University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
(3) Michigan
Gophers Hand Michigan First Big Ten Loss
4/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2014
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The No. 12/13 Minnesota softball team gave first-place Michigan its first Big Ten loss of the season Friday night at the Wilpon Complex in Ann Arbor, Mich., pulling out a 1-0 win over the No. 3 Wolverines. The result snapped a 20-game winning Michigan winning streak that dated back to March 7 and improved to 33-6 on the season with an 11-3 league ledger.
In the circle, Sara Moulton and Sara Groenewegen combined to throw the team's 19th shutout of the season. Moulton picked up her 20th win of the season, improving to 20-5 on the season, handing Michigan starter Haylie Wagner her first loss of the year. Groenewegen closed out the game to notch her third save.
The game, which turned out to be the Gophers' fourth 1-0 win of the year, was a defensive stalemate until the third inning when Erica Meyer reached for the second time on the day by getting hit by a pitch. After Meyer stole second, Kaitlyn Richardson singled her fellow junior infielder to third. Groenewegen then grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Meyer.
The deficit was Michigan's first since March 22 and with the single in the inning, Richardson reached base for the 20th-consecutive game.
After scattering three hits over 4.1 innings, Moulton handed the ball to Groenewegen, who allowed just one baserunner in the game's final 2.2 innings, striking out four. The duo combined to throw 101 pitches.
Minnesota threatened to score in the top of the sixth by loading the bases, but couldn't gain an insurance run.
The Gophers emerged with their 26th victory over Michigan in the schools' 100th meeting. Minnesota is now 7-3 against top-25 ranked opponents this season and is 8-2 on the road. The Maroon and Gold is 10-0 in the Eastern time zone.
The Big Ten's top two teams will close out their three-game series with a 6 p.m. CT game Saturday, followed by a Sunday finale at noon CT.
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