Gophers Salvage Split vs. Wisconsin in Regular Season Finale

After seeing its postseason hopes come to an end in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, the Golden Gopher softball team salvaged a split with a 5-4 win in the nightcap to knock the Badgers out of the playoffs as well. The Gophers finish the 2007 season with a 24-22 overall record, 4-9 in the Big Ten.

Minnesota led 3-0 in the first game before a three hour and 23 minute rain delay broke its momentum. The Badgers tied the game with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning and then scored a pair of bizarre runs in the sixth on their way to a 6-4 victory.

Prior to the resumption of Game 1, both teams decided to play the second game of the series on Saturday night as well due to rain in the forecast on Sunday.

The Gophers overcame a 4-1 deficit in the nightcap, scoring four runs in the final two innings to claim a 5-4 victory. Senior Mandy Valadez collected the game-winning RBI with an infield single in the top of the seventh. Fellow senior Rene Konderik went out on a high note, allowing just one unearned run on four hits in 7.0 innings of work after entering the game with a three-run deficit in the first inning.

The first three hitters to step to the plate for the Badgers all scored before an out was recorded as Wisconsin jumped out to a 3-0 lead. UW led off the game with three straight singles before Athena Vasquez doubled to left, knocking Minnesota starter Katie Dalen out of the game. Konderik came in and shut the Badgers down without any further damage.

Shannon Stemper got Minnesota on the board the following inning with her first career home run. Stemper turned on a pitch from UW starter Letty Oivarez, hitting it hard towards left field and a heavy wind blowing straight out to left carried it over the fence.

Wisconsin added a run in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-1 lead before the Gophers responded to tie the game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Megan Higginbotham beat out a bunt single to lead off the inning and Colleen Conway drew a walk to give Minnesota runners on first and second with no outs. Valadez then doubled off the wall in left center to cut the lead to 4-2.

After a walk to Lisa Parks loaded the bases, Stemper stepped to the plate two batters later and hit a sac fly to center for her second RBI of the game. The Gophers re-loaded the bases on a walk to Casey Wheeler before Amber Nelsen was hit by a pitch, tying the game at four apiece.

Minnesota's seniors came together in the final inning of their collegiate careers to give the Gophers the victory. Higginbotham doubled off the wall in left center to lead off the top of the seventh and advanced to third on a sac bunt from Conway. She scored the eventual game-winning run on the single from Valadez, who hit a shot to the hole on the right side of the infield and Wisconsin's second baseman was unable to make the difficult play. Konderik closed the deal by retiring the Badgers in order in the bottom of the seventh to end the game and dash Wisconsin's postseason hopes.

Valadez and Higginbotham both went 2-for-4 in their final game in the Maroon and Gold, with Valadez collecting a pair of RBI. Stemper finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI of her own.

In Game 1, Minnesota led 3-0 before the rain delay on the strength of Parks' team-leading ninth home run of the season in the bottom of the first. Minnesota's first two batters reached, with Higginbotham being credited with a single on an unusual delayed dead ball call and Conway reaching on an error when the third baseman was unable to field her sac bunt attempt. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Parks stepped to the plate and took the first pitch she saw deep to straight away centerfield.

The Badgers threatened to cut into the lead in the top of the third, loading the bases with no outs. The Gophers caught a break when Katie Soderberg tripped when trying to get back to third base and was picked off for the first out of the inning. Soderberg injured herself on the play and was forced to leave the game. Minnesota starter Briana Hassett then struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning without any damage.

Hassett again found herself in trouble in the fourth inning, giving up a one-out walk before allowing her first hit of the game when Alexis Garcia singled past Higginbotham at short. Garcia was called out for interference, however, when she stepped in front of Conway on a ground ball between first and second. Hassett then helped her own cause with a nice defensive play on a come-backer for the final out of the inning.

With rain falling steadily in the middle of the fourth, the umpires decided to delay the game at 1:21 p.m. After a three hour and 23 minute rain delay, the game resumed at 4:44 p.m.

The Badgers quickly grabbed the momentum in the top of the fifth, tying the game with a three-run home run from Katie Hnatyk over the left field fence.

Just as quickly as the Badgers tied the game, however, Higginbotham put the Gophers right back in front with a leadoff homer in the bottom half of the inning. Higginbotham took an 0-2 pitch from UW starter Eden Brock and hit a low liner that just snuck over the wall near the left field foul pole to put Minnesota back on top, 4-3.

It was the last lead they would see, however, as the Badgers scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on a couple of unusual plays. With runners on second and third with one out, an illegal pitch was called on Konderik, who entered the game in relief, allowing the tying run to score. Minnesota protested the call and a discussion ensued as the umpires were forced to break out the rule book, eventually ruling to disallow the protest and maintain the call. Wisconsin's next batter, Joey Daniels, then hit a high pop-up near first base and the wind played tricks with the ball, blowing it fair where it dropped just behind the first base bag, allowing the go-ahead run to score for the Badgers.

Wisconsin added an insurance run with a sac fly from Ricci Robben in the top of the seventh, taking the wind out of the Gophers' sails. Minnesota did bring the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom half of the inning, but a double play to third ended the game.

Parks finished the game 1-for-2 with 3 RBI, while Higginbotham went 2-for-4 with one run batted in. Both teams had seven hits in the game. Konderik was credited with the loss, giving up three runs on four hits in 2.0 innings of relief.

Minnesota's five seniors were honored for their contributions to the softball program over the last four years during a ceremony on the field prior to Saturday's first game.

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