University of Minnesota Athletics
Sudenga Drives in Game-Winner as Gophers Beat Drake
2/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Freshman shortstop Brianna Sudenga delivered a two-out bottom of the seventh base hit lifted the Gophers past Drake 7-6 Saturday at the Metrodome. The Gophers, who trailed 6-5 entering the last inning of play, scored two in the final frame to pick up their third victory at the weekend Metrodome Softball Classic.
The dramatic game-winner continued what has been an outstanding tournament for Sudenga. The Valley City, S.D. native entered the Metrodome Classic with a .167 average and one RBI, but is now 5-for-13 (.384) in the tournament with three RBIs. Saturday, the freshman came through in her most important at bat of the young season.
Center fielder Casey Wheeler got things started in the seventh with a one-out single to center. Colleen Conway pushed Wheeler to third with a single of her own. The Bulldogs then re-entered starting pitcher Brynne Dordel (a Chaska High School graduate), who promptly hit Sila Fernandez to load the bases.
Dordell then recorded an out at home on a fielder’s choice before giving up a critical wild pitch to score the game-tying run from third. After an excellent at-bat by Shannon Stemper, she drew a walk to re-load the bases and set the stage for Sudenga’s heroics. Sudenga’s line single gave the Gophers (6-4) their third win of the tournament.
The Gophers got on the board early with Stemper’s two-out RBI ground rule double in the bottom of the first, which gave Minnesota a 1-0 advantage.
Gopher starter Briana Hassett got into trouble early, surrendering two runs in the second inning. Coming off an impressive season in which she posted a 2.13 ERA, Hasset struggled to keep Drake off the board surrendering five earned runs during her six innings. She struck out nine hitters but also walked give.
With the Gophers trailing 2-1 in the second, Minnesota tacked on two runs to regain the lead. A squeeze bunt by Casey Wheeler brought home Amber Nelsen from third base, and Fernandez drove in her ninth run of the season with a single to right.
Wheeler came up again in the bottom of the third with two on and two out and delivered another RBI, giving the Gophers a 4-2 lead.
Hasset struggled with her control in the top of the fourth, giving up one hit, two wild pitches, two walks and three runs in the inning giving Drake a 5-4 lead.
Susan Slycord connected off Hassett in the top of the fifth over the left field wall, extending Drake’s lead to 6-4. It was the first home run allowed by Hassett this season. She allowed only three in all of 2007.
Nelson brought the Gophers to within one by driving in pinch runner Aubrey Davis in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out triple over the left fielder’s head.
Junior Katie Dalen (2-3) got the win for the Gophers after coming into the game in relief of Hassett in the seventh inning and tossing a scoreless frame.
The win improves the Gophers’ record to 3-1 in the Metrodome Classic. Minnesota picked up two wins on Thursday over (beating Western Illinois 8-2 and Tennessee Tech 7-0) and dropped its most recent decision to Northern Iowa on Friday night by a score of 6-4.
The loss for Drake pushed the team’s Metrodome Classic Tournament record to 1-1 after the team picked up a win over Western Illinois 6-1 on Friday.
Next the Gophers take on Arkansas in their final game of the Metrodome Classic. That game will get underway at 11 a.m. Sunday morning and will be preceded a special recognition ceremony for the Golden Gopher alumni members of the Minnesota Softball High School Hall of Fame.
A live webcast and live statistics will be available via gophersports.com.
