University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Softball Caps Perfect Weekend With Two Shutouts in Tennessee
3/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The University of Minnesota softball team finished off a banner weekend at the Tennessee-Martin Hospitality House Classic Sunday with two more shutouts, beating the host UTM Skyhawks 6-0 and Indiana State 3-0. The Gophers finished the weekend a perfect 5-0 and did not allow a single run in any of the five games as they extended their winning streak to 10.
Minnesota’s current 10-game streak is the program’s longest since the team won 11 consecutive contests in 2002, en route to a 38-21 finish and an NCAA Tournament berth. The Gophers now have nine shutouts on the season and have allowed only one run in their last nine games.
Junior hurlers Briana Hassett (10-2) and Katie Dalen (6-3) led the way once again for Minnesota on Sunday. Hassett was again nearly flawless in the circle during the 1-0 morning win over UT-Martin. The Eagan, Minn. native allowed only two hits and four baserunners while striking out 14 Skyhawk hitters in a game that lasted under two hours.
Hassett’s 14-strikeout performance was her third double-digit tally of the weekend and sixth of the 2007-08 season (she struck out a program-record 17 on Friday against Dartmouth and 12 more Saturday vs. Northern Iowa). She fanned 43 in 21 innings pitched (three complete game shutouts) in Martin, Tenn. Hassett has now notched 127 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched this season (averaging over 11 per seven innings) and boasts a miniscule 1.23 ERA.
Named last week’s Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for her performance at the Georgia Southern Eagle Classic (20 innings pitched, 31 strikeouts, one earned run), Hassett appears the odds-on favorite to garner the award once again this week. She tied a career-high with her sixth shutout of the season Sunday and is just one shy of her previous career high in wins (11, set last year) and 23 behind her career-best strikeout performance (127 last season).
The Gophers’ offense against UTM came from a variety of sources. Minnesota scored three in the first to take the early lead. Colleen Conway took third base on a double-steal and scored on a throwing error by the catcher with nobody out, and senior Amber Nelsen drove in another run with a sac fly. Shannon Stemper then picked up an RBI by driving home Malisa Barnes with a double.
Barnes also drove in Conway with a single in the second inning, and the Gophers’ final two runs scored in the fifth on a two-RBI single by Heidi Carls.
The Gophers’ final game of the tournament was pitchers’ dual between Dalen and Katie Armour of the Indiana State Sycamores. The only run of the game was driven in by Nelsen on a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Barnes.
But that was all the support Dalen would need, as she tossed her second shutout of the weekend and third in a row win her sixth game of the young season. Dalen fanned five and allowed only five Sycamore hits while walking only one batter the complete game victory. She lowered her ERA to 3.00 on the season and is limiting opponents to .246 average in 63 innings pitched thus far.
In addition to the 35 scoreless innings tossed by the Gopher pitching staff, several other individuals enjoyed success at the Hospitality House Classic. Conway led the team with a .538 batting average and seven hits on the weekend, going 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts to boost her season total to nine. Stemper hit .417, and Nelsen drove in a team-high four runs while hitting .308.
Minnesota will look to extend its winning streak even further next weekend when they travel to Georgia Tech for the 2008 Buzz Classic. Minnesota did not play in the tournament last season but did in both 2004 and 2006, going a combined 10-2 those two seasons.
The Gophers’ first game will take place Friday at 10 a.m. Central time against Western Michigan.
Minnesota’s current 10-game streak is the program’s longest since the team won 11 consecutive contests in 2002, en route to a 38-21 finish and an NCAA Tournament berth. The Gophers now have nine shutouts on the season and have allowed only one run in their last nine games.
Junior hurlers Briana Hassett (10-2) and Katie Dalen (6-3) led the way once again for Minnesota on Sunday. Hassett was again nearly flawless in the circle during the 1-0 morning win over UT-Martin. The Eagan, Minn. native allowed only two hits and four baserunners while striking out 14 Skyhawk hitters in a game that lasted under two hours.
Hassett’s 14-strikeout performance was her third double-digit tally of the weekend and sixth of the 2007-08 season (she struck out a program-record 17 on Friday against Dartmouth and 12 more Saturday vs. Northern Iowa). She fanned 43 in 21 innings pitched (three complete game shutouts) in Martin, Tenn. Hassett has now notched 127 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched this season (averaging over 11 per seven innings) and boasts a miniscule 1.23 ERA.
Named last week’s Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for her performance at the Georgia Southern Eagle Classic (20 innings pitched, 31 strikeouts, one earned run), Hassett appears the odds-on favorite to garner the award once again this week. She tied a career-high with her sixth shutout of the season Sunday and is just one shy of her previous career high in wins (11, set last year) and 23 behind her career-best strikeout performance (127 last season).
The Gophers’ offense against UTM came from a variety of sources. Minnesota scored three in the first to take the early lead. Colleen Conway took third base on a double-steal and scored on a throwing error by the catcher with nobody out, and senior Amber Nelsen drove in another run with a sac fly. Shannon Stemper then picked up an RBI by driving home Malisa Barnes with a double.
Barnes also drove in Conway with a single in the second inning, and the Gophers’ final two runs scored in the fifth on a two-RBI single by Heidi Carls.
The Gophers’ final game of the tournament was pitchers’ dual between Dalen and Katie Armour of the Indiana State Sycamores. The only run of the game was driven in by Nelsen on a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Barnes.
But that was all the support Dalen would need, as she tossed her second shutout of the weekend and third in a row win her sixth game of the young season. Dalen fanned five and allowed only five Sycamore hits while walking only one batter the complete game victory. She lowered her ERA to 3.00 on the season and is limiting opponents to .246 average in 63 innings pitched thus far.
In addition to the 35 scoreless innings tossed by the Gopher pitching staff, several other individuals enjoyed success at the Hospitality House Classic. Conway led the team with a .538 batting average and seven hits on the weekend, going 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts to boost her season total to nine. Stemper hit .417, and Nelsen drove in a team-high four runs while hitting .308.
Minnesota will look to extend its winning streak even further next weekend when they travel to Georgia Tech for the 2008 Buzz Classic. Minnesota did not play in the tournament last season but did in both 2004 and 2006, going a combined 10-2 those two seasons.
The Gophers’ first game will take place Friday at 10 a.m. Central time against Western Michigan.
Players Mentioned
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/ SoftballHighlights: Gophers 2, Indiana 0
Friday, March 06
Highlights: Gophers 6, Central Michigan 1
Saturday, February 21
Highlights: Gophers 7, LIU 6
Saturday, February 21
Highlights: Gophers 11, NMSU 4
Saturday, February 14