University of Minnesota Athletics
Softball Clinches Big Ten Tourney Bid With Doubleheader Split
4/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The Golden Gopher softball team (24-15, 7-7 Big Ten) clinched its first Big Ten Tournament berth since 2004 Sunday by splitting a doubleheader with the Ohio State Buckeyes at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium in Minneapolis.
Malisa Barnes gave the Gophers a big 2-1 game one win with a two-run, first-inning home run, but the Gophers lost a late 4-3 lead in game two, falling 5-4.
The game one win gave Minnesota 999 total in the 34-year history of the program. The Gophers are seeking to become just the third Big Ten team (after Michigan and Iowa) to eclipse the 1,000-win barrier.
Sunday was also Senior Day at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The Gophers' four seniors Sila Fernandez, Colleen Powers, Amber Nelsen and Casey Wheeler were honored before the games for their contributions to the program both on and off the field.
Game 1: Minnesota 2, Ohio State 1
First baseman Malisa Barnes hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to lead the Golden Gopher softball team to a 2-1 win over Ohio State at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium in game one of their doubleheader Sunday.
Barnes crushed a curveball from Ohio State's Megan Miller with one out in first inning, depositing it over the fence in center field for her third homer of the season. That was all the scoring Minnesota would do against Miller (8-6) for the remainder of the game, but it was enough for Hassett.
The Gopher ace and Eastview High School graduate tossed a complete game two-hitter, striking out nine to pick up her 17th win of the season. Hassett did walk eight batters however, forcing the Buckeyes to strand nine runners on base.
Leadoff hitter Colleen Conway, who scored on Barnes' home run in the first, reached base safely two times on bunt singles. Amber Nelsen and Colleen Powers also had singles for Minnesota.
Hassett got OSU's Whitney Cooper to fly out to deep right field with a runner on base to end the game in the top of the seventh.
Game Two: Ohio State 5, Minnesota 4
Fresh off their first win over Ohio State in eight tries (the Gophers' last win against the Buckeye came on April 2, 2004), Minnesota suffered a tough 5-4 loss in the nightcap Sunday. Neal delivered a pinch-hit, run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the Gophers ahead in the see-saw contest, but Ohio State responded with two more in the seventh off Hassett to steal the victory.
Minnesota jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning after Nelsen lined a single to center field, scoring Barnes (who reached on an error earlier in the inning) from second base. After the Buckeyes tied the score with a run of their own in the second off starter Katie Dalen, the Gophers responded with two more in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a single by Conway and an RBI groundout from Fernandez.
But Ohio State tied the score once again in the third, plating a run on a sacrifice fly, before taking their first lead with a run in the top of the sixth. Pinch-hitting for Powers, Neal laced a two-out double to the left field corner in the bottom of the frame to score Brianna Sudenga from second base.
But the Buckeyes had the last laugh, scoring two runs off reliever Hassett in the top of the seventh inning to take the final lead. Dalen tossesd the game's first four innings, allowing two runs on four hits while waking five. Hassett took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits, striking out three while walking four.
Leading the way on offense for the Gophers was Sudenga, who reached base safely three times with two walks and a single, scoring two runs. Bethany Wolvington also collected her second hit of the year.
After eighth-place Penn State (6-10 in the Big Ten) won the second half of their doubleheader with Michigan State it clinched a spot in the postseason tournament for the Gophers. Minnesota currently sits in fourth place in the conference with that 7-7 mark, ahead of the fifth-place Spartans (8-9) and sixth-place Purdue (7-8).
