University of Minnesota Athletics
Five-Run Fifth Sinks Gophers Against Wolverines
3/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Golden Gopher softball team lost its first contest at the rain-altered Louisville Tournament Friday evening, falling 7-2 to the ninth-ranked Michigan Wolverines in Louisville, Ken. The Gophers were down just 1-0 entering the fifth inning, but allowed five runs in that inning to fall to 16-6 on the season.
The loss snapped Minnesota’s 10-game winning streak, the team’s longest since 2002. Minnesota had not lost since Feb. 17 (a 2-1 loss to Arkansas in the final game of the Metrodome Tournament).
Starter Katie Dalen held the powerful Michigan lineup in check for the first four frames before running into trouble in the fifth. Michigan’s Samantha Findlay went 2-for-3 with a double and home run in the contest, which was the Gophers’ first in nearly two weeks. After seeing last weekend’s Buzz Classic canceled due to snow and unplayable field conditions, Minnesota also had not played since March 2.
Freshman Briana Sudenga and Malisa Barnes had doubles for the Gophers, with Sudenga’s driving in a run in the sixth (Minnesota scored single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings). Senior Amber Nelsen drove in the other run for Minnesota with an RBI hit-by-pitch in the seventh.
Shannon Stemper also reached base twice for Minnesota. Nikki Nemitz improved to 8-1 with the win for Michigan, while Dalen’s record falls to 6-4. The loss snaps a personal four-game winning streak for Dalen, who tossed shutouts in her previous three outings.
Heavy rain throughout the day forced organizers to revise the Louisville Tournament schedule. The Gophers were originally slated to play both Michigan and host Louisville Friday, but had the second game pushed back to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Saturday’s day two action will feature Minnesota and Miami of Ohio at 1 p.m. (Central), followed by the Gophers and Cardinals at 3.
