University of Minnesota Athletics
Moulton Leads Gophers to First Big Ten Sweep
5/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Minnesota softball team picked up its first conference sweep of the season on Wednesday, taking a pair of games from Northwestern as Sara Moulton tied Minnesota single season records for wins and shutouts. Minnesota opened the day with its eighth-straight series opening win - a 3-0 shutout over the Wildcats - before picking up a 4-3 win in the series finale.
Minnesota 4, Northwestern 3
Minnesota (30-21 overall, 8-8 Big Ten) completed its first conference sweep since the 2009 season with a 4-3 win over the Wildcats in the series finale on Wednesday in Evanston. Sara Moulton would improve her record to 29-13 on the season, tying the freshman for Minnesota's season record with Vicki Swanson (1978).
For the second time on Wednesday, Minnesota jumped out to an early lead in the second inning starting with a lead-off home run by Natalie Neal. The designated player opened the inning by sending her second home run of the season over the left field wall to put the Gophers up 1-0. After Allie Siu popped up for the first out of the inning, Aubrey Davis singled to centerfield and eventually came around to score on a single to left by Dannie Skrove to give Minnesota a two-run lead.
But the Wildcats would strike back in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs. Emily Allard and Robin Thompson led off with back-to-back bunt singles before Alissa Koch would intentionally walk Adrienne Monka to load the bases. After bringing in Sara Moulton for a relief appearance, Marisa Bast would single up the middle to plate two and tie the game 2-2. Both runs would be charged to Koch, who earned a no-decision after throwing two innings with two strikeouts, two walks and two hits.
Minnesota would answer back almost immediately in the top of the fourth. Aubrey Davis sent a one-out triple off the centerfield wall to put a runner in scoring position and Malisa Barnes followed two batters later with an intentional walk. Barnes would then force an error on a throw down to first by the NU catcher that brought Aubrey Davis into score. Northwestern would tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth after three-straight, one-out singles by the Wildcats loaded the bases for Monka. The conference's top hitter would ground out for the second out of the inning but brought in Kristin Scharkey from third for the equalizer.
The tie wouldn't last long however as catcher Kari Dorle would send a solo shot - her team-high ninth home run of the season - over the left field fence to put Minnesota up 4-3 in the top of the seventh inning. The bottom of NU's lineup would fail to answer as Minnesota held on for its first conference sweep of the season.
Moulton would strikeout five in the win to move into sole possession of third place on Minnesota's season strikeout with 302. The freshman, who finished the series with 15 strikeouts, needs nine more strikeouts to tie Piper Marten (2003) for second on the list.
Minnesota 3, Northwestern 0
Sara Moulton tied Minnesota's season shutout record and moved into a tie for first in the nation with her 14th shutout of the year as the Gophers opened Wednesday's doubleheader with a 3-0 win over Northwestern.
The Eagan, Minn., native went the distance for the 29th time this season and improved her record to 26-13 on the year - one win off the school's single season win record. Moulton struck out 10 in the outing.
Moulton, who tied Vicki Swanson (1978) and Brianna Hassett (2009) for Minnesota's season shutout record in the win, also kept the Wildcats at bay despite getting into trouble early. Northwestern led off the bottom of the first with three runners reaching safely before Moulton and the Minnesota defense sat down three-straight batters to end the inning with the bases loaded.
Minnesota would strike first in the second when Natalie Neal led off the inning with a walk before Kelsey Klucas came on to pinch run for Minnesota's designated player. Klucas advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Allie Siu and reached third on a single to left field by Bree Blanchette after a 13-pitch at-bat for the centerfielder. After an intentional walk to Malisa Barnes, Dannie Skrove brought in Klucas from third with her 15th HBP of the season to put Minneosta up 1-0.
The Gophers would get another pair of runs in the fourth. Siu would start things off in the inning, reaching on an error by NU pitcher Jessica Smith before taking second on a single by Aubrey Davis. The pair of base runners would each move up a base when Blanchette walked to load the bases. With three runners on, Skrove would be hit by Smith for a second time, bringing Siu in for a second run and tying Skrove for the league lead with 16 HBPs this season. Alex Davis would then single to third to bring around Aubrey Davis to give the Gophers a 3-0 cushion at the halfway point of the opener.
The visitors would threaten again in the fifth, loading the bases with two outs before Kari Dorle lined out to the shortstop to end the inning as well as Minnesota's last scoring opportunity of the game. The Wildcats meanwhile, would threaten in the bottom of the seventh when two runners would reach with one out on the board. Moulton would get Robin Thompson swinging before Adrienne Monka hit a screeching line drive into Barnes' glove at first to end the game. The final out proved significant as it snapped Monka's string of 26-straight at-bats in which the first baseman reached base safely.
