University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Lose Tough One in Big Ten Opener
3/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Golden Gopher softball team appeared to have everything going its way in its Big Ten opener at Ohio State on Friday night before the Buckeyes rallied to score four runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to escape with a 4-2 victory.
Minnesota took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before OSU's Lauren Daykin hit a two-run double offf the right field wall and Liz Caputo hit an RBI single up the middle to give the Buckeyes the lead for good as they won their sixth straight game in the series between the two teams. With the loss, Minnesota dropped to 13-13 overall, 0-1 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State improved to 18-13, 1-0.
Senior Mandy Valadez continued to swing a hot bat for the Gophers, giving Minnesota a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the third inning. She finished the game 1-for-3 with a double. Lisa Parks went 2-for-3 and hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season. Brianna Hassett took the loss in the circle for Minnesota, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out seven with no walks in the game.
Minnesota got on the board first in the top of the third inning when Megan Higginbotham led off with a single up the middle, stole second and then scored on the double down the right field line off the bat of Valadez.
Parks extended the Gophers' lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning by going deep off of OSU pitcher Kim Reeder. The solo home run barely creeped inside the right field foul pole.
Hassett faced just three more than the minimum through the first four innings of the ball game before the Buckeyes started to get to her in the fifth. OSU had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth before Hassett got out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout.
It only delayed what was to come in the sixth inning, however, when the Buckeyes turned the corner and took the lead for good. Megan Schwab singled up the middle to start the rally and Jamee Juarez reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Christina Douglas hit an infield single, bringing Daykin to the plate, whose double scored both Juarez and Douglas. Caputo's single scored pinch-runner Michelle Reynolds-Parra to put Ohio State up 3-2, and after Caputo stole second, Brittany Vanderink hit a single up the middle to bring her home and give the Buckeyes a two-run lead.
Minnesota had two runners on in the seventh but were unable to score to extend the game after Juarez came on in relief for OSU to earn the save.
The Gophers will seek revenge against the Buckeyes when the two teams face off at 11 a.m. (CST) on Saturday.
