University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Louisville
Minnesota Wins Twice, Moves to 4-0
2/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The 15th-ranked Minnesota softball team earned a 15-6 win in six innings against UC Davis and a 4-2 victory over Louisville on the second day of play at the Sportco Kick Off Classic at Eller Media Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. The Gophers improved to 4-0 for the second season in a row and the sixth time in program history.
In the Gophers' first game, they jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning against UC Davis, but the Aggies pounced on a pair of errors in the bottom of the frame to gain a 4-1 advantage.
Minnesota responded in the second to regain the lead when Tyler Walker hit a two-run double, Kaitlyn Richardson doubled home Walker and Sara Groenewegen scored Richardson with a single. Richardson's double was the 50th of her career.
After a Groenewegen RBI double made it a 6-4 game in the fourth, the Gophers pulled away in the fifth. Walker followed an RBI triple by Danielle Parlich and a pair of walks with a grand slam that made the score 11-4. Minnesota cushioned its lead again when Sydney Dwyer belted a two-run home run in her first collegiate plate appearance.
The Aggies extended the game with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Maroon and Gold answered with two more runs in the sixth.
Nikki Anderson earned the win, allowing two runs in six innings of relief. Walker finished the game with six RBI.
Against Louisville, Minnesota scratched a run across in the first on a Hannah Granger RBI single. That lead held until the Cardinals evened the score in the top of the fourth.
As they did all day, the Gophers continued to answer their opponent. Groenewegen gave the Gophers the lead back with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth and Sydney Fabian roped an RBI double to center field to make it 3-1 in the fifth. UL cut its deficit with a solo home run in the sixth, but Paige Palkovich made it a two-run game again by knocking in Kayla Wenner, who stole second base while pinch running for Granger.
Groenewegen closed the door in the seventh inning to seal the win, her second complete-game victory in the circle this season. She struck out nine batters for the second time in as many starts. Offensively, Granger accounted for half the Gophers' hits, going 4-for-4.
The Sportco Kick Off Classic concludes Sunday for Minnesota when it plays host UNLV at 11 a.m. CT.
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