The Golden Gopher softball team (22-13, 5-5 Big Ten) lost the second game of its season series with Illinois (25-24, 4-8 Big Ten) 10-2 Saturday afternoon in Champaign, Ill. One day removed from shutting out the Big Ten's top offensive team 2-0, Minnesota allowed 12 hits in a game shortened to five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Coming off two straight solid outings, junior pitcher Katie Dalen endured a rough starter Saturday afternoon at Eichelberger Field in Illinois. The Rosemount, Minn. native surrendered seven runs on seven hits in one and a third innings, dropping her record to 7-8 on the season.
Illinois' Angelena Mexicano got the scoring started in the bottom of the first with her program-record 17th home run of the season. Illinois then rapped out seven hits in the second, including five in a row at one point, to score six runs and push the score to 7-0.
Dalen was relieved by Friday starter Briana Hassett with one out in the second inning. Hassett pitched the final 3.2 frames of the game, allowing three runs on five hits.
Minnesota managed four hits against Illinois starter Claire DeVreese. Malisa Barnes, Shannon Stemper, Casey Wheeler and Natalie Neal had singles for Minnesota, with Neal driving in Wheeler from second base with a hit off the center field wall in the fifth. The Gophers scored their second run with two outs in that same inning, with Colleen Powers scoring on an infield error.
The game ended when Barnes grounded out to second base with runners on second and third.
After splitting with Illinois, the Gophers will look to remain in the top half of the Big Ten standings Sunday when they square off with third-place Iowa in Iowa City. The Gopher Hawkeye doubleheader is scheduled to begin at noon and will be televised live by the Big Ten Network. Justin Kutcher and Tracy Warren will be on the call for the BTN, which is available in Minnesota on DirecTV (channel 220) and Dish Network (channel 439).
