University of Minnesota Athletics
Owls Come Back to Top Gophers 6-5
3/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Kennesaw, Ga. - The Golden Gopher softball team watched a five-run lead disappear this afternoon (Mar. 4) as Kennesaw State came all the way back for a 6-5 win.
Minnesota (7-10) led 5-0 after a two-run fifth inning. The Gophers opened the scoring in the second inning with three runs on two hits for the early 3-0 lead. However, after allowing the final two runs and sinking into the 5-0 deficit, Kennesaw State (8-4) responded with four in the bottom of the fourth to close back within just one run.
The Owls held the Gophers off the board in the top of the fifth inning, before completing the comeback in the bottom of the frame. Kennesaw State plated their final two runs of the game in the fifth to take their first and only lead at 6-5. In their final two innings the Gophers managed just one base runner as the Owls put the clamps on a potential Gopher comeback.
Minnesota started their scoring rally after going down to their final strike of the second inning. With two out, two on, and no runners yet to cross the plate Aubrey Davis (Kennedale, Texas) battled through a 10-pitch at-bat. Faced with a full count, she fouled off four straight pitches before drawing the walk. With the free pass, the Gophers had the bases loaded, but were still down to their last out.
Stepping to the plate next, with opportunity knocking, was starting pitcher Lacey Middlebrooks (Wake Village, Texas). She came up big, helping her own cause by driving a double to center to clear the bases.
The Gophers went down in order in the third, before manufacturing two more scores in the fourth. After a sac bunt moved runners into scoring position, a fielder's choice from Davis scored the Gophers fourth run. Just one batter later, a bunt single from Tina Watts (Minneapolis, Minn.) capped the inning's scoring.
In the bottom of the inning, the Owls did most of their damage on a three-run homer with two outs. Their first run came earlier in the inning courtesy of a Gopher error.
An inning later, Alissa Koch (Racine, Wis.) came in relief of Middlebrooks, but after allowing a leadoff walk, surrendered another homer, and Kennesaw was in the lead for good. Koch closed out the game, and suffers the loss to fall to 0-6 on the season.
Heidi Carls (Villard, Minn.) finished 2-for-3 and scored two runs to lead the offense, while Middlebrooks made the most of her one at-bat, finishing the day 1-for-1 with a game high three-RBI.
The Gophers will play two tomorrow, opening up the Georgia Bulldog Invitational. The face off first with Middle Tennessee State at 10:00 a.m., the first game on the schedule. Then in their second game of the day, they take on host Georgia with the first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Live Stats and updates can be found all weekend on GeorgiaDogs.com.
