The Minnesota Golden Gophers will be making their sixth trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament in school history and fourth appearance in the past seven years. Minnesota will also be host to a regional site for the first time, welcoming No. 2 and top-seed Arizona, along with No. 16 DePaul, Princeton, Penn State and Boston to Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
Minnesota is 5-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with four of its five victories coming in the Gophers last two trips to the regional tournament in 1998 and 1999. After claiming the Big Ten Conference tournament in 1999, Minnesota won its opening two regional games over Creighton and Cal State Northridge, before falling to host UCLA and Missouri. The Golden Gophers have been outscored 19-40 during NCAA action.
The Gophers were 13 games over .500 heading into the conference season with one of the toughest schedules in the nation. Fourteen of the Gophers' 19 losses came to teams who are currently listed or who were among the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Top 25 Poll (No. 5 California, No. 7 Nebraska (2), No. 9 Cal State Fullerton, No. 11 Michigan (2), No. 12 Florida Atlantic (3), No. 20 Ohio State (2), Wisconsin (2) and Iowa), with victories over No. 11 Michigan, No. 12 Florida Atlantic, No. 15 Oregon State, No. 17 Pacific and Massachusetts who is receiving votes. The Gophers are 7-14 this season versus teams listed in the top 25.
Minnesota Hosts NCAA Regional No. 2 Site: Minneapolis, Minn. - Jane Sage Cowles Stadium May 16 - Thursday's Schedule: Game 1 No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 6 Boston Noon Game 2 No. 2 DePaul vs. No. 5 Penn State 2:30 Game 3 No. 3 Minnesota vs. No. 4 Princeton 5:00 Game 4 Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser 7:30 May 17 - Friday's Schedule: Game 5 Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser 2:30 Game 6 Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner 5:00 Game 7 Game 1 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner 7:30 May 18 - Saturday's Schedule: Game 8* Game 7 Loser or Bye vs. Game 6 Loser 2:30 Game 9 Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner 5:00 Game 10* Game 1 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner 7:30 May 19 - Sunday's Schedule: Game 11 Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner Noon Game 12* Game 11 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser 2:30 * if necessary The Minnesota Co-Head Coaches
Minnesota co-head coach Lisa Bernstein is in her 11th season with the Gophers. Her overall record is 392-271-2 (.591). In the last six seasons, Minnesota is 287- 148-1 (.666), qualifying for four NCAA tournaments and winning the 1999 Big Ten Tournament title. She is the all-time wins leader in Minnesota history.
Minnesota co-head coach Julie Standering is in her fourth season with her current title and her 11th year with the program. Her record is 152-89-1 (.638) as a co-head coach and 282-150-1 (.658) since being elevated to associate head coach in 1996.
The Minnesota Lineup Pos. Name Avg. Runs RBI Note 1B Nanchy .231 6 11 First career HR vs. Okla. St. 2B Nichols .256 19 30 2 HR's in FIU doubleheader SS Wallace .190 8 3 All- IronKids Tournament 3B Nygren .358 14 30 88 total bases on the season LF Hays .404 39 6 .447 on base percentage CF Roberts .247 12 11 Team-high four triples RF Sward .258 23 5 25 of 30 stealing bases C Thul .286 12 25 Team-leading 8 home runs DP Recknor .216 1 6 Hit .400 at Triangle Classic DP Marten .165 4 3 IronKids Classic MVP Pos. Name W-L ERA SO Note P Marten 22-12 1.06 281 Four No-hitters this season P Recknor 14-7 1.02 112 Triangle Classic MVP Gophers Earn NFCA All-Mideast Region
Three members of the Minnesota softball team earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Mideast Region. Senior Tammi Hays</ a> and sophomore Piper Marten garnered first-team accolades, while junior Jordanne Nygren was named second team at third base.
