University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Fall to Ninth-Ranked Wolverines in Series Finale
4/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
A day after upsetting No. 9 Michigan, the Golden Gopher softball team was unable to complete the improbable sweep, falling 4-2 to the Wolverines on Saturday. Each team collected just three hits, but Michigan took advantage of two Minnesota errors and scored on a balk in the first inning to come away with the victory. The Gophers fell to 21-19 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten, while Michigan improved to 38-9 overall and 9-3 in the conference.
Mandy Valadez batted in the only runs of the game for Minnesota with a two-run home run, her sixth of the season, in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Gophers were unable to overcome a four-run deficit. Katie Meyer and Casey Wheeler had the other two hits for Minnesota.
Katie Dalen took the loss in the circle for the Gophers, allowing four runs on just three hits, but she was forced out of the game after giving up back-to-back RBI doubles in the fourth inning. Rene Konderik came on to pitch four innings of hitless relief to keep Minnesota within striking distance the rest of the way.
After the Gophers handed Michigan just its second shutout of the season yesterday, the Wolverines were anxious to get on the board and did so in the top of the first inning despite not getting a hit. Alessandra Giampaolo drew a leadoff walk and Rebekah Milian moved her up to second with a sac bunt. Giampaolo came around to score courtesy of a pair of balks called on Dalen, giving Michigan an early 1-0 lead.
Michigan opened up a four-run advantage by putting three more runs on the board in the top of the fourth. Milian reached on a throwing error by Megan Higginbotham and the Wolverines strung together three straight hits to push their lead to 4-0. Samantha Findlay singled to right center and her sister, Ashley Findlay, followed with a double that found the gap in right center to score two runs. Tiffany Worthy then delivered the knockout blow for Dalen, following with a double of her own to score the third run of the inning for Michigan.
The Gophers struggled to get anything going offensively for much of the day against Michigan starter Nikki Nemitz, with just three batters reaching base through the first five innings. Finally, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Valadez belted her sixth home run of the season, homering over the right centerfield wall with Higginbotham standing on first after drawing a leadoff walk to cut the lead to 4-2.
Later in the inning, Lisa Parks walked with one out and was replaced by Bethany Wolvington on the basepaths. Wolvington advanced to second on a passed ball on strike three to Meyer, but Shannon Stemper grounded out to end the inning.
Minnesota was able to bring the tying run to the plate with a runner on second again in the seventh, but Higginbotham grounded out to end the game.
Minnesota will head to East Lansing, Mich., tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Spartans beginning at 11 a.m. (CST). Live stats will be available on Michigan State’s website at www.msuspartans.com.
Mandy Valadez batted in the only runs of the game for Minnesota with a two-run home run, her sixth of the season, in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Gophers were unable to overcome a four-run deficit. Katie Meyer and Casey Wheeler had the other two hits for Minnesota.
Katie Dalen took the loss in the circle for the Gophers, allowing four runs on just three hits, but she was forced out of the game after giving up back-to-back RBI doubles in the fourth inning. Rene Konderik came on to pitch four innings of hitless relief to keep Minnesota within striking distance the rest of the way.
After the Gophers handed Michigan just its second shutout of the season yesterday, the Wolverines were anxious to get on the board and did so in the top of the first inning despite not getting a hit. Alessandra Giampaolo drew a leadoff walk and Rebekah Milian moved her up to second with a sac bunt. Giampaolo came around to score courtesy of a pair of balks called on Dalen, giving Michigan an early 1-0 lead.
Michigan opened up a four-run advantage by putting three more runs on the board in the top of the fourth. Milian reached on a throwing error by Megan Higginbotham and the Wolverines strung together three straight hits to push their lead to 4-0. Samantha Findlay singled to right center and her sister, Ashley Findlay, followed with a double that found the gap in right center to score two runs. Tiffany Worthy then delivered the knockout blow for Dalen, following with a double of her own to score the third run of the inning for Michigan.
The Gophers struggled to get anything going offensively for much of the day against Michigan starter Nikki Nemitz, with just three batters reaching base through the first five innings. Finally, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Valadez belted her sixth home run of the season, homering over the right centerfield wall with Higginbotham standing on first after drawing a leadoff walk to cut the lead to 4-2.
Later in the inning, Lisa Parks walked with one out and was replaced by Bethany Wolvington on the basepaths. Wolvington advanced to second on a passed ball on strike three to Meyer, but Shannon Stemper grounded out to end the inning.
Minnesota was able to bring the tying run to the plate with a runner on second again in the seventh, but Higginbotham grounded out to end the game.
Minnesota will head to East Lansing, Mich., tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Spartans beginning at 11 a.m. (CST). Live stats will be available on Michigan State’s website at www.msuspartans.com.
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