University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Splits Twinbill at Butler
3/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Minnesota's softball team split a pair of games at Butler University on Thursday afternoon, falling by a score of 5-4 in the first game of the doubleheader before rebounding to rout the Bulldogs, 13-1.
Offensively in the opener, sophomore shortstop Brianna Sudenga went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while senior catcher Shannon Stemper was 2-for-4 with a double, and senior third baseman Colleen Conway also collected two hits in three at-bats.
Senior pitcher Briana Hassett took the loss in the first game to fall to 16-11 on the season. Hassett padded her Big Ten-leading strikeout total to 253 in 171 1/3 innings pitched by striking out 14 Bulldog batters, but she also allowed a season-high seven walks.
Freshman pitcher Alissa Koch recorded her first collegiate victory in the nightcap, holding Butler to four hits and striking out five to improve to 1-7 on the year.
At the plate in Game 2, sophomore first baseman Malisa Barnes and freshman centerfielder Dannie Skrove each hit two-run home runs. Barnes' was her team-leading third round-tripper of the season, while Skrove's was her second. Conway led the Golden Gophers with three hits, while Stemper was 2-for-3 with a double. Sudenga went 2-for-3 for the second game in a row, and is 8-for-10 over her past four games.
Minnesota concludes the non-conference portion of its schedule with a record of 17-18, while Butler is now 6-10. The Gophers open Big Ten play on Saturday at Indiana. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
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