University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, March 23
Lincoln, Neb.
2:00 PM
University of Minnesota
2
at
3
(17/15) Nebraska
Gophers, Huskers Split Sunday Doubleheader
3/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 23, 2014
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
LINCOLN, Neb. - The No. 16/19 Minnesota softball team split its doubleheader at No. 15/17 Nebraska Sunday afternoon, winning their first game, 13-4, before falling 3-2 in the series finale. TheGophers moved to 24-4 overall with a 2-1 record in Big Ten play after downing the Huskers Friday in the series opener by a 7-2 score.
The first game of the day was a defensive struggle for the first three innings through which only a singles by Kayla Wenner and Tyler Walker kept the game from being hitless.
After Kelsey Klucas broke the scoreless deadlock by scoring from third on a fielder's choice in the fourth, Sam Macken and Wenner reached to load the bases. Walker then crushed a double to left field to clear the bases and put the Gophers up, 4-0.
Nebraska began to fight back in the bottom of the frame when MJ Knighten singled for the Huskers' first hit, setting up a Hailey Decker home run off the left-field foul pole that cut Minnesota's lead in half.
Walker continued her monster day at the plate in the sixth by parking her third home run of the season over the fence in right center field to make it 6-2.
In the seventh inning Danica Bishop came in to relieve starter Emily Lockman and conceded three runs (two earned) before loading the bases and yielding a grand slam blast to left field by Sara Groenewegen.
Groenewegen gave up two runs in the seventh, but moved to 6-0 on the year with a win in her first Big Ten pitching start, striking out 12 in 6.1 innings.
In the second game of the day, Nebraska got on the board in the first inning by capitalizing on two Gopher errors, but Walker tied the score in the third after stealing second and then moving to the third on a wild pitch before coming home on an overthrow by the catcher.
Sydney Fabian later put the Gophers ahead with an RBI double that plated Groenewegen, but the Cornhuskers responded with solo home runs in the fifth and sixth by Kat Woolman and Taylor Edwards, respectively.
The long balls were the first allowed by Minnesota starter Sara Moulton all season.
Despite threatening in the seventh, the Gophers were unable to re-tie the score and saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end.
Minnesota is slated to open its home schedule, weather-permitting, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium against Illinois. That series will take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Players Mentioned
Utility
/ Softball
Pitcher
/ Softball
Outfielder
/ Softball
Infielder
/ Softball
Pitcher
/ Softball
Infielder
/ Softball
Outfielder
/ SoftballHighlights: Gophers 6, Central Michigan 1
Saturday, February 21
Highlights: Gophers 7, LIU 6
Saturday, February 21
Highlights: Gophers 11, NMSU 4
Saturday, February 14
Highlights: Gophers 8, UTEP 6
Friday, February 13