University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Readies for Four-Game Week
4/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Minnesota closes out the 2011 nonconference schedule this week with a pair of doubleheaders against Iowa State and South Dakota. The Gophers head to Ames, Iowa on Thursday for a pair of games against the Cyclones starting at 2 p.m. local time. Following the two-game road series, Minnesota (19-16 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) returns to Minneapolis for a doubleheader against the Coyotes on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. The home of Gopher softball - Jane Sage Cowles Stadium - will host Saturday's games along with the remaining eight home games in the 2011 Minnesota softball season.
Iowa State (17-13, 1-3 Big 12) is coming off a tough two-week stretch in which the Cyclones went 3-5 including four games against ranked teams. The program snapped a three-game losing skid on Tuesday with an 11-3 win over Northern Iowa in Ames, where the Cyclones are 8-3 this year. Meanwhile, South Dakota (12-23, 0-6 Great West) heads into Minneapolis on a four-game losing streak. The Coyotes, who have scored just one run in each of the last four games, are 1-11 on the road this season.
The Series
Two nonconference series on opposite ends of the spectrum await Minnesota this week. The Gophers are 40-30 all-time against Iowa State -- the most played nonconference opponent in Minnesota history. The Cyclones split a pair of 6-5 games with Minnesota last year in February at the Metrodome. On the other hand, Saturday's doubleheader marks the first time Minnesota has met South Dakota on the playing field since May 10, 1979. In the only meeting between the two programs in history, the Gophers picked up a 3-1 win over the Coyotes in the first round of the AIAW Region 6 Tournament in Lawrence, Kan.
Last Time Out
Minnesota opened the 2011 home schedule with a pair of losses to Ohio State last weekend at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The Buckeyes kicked off a Saturday double header with a 10-0 win before closing the series with a 7-5 win later that evening.
Follow Along
Fans that can't watch the action in person can still follow along with Gopher softball. Each of the Gophers' games over the weekend can be followed using the Minnesota softball blog on GopherSports.com. Recaps and box scores will also be posted on the site at the conclusion of each day.
Getting the Win
With 35 games already in the book and 20 remaining on the schedule, the Gophers' 19 wins so far in 2011 are already three more than the team recorded in the 2010 season. The team needs just one more conference win to equal its 2010 total.
Barnes Steps Up To The Plate
Malisa Barnes is showing her experience in her final season of play. The senior ranks third in the conference with a .446 batting average and is tied for fifth in the Big Ten with 45 hits. Meanwhile, her .568 on base percentage ranks 14th in the nation.
Moulton Among Big Ten Leaders
Freshman Sara Moulton ranks among the top pitchers in the conference in just her first year of collegiate play. Moulton ranks second in the Big Ten in both strikeouts (208) and wins (18).
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Playing As a Team
Minnesota ranks second in the Big Ten with a .967 team fielding percentage. Even more impressive is that the team leads the league with 1,038 chances.
Allister Era Begins
The 2011 season will mark the first season of the Jessica Allister era at Minnesota. The former All-American from Stanford was hired as the sixth coach in Gopher history after serving as an assistant at her alma mater, Georgia and most recently Oregon. As an assistant, Allister has helped three different programs to Super Regional appearances in the past four years.
