University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Finish Season with Split at Home
5/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
In the first game, the Golden Gophers jumped ahead early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. With runners on first and second, senior Valerie Alston hit her second two-run triple in as many games. Alston would then score on Parks’ infield single.
After South Dakota State cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the second, Minnesota responded with a run in the bottom of the inning. After Mandy Valadez led off with a single through the left side, Megan Higginbotham drove her home from third on an infield single to short.
South Dakota State rallied again with a run in the fourth and a pair in the fifth. Amy Wittgenstein scored from third when a pickoff throw sailed into left field. In the fifth, two runs came around to score on Steph Kuhl’s single off the center field wall.
From there it was all Minnesota. In the bottom of the fifth, Parks hit a one-out double down the right field line. Pinch runner Chrissy Sward would score on Megan Arns’ single to center. Senior Stefanie Watt followed with an RBI double to left center.
The Golden Gophers tacked on three more runs in the sixth. After a pair of walks, Katie Meyer drove home a run on a ground ball to short. Parks then followed with a two-out, two-run home run to left.
In addition to Parks, Higginbotham finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored while Arns collected a career-high three hits.
Rene Konderik earned the win for Minnesota in relief. She allowed one run on four hits in three innings. True freshman Briana Hassett started for Minnesota and allowed two earned runs in four-plus innings.
In the rematch, the Jackrabbits broke open a 1-1 stalemate with a five-run sixth inning. South Dakota State capitalized on four base hits and three Minnesota errors. Kassy Hernandez opened the flood gates with an RBI single to center.
Minnesota took an early 1-0 lead as Parks hit the first pitch she saw from Jackrabbit starter Kim Westendorf over the left field wall in the second inning. A two- time junior college All-American from Tucson, Ariz., Parks finished her first season with the Golden Gophers as the team leader with six home runs and 23 RBI.
The Jackrabbits tied the game in the fourth inning. With runners on second and third, Erin Jones scored from third on Hernandez’s ground ball to second.
Minnesota managed just three hits off Westendorf. She finished with three strikeouts and a walk. Redshirt freshman Katie Dalen suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs on nine hits.
Sunday’s doubleheader marked the final home games for Minnesota’s three seniors: Alston, Lindsey Erickson and Watt. The trio combined to play in a total of 598 games with 555 starts in four seasons.