Hays earned her third all-region honor after being named second team in both 2001 and 2000. The Hastings, Minn., native led the Golden Gopher in batting average, at- bats, hits, runs, on-base percentage and stolen bases for the third consecutive year. Her .404 batting average this year is the fifth highest in school history, while bringing her career average to .346. Hays set school records with 86 stolen bases in her career and three in a single game in 2002. She also ranks in the school's top five in five different career offensive categories.
Marten, a two-time All-Big Ten Conference honoree, led the league with 281 strikeouts in the regular season, breaking her own school record of 249 set in 2001. In just two seasons, Marten owns the Minnesota school record with 530 career strikeouts. She also posted her second consecutive, 20- win season, while throwing four no-hitters in 2002, including a perfect game. Marten also struck out a school-record 15 batters on two occasions.
Nygren is also making her third appearance on the all-Region team, after being named first team her first and second years at Minnesota. Nygren led the Gophers in RBI, slugging percentage and walks and was second on the team in hits and on-base percentage. With six home runs in 2002, she now stands second on Minnesota's all- time list with 34, while driving in 136 runs in her career.
30 Wins... Again With a 6-0 victory over Drake on April 17, the Minnesota softball team earned its seventh consecutive 30-win season. Since coming to Minnesota in 1992, Lisa Bernstein and Julie Standering have led the Golden Gophers to at least 30 wins nine times, including a school-record 48 victories in both 1998 and 1999.
Minnesota Win Totals in the Bernstein/ Standering Era Year Record Year Record Year Record 1992 33-28-1 1996 44- 18 2000 31-28 1993 32-24 1997 37-19 2001 36-22-1 1994 19-43 1998 48-21 2002 37-19 1995 27-29 1999 48-20 NCAA Division I Regional Top 10's Announced
The NCAA Division I Women's Softball Committee released its final Division I women's softball biweekly regional poll. In order to be ranked, each team's record must be above .500. Minnesota was 4-9 this season versus ranked regional teams.
Mideast Region 1. Michigan 46-9 2. Ohio State 53-12 3. Penn State 32-24 4. Iowa 35-18 5. Central Michigan 38-14 6. Wisconsin 31-20 7. Illinois-Chicago 42-20 8. Northwestern 24-18 9. Minnesota 35-19 10. Illinois 34-24 Big Ten Battles
The Minnesota softball team dropped its final two Big Ten Conference games, a pair of games at Wisconsin, 2-1 and 1-0. The losses knocked the Gophers out of the conference tournament, ending their regular season at 37-19, 7-8 in the league. The Gophers finished eighth in the Big Ten standings, missing the conference tournament for the third straight season after winning the tournament title in 1999.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers concluded their home schedule with a 4-1 ten inning loss to Northwestern, on April 26. Minnesota has lost four of its five extra- inning decisions this season. The final three scheduled home games were cancelled due to weather and unplayable field conditions.
Minnesota earned its third Big Ten Conference sweep of the season, downing Indiana 4-0, following a 8-0 five-inning romp of the Hoosiers, April 19-20.
Gophers Piper Marten and Angie Recknor threw back-to-back shutouts for the fifth time this season. During Minnesota's 8-0 victory, Shelly Nichols, Anne Thul</ a> and Jordanne Nygren all hit home runs. The Gophers exploded for six runs in the third inning, the most runs the Gophers had scored in a single inning this year.
The Gophers dropped both of their games to No. 12 Michigan, but swept Michigan State April 12-14, earning their second conference sweep of the season. Marten threw her second one-hitter of the season in the opener and picked up her fourth save of the season in the nightcap. Thul hit her fifth home run of the season. Michigan outscored the Gophers 16-4 in its two victories, while racking up 20 hits.
Minnesota dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Ohio State on April 7th. Nichols went 2-for-3, with a double and a homerun, along with three RBI in the nightcap. In the opener, Minnesota managed just two hits against OSU's Wendy Allen .
The Golden Gophers swept Penn State, April 5-6. It was Minnesota's first conference series sweep since the 1999 season. Veronica Roberts had three RBI in the Gophers' 5-4 triumph.
