University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Sweeps Concordia-St. Paul
10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS - In its third fall outing, the University of Minnesota softball team shut out Concordia-St. Paul twice Friday night at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, downing the Golden Bears 10-0 and 13-0. Each game resulted in a five-inning, run-rule victory for the Gophers, who are unbeaten in five fall contests.
The opening frame of the evening was a scoreless one for the Gophers, but the home team `s offense came to life in the second inning.
Erika Smyth got Minnesota on the board with a sacrifice fly that was hit to the warning track. Sophomore Sam Macken added to the advantage with a two-run single. A two-run base knock by Hannah Granger in the third was part of a four-run stanza that extended the Maroon and Gold's lead to seven.
Hannah Melick and Sara Groenewegen capped the Gophers' scoring in the fourth, picking up an RBI double and a two-run single, respectively. In the circle, Nikki Anderson preserved her complete game shutout in the fifth. She struck out five, while allowing only four baserunners in a winning effort.
Minnesota did not wait long to get on the board in the second game of the night.
A two-run double in the first inning by senior Madie Eckstrom gave the Gophers the early lead. Macken padded the advantage with a three-run home run in the second.
CU kept Minnesota off the board in the second inning, but the Gophers pulled away in the fourth, scoring eight runs. Senior Kaitlyn Richardson roped a bases-clearing double and freshman Sydney Dwyer belted a three-run homer to complete the scoring.
Freshman Kylie Stober, who fanned five Golden Bear hitters over three innings, and sophomore Hannah Evavold, who struck out three in two innings, combined to toss a shutout. The duo allowed just four hits in the game.
Richardson and Macken led the Gophers finished the night with three hits apiece to pace Minnesota. All three of Richardson's hits were doubles and Macken picked up a team-best five RBI.
The Gophers conclude their fall season next Friday, Oct. 24, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium with a doubleheader against in-state foe Minnesota Duluth.
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