University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Softball Drops Wild Doubleheader at No. 16 Northwestern
3/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Fresh off their first 2-0 Big Ten start in a decade, the Golden Gopher softball team experienced somewhat of a setback Sunday afternoon in Evanston, Ill. Minnesota (19-10, 2-2 Big Ten) was swept in an eventful doubleheader by the 16th-ranked and back-to-back College World Series semifinalist Northwestern Wildcats, dropping game one 5-2 and game two 17-8 (in six innings).
Strong pitching propelled Minnesota to a pair of victories over Michigan State Friday and Saturday in their conference-opening series with the Spartans (the Gophers won by scores of 2-0 and 6-5), but proved their undoing during Sunday’s twinbill. The Gophers surrendered a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh in game one, and allowed 15 unanswered runs in game two to squander an early 8-2 lead.
Minnesota has now lost nine consecutive games against Northwestern, a streak that dates back to 2004.
Ace Briana Hassett, who notched both victories in East Lansing, was the Gophers’ choice in game one to quiet a powerful Northwestern lineup. She held the Wildcats in check through six, allowing just two runs on two hits while striking out eight. The Gophers had scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 2-1 lead on a two-RBI double by catcher Shannon Stemper and seemed on the verge of snapping their losing streak against Northwestern.
But the nationally ranked Wildcats pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth, setting the stage for their final inning heroics. Two of the first three batters in the inning reached base on singles, and with one out, pinch-hitter Emily Haug deposited a Hassett pitch over the center field fence for the game-winning home run.
It seemed Minnesota was able to put the game one loss behind them during the early stages of Sunday’s nightcap. The Gophers scored eight runs in the first three innings to jump out to an 8-2 lead against Northwestern starter Jessica Smith.
Stemper brought home a run in the first with an RBI fielder’s choice, and Heidi Carls drove in two more in the second inning with a home run (the first of her Gopher career) to left field. Minnesota erupted for five more scores in the third on a two-RBI single by Amber Nelsen and a booming three-run homer by Casey Wheeler, her second of the weekend and third of the season.
Starting pitcher Katie Dalen allowed only one hit through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Trailing 8-3 with the bases loaded and two outs, Northwestern’s two-time All-American shortstop Tammy Williams hit a grand slam to left field to bring the Wildcats within one.
Dalen allowed four more runs in the fifth, and was relieved by Hassett in the sixth inning with the score 13-8 and the bases loaded with two outs. Williams was the first batter to face Hassett and promptly connected on another grand slam, this one also to left. The Wildcat shortstop finished 3-3 with eight RBIs.
The nine-run sixth-inning deficit signaled the end of the game due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Wheeler went 2-3 for Minnesota and also scored twice in the loss. Six other Gophers had at least one hit in game two.
The Gophers hope a return home will allowed them to get back to their winning ways. Minnesota is scheduled to host North Dakota State Wednesday afternoon at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, the team’s first home action since the Feb. 17-19 Metrodome Classic. The doubleheader will get underway at 4 p.m. and fans can watch it live in the Gold Zone via gophersports.com.
Strong pitching propelled Minnesota to a pair of victories over Michigan State Friday and Saturday in their conference-opening series with the Spartans (the Gophers won by scores of 2-0 and 6-5), but proved their undoing during Sunday’s twinbill. The Gophers surrendered a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh in game one, and allowed 15 unanswered runs in game two to squander an early 8-2 lead.
Minnesota has now lost nine consecutive games against Northwestern, a streak that dates back to 2004.
Ace Briana Hassett, who notched both victories in East Lansing, was the Gophers’ choice in game one to quiet a powerful Northwestern lineup. She held the Wildcats in check through six, allowing just two runs on two hits while striking out eight. The Gophers had scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 2-1 lead on a two-RBI double by catcher Shannon Stemper and seemed on the verge of snapping their losing streak against Northwestern.
But the nationally ranked Wildcats pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth, setting the stage for their final inning heroics. Two of the first three batters in the inning reached base on singles, and with one out, pinch-hitter Emily Haug deposited a Hassett pitch over the center field fence for the game-winning home run.
It seemed Minnesota was able to put the game one loss behind them during the early stages of Sunday’s nightcap. The Gophers scored eight runs in the first three innings to jump out to an 8-2 lead against Northwestern starter Jessica Smith.
Stemper brought home a run in the first with an RBI fielder’s choice, and Heidi Carls drove in two more in the second inning with a home run (the first of her Gopher career) to left field. Minnesota erupted for five more scores in the third on a two-RBI single by Amber Nelsen and a booming three-run homer by Casey Wheeler, her second of the weekend and third of the season.
Starting pitcher Katie Dalen allowed only one hit through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Trailing 8-3 with the bases loaded and two outs, Northwestern’s two-time All-American shortstop Tammy Williams hit a grand slam to left field to bring the Wildcats within one.
Dalen allowed four more runs in the fifth, and was relieved by Hassett in the sixth inning with the score 13-8 and the bases loaded with two outs. Williams was the first batter to face Hassett and promptly connected on another grand slam, this one also to left. The Wildcat shortstop finished 3-3 with eight RBIs.
The nine-run sixth-inning deficit signaled the end of the game due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Wheeler went 2-3 for Minnesota and also scored twice in the loss. Six other Gophers had at least one hit in game two.
The Gophers hope a return home will allowed them to get back to their winning ways. Minnesota is scheduled to host North Dakota State Wednesday afternoon at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, the team’s first home action since the Feb. 17-19 Metrodome Classic. The doubleheader will get underway at 4 p.m. and fans can watch it live in the Gold Zone via gophersports.com.
Players Mentioned
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