The Gophers split their series with Illinois, winning the opener 2-0, while dropping the second by the identical score at Caswell Park in North Mankato, Minn.
< td>Sophmore Piper Marten
Sophomore pitcher Piper Marten continued her dominant season as she threw her fourth no-hitter of the year in the nightcap of Minnesota's sweep of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Marten struck out 10 in her eighth complete-game shutout of the season.
During Minnesota's 6-0 victory over Drake, Marten threw her first career collegiate perfect game. Marten struckout 10 of the first 12 Bulldogs she faced en route to her third no-hitter this season and Minnesota's first perfect game since Angie Recknor blanked Akron on March 25, 2000. Marten concluded her masterpiece with a school-record 15 strikeouts, tying her own mark she already held, along with Heather Brown and Jennifer Johnson.
Marten also struckout 15 in her first no- hitter this season against Boston University on Feb. 15. She combined with Lyn Peyer to no-hit Pittsburgh on March 9, 1-0 during the FSU Tournament. Marten relieved Peyer after the rookie started the game and walked the only two batters she faced. Marten went on to throw the complete-game shutout, striking out 13.
Minnesota No-Hitters
Piper Marten vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay 5/2/02 Piper Marten* vs. Drake 4/17/ 02 Piper Marten/Lyn Peyer</ a> vs. Pittsburgh 3/9/02 Piper Marten vs. Boston 2/15/ 02 Angie Recknor* vs. Akron 3/25/ 00 Brenda Bixby** vs. Louisiana Tech 3/7/92 Brenda Bixby vs. South Florida 2/ 22/92 Sarah Maschka* vs. NE Louisiana 3/ 1/91 Judy Oliverius vs. Ohio State 5/ 3/86 Judy Oliverius vs. Wichita State 3/25/85 Judy Oliverius vs. New Mexico State 3/8/85 Gretchen Larson vs. Pima 3/10/ 83 * Perfect Game ** Nine Innings Minnesota Single Game Strikeout Record 15 Piper Marten vs. Drake 4/17/ 02 15 Piper Marten vs. Boston 2/ 15/02 15 Heather Brown vs. Beth.- Cookman 3/24/99 15 Jennifer Johnson vs. CS- Fullerton 3/20/96 Marten Earns All-Big Ten Softball Honors
For the second consecutive year, Minnesota's Piper Marten earned third team All-Big Ten Conference accolades. The sophomore not only led the conference in strikeouts, but also led the league with 42 appearances.
Marten was second in the league with four saves, a .156 opponent batting average, 217.1 innings pitched and wins, posting a 22-12 record. Marten threw four no- hitters during the season, including a perfect game, while posting a 1.06 earned run average.
Queen of K's
Piper Marten led the Big Ten with 281 strikeouts, setting Minnesota's single season record the sophomore set last season. In just two seasons in Maroon and Gold, Marten already owns the program's career record with 530 strikeouts. Angie Recknor, who became the first Gopher to surpass the 200-strikeout plateau in 2000 (227) is third on the school's career list.
Minnesota Career Strikeout Record 1. 530 Piper Marten 2001-C 2. 528 Jennifer Johnson 1993- 97 3. 453 Angie Recknor 2000-C 4. 413 Steph Klaviter 1996-99 5. 289 Brenda Bixby 1988-92 Minnesota Single Season Strikeout Record 1. 281 Piper Martin 2002 2. 249 Piper Martin 2001 3. 227 Angie Recknor 2000 4. 186 Jennifer Johnson 1996 5. 163 Steph Klaviter 1999 Marten Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week
Minnesota's Piper Marten was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after recording a perfect game against Drake. Marten was 3-1 overall on the week, including a five- inning complete-game shutout of Indiana. For the week, Marten struck out 31 batters in 19.1 innings and gave up just three walks. She was also 7-for-15 at the plate (.467), with a double and two runs batted in.
