University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Pacific
Walker and Blanchette Homer, as Minnesota Defeats Pacific, 4-2
3/9/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 9, 2013
PALO ALTO, CALIF. - Junior pitcher Sara Moulton tossed a complete game with five strikeouts, and sophomore Tyler Walker and junior Bree Blanchette each hits solo home runs, as Minnesota recorded a 4-2 win against Pacific at Stanford's Louisville Slugger Classic on Saturday afternoon.
Minnesota (12-8) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Walker led off with an opposite field double to the gap in left center, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior catcher Kari Dorle and scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore third baseman Kaitlyn Richardson.
Walker increased Minnesota's lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third with a one-out solo home run to center field, her team-leading fifth homer of the season.
The Gophers made it 4-0 in the fourth, as Blanchette opened the inning with a solo home run over the left field fence for her fourth homer of the season. Blanchette hit three home runs in 53 games last season, but has already established a new career-best for HR's in a season.
Freshman Paige Palkovich followed with a double to left field to force a pitching change by Pacific. Palkovich advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Madie Eckstrom, and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by sophomore second baseman Erika Smyth.
The Tigers (14-9) responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but that was all Moulton (12-5) would allow, as she recorded her second win against Pacific at the Louisville Slugger Classic.
