University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Softball Plays Through Rain, Drops Season Opener to Dolphins
2/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Minnesota Golden Gopher softball team dropped its season opener Thursday evening at the JU/Best Western Invitational, falling 6-4 to the Jacksonville University Dolphins in
Things did not get off to a great start for the Gophers in the early going at the JU Softball Complex. Starting pitcher Katie Dalen was tagged for a run in the bottom of the first inning and then four more in the bottom of the third. Three of those third-inning runs scored on bases-loaded walks, as the Gopher junior issued six free passes in her first six innings of work.
But the Gopher lineup, which contained four new starters from a year ago, responded in the top of the fourth. Freshman first baseman Malisa Barnes led off the inning with her first collegiate hit, a single past shortstop, and she was followed by another base hit from catcher Shannon Stemper. After a sacrifice bunt from Casey Wheeler, the Gophers scored runs on a passed ball, wild pitch and another on a Brianna Sudenga single (the first career hit and RBI for the freshman shortstop).
The Dolphins tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-3 lead, but
Making the first starts of their Gopher careers were Barnes, Sudenga, second baseman Sammie Howard (who scored her first career run in the fourth inning) and left fielder Sila Fernandez (who went 1-for-4). Dalen also struck out six in the complete game loss.