Regional Experience
Four members of the 2002 Minnesota softball team were part of the 1999 squad that also advanced to the NCAA Regionals. Seniors Tammi Hays</ a>, Meghan Smith and Christine Linberg, along with redshirt junior Jordanne Nygren were all rookies that season.
Hays, Smith and Nygren all started Minnesota's four regional games, while Linberg did not see action. Both Hays and Nygren hit .200 going 2-for-10, while Smith was hitless in five at-bats. Hays scored a run and Nygren drove in a RBI.
Florida Atlantic Invitational Review Minnesota completed the Florida Atlantic Parents' Weekend Tournament with a 3-2 mark. The Golden Gophers downed No. 11 Florida Atlantic (38-6) and picked up a pair of victories over Florida International for its three wins. Minnesota dropped an eight-inning 1-0 game to No. 19 Iowa and a 4-1 tilt to FAU.
Florida State Invitational Review The Golden Gophers fell for the second time to No. 4 Nebraska, 4-0 in the championship game of the Florida State Invitational. The Gophers ended the tournament with a 4-2 mark. In the semifinal game, Minnesota downed then No. 8 Michigan, 7-0. The Gophers exploded for six runs in the second inning.
Piper Marten and Jordanne Nygren were selected to the all-tournament team. Marten went 3-1 during the tournament, while Nygren hit .368 with four RBI.
Worth Softball Classic Review
The Gophers completed the Worth Classic in Fullerton, Calif., with a 4-2 record, behind No. 7 Cal State Fullerton (6-0).
Tammi Hays</ a> posted a .476 batting average during the tournament, Angie Recknor was 3-0 for Minnesota, with a save. She did not allow an earned run in victories over San Jose State, then No. 10 Pacific and then No. 11 Oregon State.
Minnesota's only losses came in a pair of one-run eight-inning losses to No. 8 California (2-1) and CS Fullerton (1-0), ending an 11-game winning streak for Minnesota.
Triangle Softball Classic Review
With a perfect 5-0 record, the Golden Gophers won the Triangle Classic in Raleigh, N.C. Angie Recknor was named the tournament's most valuable player, while Piper Marten and Jordanne Nygren joined Recknor on the all-tournament team.
Recknor was 2-0, with a save during the tournament, while batting a team-leading .400 with a double and two RBI. Marten was 3-0 during the tournament, striking out a staggering 31 batters in 19 innings with a 0.74 ERA. The Golden Gophers posted a team earned run average of 0.40.
Nygren Hits Number 34
In Minnesota's 8-0 win over Indiana on April 19, Jordanne Nygren hit her sixth home run of the season and the 34th of her career to end the game in the fifth inning.
Nygren, who hit a school-record 14 round- trippers in both her first and second seasons at Minnesota, now trails only Shannon Beeler for the school record. Beeler hit a Big Ten record 43 home runs from 1996-99, which stands 10th in NCAA history.
Shelly Nichols, who is also just a junior, has moved into fifth place on the all-time school list with seven home runs this season.
< td>Junior Angie Recknor
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Minnesota Career Home Run Record 1. 43 Shannon Beeler 1996- 99 2. 34 Jordanne Nygren 1999-C 3. 16 Angel Braden 1998-01 4. 15 Jennifer McGuinness 1991-94 5. 13 Shelly Nichols 2000-C Stealing Gophers
In Minnesota's 7-2 win over Concordia-St. Paul on April 24, Tammi Hays</ a> stole her 21st base of the season and the 82nd of her career to surpass Mischel Doerr's school record of 81. Steph Midthun and Laura Peters share the single-season school mark with 31 steals, set in 1998. Hays will also end her career in the program's top five in runs scored, games played, at-bats, hits and batting average.
Hays has not been the only Gopher stealing bases this season. Minnesota has stolen 80 bases this season, led by Hays and freshman Stephanie Sward's 25. Sward and Hays are two Gophers that share the school record with three steals in a single game. The Gophers have been successful in 75 percent of their attempts, while holding their opponents to just 40 swipes on the season.
