University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Rutgers
Moulton Fans 13 in Gophers' 4-0 Win
3/4/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 4, 2012
Sophomore pitcher Sara Moulton suffocated Rutgers in the Gophers' final game at the Bulldog Invitational as she fanned a season-high 13 batters to help the University of Minnesota pull out a 4-0 victory. With the win, the Maroon and Gold complete a 4-1 weekend in Athens, Georgia and improve to 14-4 on the season.
Moulton was the story of the day as she allowed only four Scarlet Knight (4-8) hits in her 11th win of the season. The defending Big Ten Pitcher of the Week seemed unhittable as she retired the first seven Rutgers' batters with four of them going down on strikes.
After receiving back-to-back walks to begin the second inning, Minnesota would unknot the score when freshmen Erika Smyth hit in Josie Solie, who was pinch running for freshman Madie Eckstrom.
The Gophers offense would remain timid until the fifth inning when pieced together three hits for a two runs.
Freshman Tyler Walker and Erica Meyer each recorded a one-out single, and then fellow newcomer Kaitlyn Richardson hit walker in on a groundout. Junior Kari Dorle pushed across the other Gopher run with a double off the left field wall.
Each of the top four batters in the Gophers' lineup posted a hit in the contest, including Richardson and Dorle who notched one RBI a piece.
Minnesota would tally another run in the sixth when Smyth reached second on a two-base throwing error by the Scarlet Knight shortstop. Sophomore Bree Blanchette would bring Smyth around to make the score 4-0.
Moulton capped off the game in true fashion as she retired the final two batters on strikeouts.
The Gophers look to carry another strong showing over to next weekend as they head for Boca Raton, Fla. For a five-game tournament hosted by Florida Atlantic.
