University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Travels to Diamond Devil Invite
2/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
| No. 15/14 Minnesota at the Diamond Devil Invitational | |
| Tournament Central | Diamond Devil Invitational Home Page |
| Location | Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Gophers' Schedule | Game 1: vs. New Mexico State (Fri., Feb. 20 • 10:00 a.m. CT) Game 2: vs. Boise State (Fri., Feb. 20 • 2:30 p.m. CT) Game 3: vs. Boise State (Sat., Feb. 21 • 4:45 p.m. CT) Game 4: at Arizona State (Sat., Feb. 21 • 7:00 p.m. CT) Game 5: vs. Colorado State (Sun., Feb. 22 • 12:00 p.m. CT) |
| Live Blogs | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| Weekend Notes | Minnesota |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | New Mexico State | Boise State | Arizona State | Colorado State |
| Social Media | @GopherSoftball | Facebook | Instagram |
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 15/14 Minnesota softball team will play five games this weekend at the Diamond Devil Invitational at Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. this weekend. The Gophers will play Friday against New Mexico State at 10 a.m. CT and against Boise State at 2:30 p.m. CT. They will play the Broncos again Saturday at 4:45 p.m. CT followed by a contest against host and No. 19/21-ranked Arizona State. The tournament concludes Sunday at noon CT with a game against Colorado State.
LAST TIME OUT
The Minnesota softball team moved to 8-1 on the season last weekend after sweeping a doubleheader at Stetson with 3-0 and 16-7 wins. The Gophers closed out the weekend in Clermont, Fla. with an 8-0 win over UMass Lowell and a 4-0 loss to Central Florida.
MILESTONE WIN
The Gophers' victory over UMass Lowell was fifth-year head coach Jessica Allister's 150th win at Minnesota. Her current record with the Maroon and Gold is 150-78, good for a .658 winning percentage.
ANOTHER HOT START
At 8-1, the Gophers have matched their best start in program history. Minnesota was also 8-1 after its first two weekends a year ago.
AN IMPRESSIVE FIELD
The Gophers will be facing tough competition this weekend at the Diamond Devil Invitational. The four teams on Minnesota's slate had a combined record of 139-74-1 (.652 winning percentage) last season.
GOPHERS IN THE DESERT
In 90 all-time games in the state of Arizona, Minnesota is 39-50-1. Before head coach Jessica Allister arrived, the Gophers were 26-44-1, but they have gone 13-6 since, including a 3-1 trip to Tempe last season.
GRANGER DANGER
After quietly leading the Gophers with a .415 conference batting average in 2014, senior Hannah Granger is picking up where she left off as a junior. The Wheaton, Ill. native has hit for a .520 batting average with a team-best .840 slugging percentage. She enters the weekend with a season-opening nine-game hitting streak. She chipped in her first two home runs of the season last weekend, as well.
GETTING ON BASE
Minnesota's offense has aided greatly in its 8-1 start. The Gophers have five players--Sam Macken, Tyler Walker, Hannah Granger, Sara Groenewegen and Kaitlyn Richardson--who have reached base in all nine games. The team has hit for a .399 average and has accrued a .483 on-base percentage.
RUN RULE WINS
The Gophers have piled up six run-rule wins in their first nine games. Last year, 11 of the Gophers' 44 wins were by run-rule decision.
STRIKING THEM OUT
Sara Groenewegen, who led the nation with 11.6 strikeouts per seven innings last season, has kept fanning hitters in 2015. The reigning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year has 51 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched so far.
DRIVING THEM IN
Through nine games, five Gophers have 10 RBI: Danielle Parlich, Tyler Walker, Hannah Granger, Sara Groenewegen and Kaitlyn Richardson
IN THE RANKINGS
After starting the season with its highest preseason ranking in program history at No. 15, Minnesota now sits at No. 15/14 following a 3-1 visit to the state of Florida last weekend.