Minnesota Career Stolen Base Record 1. 84 Tammi Hays</ a> 1999-C 2. 81 Mischel Doerr 1990-93 3. 75 Steph Midthun 1996-99 4. 66 Rachel Nelson 1994-97 5. 62 Laura Peters 1995-98 IronKids Softball Classic Review
For the second consecutive season, the Minnesota Gophers won the IronKids Softball Classic. Piper Marten earned Tournament Most Valuable Player honors after throwing a complete-game shutout, as Minnesota downed the UMKC 2-0 in the title game. Marten finished the tournament with a 5-0 record with a 0.27 ERA.
Golden Gophers Jordanne Nygren, Tammi Hays, Erin Wallace, Anne Thul</ a> and Stephanie Sward joined Marten on the all- tournament team as the Golden Gophers hit .305.
Up Next
Minnesota will be looking to advance to its first Women's College World Series in school history. The eight regional champions will advance to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the opportunity to claim the national title at Don E. Porter Stadium.
1988 - Tucson, Ariz. South Carolina 1, Minnesota 0 South Carolina 001 000 0-1 3 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 1 1 The Gamecocks scored an unearned run in the third inning and made it stand up in Minnesota's NCAA tournament debut. Kelly Darrow's leadoff single in the first inning was the Gophers' only hit of the game.
Arizona 5, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 1 3 Arizona 005 000 x-5 7 1 The Wildcats sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning and scored all five runs of the game on four hits and two Gopher errors. Minnesota's lone hit was a leadoff double by Patricia Johnson in the second inning. Coincidentally, both current Minnesota co-head coaches participated in this game (Lisa Bernstein as a graduate assistant coach for Arizona, Julie Standering as a first-year player).
1991 - College Station, Tex. Utah 1, Minnesota 0 Utah 000 001 0-1 5 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 2 1 Utah scored the game's only run in the sixth inning and shut out the Gophers. Anne Weisbecker and Stacey Funderburg had Minnesota's two hits.
Minnesota 3, Texas A&M 0 Minnesota 000 102 0-3 7 1 Texas A&M 000 000 0-0 4 1 Robin Bumpus pitched a four-hitter to secure Minnesota's first-ever NCAA victory. Lezlie Weiss and Kari Blank hit consecutive doubles to produce the Gophers' first-ever NCAA run. Minnesota tied a school record and a NCAA tournament record with three double plays.
Utah 2, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 3 1 Utah 002 000 x-2 3 2 Utah scored two runs in the third inning and blanked the Gophers for the second consecutive game.
1996 - Lafayette, La. Nebraska 5, Minnesota 0 Nebraska 300 000 2-5 7 1 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 4 0 Nebraska's Ali Viola hit a three-run home run in the first inning as the Huskers handed the Gophers a shutout loss. Minnesota played its first errorless game in NCAA tournament history.
Nicholls State 2, Minnesota 1 Minnesota 100 000 0-1 8 0 Nicholls State 000 010 1-2 4 1 Nicholls State's Angela Dugas hit a home run to lead off the seventh inning to eliminate the Gophers. Minnesota took a 1- 0 lead in the first inning. Rachel Nelson singled, stole second, and scored when Shannon Beeler's single to left was bobbled by the Nicholls State left fielder. The Lady Colonels tied the score in the fifth inning before the game-winning home run in the seventh. Amber Hegland and Wendy Logue became the first Gophers to have two hits in an NCAA tournament game.
1998 - Fresno, Calif. Fresno State 2, Minnesota 1 Minnesota 000 001 0-1 6 3 Fresno State 002 000 x-2 6 1 The Bulldogs scored two runs in the third inning and held on as the Gophers rallied but fell just short in the regional's opening game. Minnesota loaded the bases with two out in the sixth inning, but Kate Schwartz's line drive down the left-field line fell foul by inches. Schwartz flied out to left field to end the threat. Shannon Beeler hit her 14th home run of the season with two out and none on in the seventh inning. The blast was Minnesota's first in its NCAA tournament history.
