University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Softball Advances to Championship Quarterfinals
3/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
- Box Score - Game 2
The Golden Gopher softball team (9-8) was defeated by No. 20 Arizona State, 2-0, in the first round of the National Invitational in San Jose, Calif. The Golden Gophers rebounded to defeat Sacramento State, 4-3 in 11 innings, to advance into the championship bracket. Minnesota will meet No. 3 California tomorrow afternoon.
Sacramento State jumped ahead to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Lindy Winkler led off the inning and reached on a walk. She would come around to score later on Erin Coyne's single to right center. Pinchrunning for Coyne, Jenni Friedrichs scored on a passed ball to give the Hornets an early two-run lead.
Minnesota answered in the top of the third inning. Freshman Rene Konderik earned her first collegiate hit with a double to the wall in centerfield. After Stephanie Sward beat out an infield single, freshman Megan Higginbotham delivered a two-run double to right center to tie the game at two.
The game remained scoreless through regulation. Minnesota took the lead in the top of the 11th inning. After Sward was advanced to third on Lindsey Erickson's sacrifice, Higginbotham hit a hard grounder to short. Sward beat the throw home for the Golden Gophers' first lead of the game. Minnesota added another run as Hailee Nanchy hit a line shot to left which brought home Higginbotham.
Sacramento State scored a run in the bottom of the inning and had the bases loaded with two outs. Senior Piper Marten capped off a dominating relief outing with a strikeout of Hornet catcher Joanna O'Neill to end the game.
Marten pitched eight innings of relief to earn the victory. She struck out 10 and allowed just three hits. Minnesota relievers have earned six of the team's 10 victories.
In the first game, the Sun Devils' Bre DeSanta shut down the Golden Gopher offense and faced just one batter over the minimum. DeSanta allowed just two hits and struck out eight.
Arizona State broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with a pair of runs against starter Marten. Kristin Farber led off the inning with a single to left and promptly stole second. Trisha Tornberg drove home the first run with a double to left center. With Val Sevilla at the plate, Tornberg stole third and scored as the throw from home sailed into left field.
That would be all the scoring in the ball game. Stephanie Sward accounted for both of Minnesota's hits. She led off the game with single to right center and stole second, but the Golden Gophers would fail to get the run across. It was also the last time a Minnesota player reached second.
Marten pitched her eighth complete game in as many starts. She finished with six strikeouts.
