University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
James Madison
Gophers Blank Bulldogs, Fall to JMU
2/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score|Game 2 Box Score
ORLANDO, Fla. - The No. 13/11 Minnesota softball team opened the Citrus Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. with a 5-0 win over Mississippi State and an 8-2 loss to James Madison. The results made the Gophers match their 2014 start in which they got off to a program-best 14-1 start before falling to 14-2.
Sophomore Sara Groenewegen starred in Minnesota's first game of the day, tossing a one-hitter while tying a career-high with 14 strikeouts. She surrendered just one walk.
Sam Macken got the Gophers on the board in the second inning against the Bulldogs with an RBI single. Erica Meyer then crossed the plate on an overthrown ball to second by the MSU catcher.
With Groenewegen cruising in the circle, the Maroon and Gold added three more runs in the fifth when Erica Meyer, Tyler Walker and Kaitlyn Richardson drove in runs. Also in the fifth, Hannah Granger notched her third hit of the game with a leadoff double. Granger's season-opening hit streak ended at 15 in a 3-for-3 performance against Mississippi State.
In Minnesota's second game, Danielle Parlich erased an early 1-0 James Madison lead with an RBI triple. She later came home on a Taylor LeMay fielder's choice.
From there, the Dukes seized momentum by regaining the advantage with three runs in the bottom of the second. They completed the scoring with two runs in both the fourth and the sixth. Freshman Kylie Stober was dealt her first-career loss, falling to 3-1 on the year.
Additionally on the day, Richardson drew a walk against Mississippi State to tie the school record for career walks with 113.
The Gophers will continue Citrus Classic play Saturday with games against No. 20 Missouri and Omaha at 12:15 p.m. CT and 2:30 p.m. CT, respectively. They finish the weekend with a game against Fordham.
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