University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Win a Pair at the Metrodome Softball Classic
2/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
In the first game against Western Illinois, Minnesota stranded five runners in the first two innings, but finally broke through in the third. Freshman Megan Higginbotham hit a double down the left field line and Hailee Nanchy reached on a walk to start the inning. After Higginbotham stole third, she scored on Valerie Alston's ground ball to short. Higginbotham knocked the ball loose and Nanchy moved from first to third. Sophomore Lindsey Erickson gave Minnesota a 2-0 lead on her ground ball which brought Nanchy home.
In the fifth inning, Western Illinois pulled to within a run on a single by Richele Dorsey. Mo Troller led off the inning with a walk and reached second after an error on a groundball from Jessica Stanforth. Dorsey then delivered a liner to center to bring home the run.
The two teams were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. Troller reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Meghan Strazar popped up to third and Stanforth fouled out to Erickson in left field to end the game.
Piper Marten earned the complete-game victory and allowed just one run, none earned, on three hits. She struck out five.
Against the Phoenix, the two teams were scoreless through five innings. True freshman Mandy Valadez made her first career start for the Golden Gophers and pitched 4.2 scoreless innings. She was relieved by junior Lyn Peyer in the fifth inning.
Minnesota finally got to UWGB pitcher Stephanie Hansen in the fifth inning. Stephanie Sward reached on a single and Tonya Mitchell followed by beating out a bunt. After Higginbotham walked to load the bases, Nanchy and Hansen dueled it out for 13 pitches before Nanchy delivered a two-run single to left. Hansen followed with two wild pitches which added two more runs to the Gopher total.
Peyer kept Wisconsin-Green Bay off the board the rest of the way and earned the win with just two hits allowed in 2.1 innings.
The Golden Gophers resume play on Saturday. Minnesota will meet Western Illinois at 11:30 a.m., followed by a rematch with the tournament leader Drake at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs are 4-0 in the tournament and defeated Minnesota, 2-1, on Friday.
FRIDAY RESULTS
Drake 5, Wisconsin-Green Bay 1
Drake 3, Northern Illinois 2
Western Illinois 2, Northern Illinois 1
Minnesota 2, Western Illinois 1
Minnesota 4, Wisconsin-Green Bay 0
