University of Minnesota Athletics
Softball Falls Twice in Georgia
3/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Athens, Ga. - The University of Minnesota softball team began play at the Georgia Bulldog Invitational today (Mar. 5) taking on Middle Tennessee State before a match-up with tournament host Georgia.
Despite an early lead, Minnesota suffered a 10-2 setback in five innings to Middle Tennessee State. Then they had to face the No. 4 team in the country in Georgia, and saw similar results with a 7-0 loss.
Game One
Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Middle Tennessee State, scoring both of their runs in the bottom of the first inning. The lead was short lived, however, as the Blue Raiders came back for five in the top of the second, as well as five more over the third and fourth innings before the game ended 10-2 in the fifth.
The 10-run total marks the most runs allowed for the Gophers and season as the Blue Raiders did their damage on nine hits, five of which came in the second. There was no big blow either, as each run was scored alone. In the second inning, back-to-back run scoring singles and a stolen base led to the first three scores, while later in the inning a pair of two out hits scored the next two runs.
The Gophers first inning scoring began with a lead-off single by Malisa Barnes (Phoenix, Ariz.). Two batters later, after Sammie Howard (Shoreview, Minn.) moved Barnes over, Abby Rehberger (Brainerd, Minn.) singled her home. Howard went on the score the second run of the inning when she stole home later in the inning.
The Gophers went down in order in their half of the second and third as the Blue Raiders tacked on five more runs. In the fourth, Middle Tennessee State scored off of a sac fly, a walk and two run-scoring singles.
The Gophers managed just one run in the fourth and fifth as the Blue Raiders closed out the win. Alissa Koch (Racine, Wis.) pitched all five innings for Minnesota, allowing all 10 runs (nine earned) while striking out four.
Game Two
Georgia methodically added up the runs on Minnesota in game two. The Bulldogs began with one in the first, followed by two in the second, three in the fourth and one more in the fifth for the final 7-0 margin. Georgia piled up eight hits, while stifling the Minnesota offense to just three in the shutout.
The Gophers went down in order in the first and second, not collecting their first hit until the third inning. When Barnes singled to center field with two out in the third, it became the start of the Gophers best threat to score on the day.
Howard followed with a single up the middle, advancing Chonquita Jones (Chicago, Ill.) to second - pinch-running for Barnes. Up next Rehberger was hit by a pitch and the Gophers has the bases loaded with Heidi Carls (Villard, Minn.) at the plate. Georgia starter Erin Arevalo was able to get Carls to ground out to second, bringing an end to the rally.
A two-out hit from Carls in the fourth was the last for the Gophers who did not get a runner past second for the rest of the game. Lacey Middlebrooks (Wake Village, Texas) again went the distance, taking credit for six the Bulldog's seven runs. She struck out two and walked six in her 6.0 innings of work.
Minnesota falls to 7-12 and has lost their last four since climbing to within a game of the .500 mark at 7-8. They will look to get back on track with two more games tomorrow (Mar. 6), as they face Elon at 9:00 a.m. before a rematch with Georgia at 1:30 p.m.