Minnesota 4, CS Northridge 0 CS Northridge 000 000 0-0 3 1 Minnesota 004 000 x-4 10 0 The Gophers batted around in the third inning, scoring four runs, and Steph Klaviter threw a three-hit shutout to eliminate the Matadors. Amber Hegland singled home the first two runs with a bases-loaded single. Erin Mooney and Dana Ballard each hit run-scoring singles to close the scoring. Laura Peters became the first Gopher to collect three hits in an NCAA tournament game. Steph Midthun and Mooney each had two hits for Minnesota.
Minnesota 3, California 2 California 000 000 2-2 9 1 Minnesota 000 003 x-3 2 1 The Gophers defeated the Bears in a thrilling elimination game. After being no- hit for five innings, Minnesota broke a scoreless tie with three runs after two were out in the sixth inning. Amber Hegland walked with the bases loaded to force home Laura Peters with the first run. Erin Mooney singled in the infield to score Steph Midthun with the second run. Michelle Bennett followed with a walk, forcing home Shannon Beeler with the third run. California rallied with two runs in the seventh inning, but Steph Klaviter induced a game-ending groundout to save the game for Wendy Logue.
Fresno State 6, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 3 2 Fresno State 140 010 x-6 12 1 The Bulldogs scored five runs in the first two innings and defeated the Gophers to advance to the 1998 Women's College World Series. Amber Hegland had two of Minnesota's three hits against the eventual national champion. Despite the loss, the fourth-seeded Gophers had accomplished plenty in this tournament appearance. Minnesota won two games in an NCAA tournament for the first time. The Gophers placed Steph Klaviter, Erin Mooney and Steph Midthun on the all-tournament team.
1999 - Los Angeles Minnesota 2, Creighton 0 Creighton 000 000 0-0 5 3 Minnesota 002 000 x-2 4 1 Minnesota used two unearned runs and great pitching from Steph Klaviter to win its first game of a regional for the first time in school history. The Gophers scored their runs in the third inning. Steph Midthun scored the first run when Jordanne Nygren reached on a Creighton fielding error, and Angel Braden followed with a single to plate Tammi Hays with the second run. Klaviter made the two runs stand up with her 11th shutout of the season, a five-hitter with no walks and eight strikeouts.
Minnesota 2, CS Northridge 1 Minnesota 100 000 1-2 5 2 CS Northridge 001 000 0-1 6 2 The Gophers advanced to the winner's bracket final with a win over the Matadors. Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Steph Midthun scored on a double by Shannon Beeler. CSUN tied the game in the third inning on a run-scoring single by Jamie Moore. The game remained even until the seventh inning, when Dana Ballard lined a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead. Michelle Harrison completed 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief with a 1-2-3 seventh inning and earn her 10th victory of the season.
UCLA 5, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 2 1 UCLA 002 030 x-5 6 0 Top-ranked UCLA used the long ball and great pitching to advance to the regional championship game. Lyndsey Klein and Stacey Nuveman hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning to give UCLA a 2-0 lead, and Nuveman hit a three-run blast in the fifth inning to end the scoring. Courtney Dale allowed seventh-inning singles to Tammi Hays and Steph Midthun en route to her 30th victory of the season.
Missouri 3, Minnesota 0 Missouri 000 002 1-3 7 0 Minnesota 000 000 0-0 5 2 Missouri scored runs in the final two innings to end Minnesota's season. After five scoreless innings, the Tigers plated a pair of runs in the sixth inning on three hits and two Minnesota errors. Missouri added an insurance run in the seventh inning to clinch the victory. The Gophers had runners on in each of the first three innings, but failed to score. Missouri ace Stephanie Falk scattered five hits to earn her 27th victory of the season. Despite taking the loss, Minnesota pitcher Steph Klaviter struck out a career-high 10 batters in her final appearance as a Gopher.
