University of Minnesota Athletics
Wisconsin Hangs On to Defeat Golden Gopher Softball 2-0
5/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
After four and half innings of scoreless baseball, the Badgers broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runs. Emily Friedman led off the inning with an infield single and would later advance to second on a passed ball. After Kaitlin Reiss singled with one out to put runners on first and third, Samantha Polito drove home Wisconsin's first run with a single to right field. With two outs, Athena Vasquez followed with an RBI double down the left field line. Marten struck out Kris Zacher to end the inning.
Minnesota had runners reach in every inning and loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh. Lindsey Erickson and Katie Meyer led off the inning with a pair of singles to right field. After Marten moved the runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, Stephanie Sward lined out to third baseman Vasquez for the second out. After Tonya Mitchell walked, Megan Higgintbotham hit a grounder to short and Kris Zacher tagged out pinch runner Christina Zimmerman to end the game.
Layne earned the shutout victory for Wisconsin after allowing just six hits in the game. She struck out one and walked three. Marten allowed six hits and finished with nine strikeouts and did not allow a walk.
Sward finished with two hits for Minnesota and a stolen base.
The Golden Gophers (32-22, 9-10) and the Badgers (29-27, 6-13) will close out the regular season tomorrow afternoon. The finale of the two-game set will begin at Noon.
