University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Nebraska
Gophers Outslug Nebraska in 8-7 Win
3/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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March 27, 2015
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The No. 12 Minnesota softball team outlasted Nebraska in an 8-7 win at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. Friday night. The victory extended the Gophers' school-record win streak to 14 games and improved their overall 2015 record to 28-4 with a 4-0 mark in the Big Ten.
The Maroon and Gold handed the Cornhuskers their first home conference loss since March 23, 2014--the Gophers beat NU 13-4 that day in the first game of a doubleheader.
To get on the board first, Sara Groenewegen plated Tyler Walker from third on a fielder's choice play. Batting again in the second inning, Walker upped Minnesota's lead to 3-0 with a two-run double. Walker came around to score on an error after stealing third to make it 4-0.
Hannah Granger further extended the Gophers' advantage with a solo home run in the third, but Nebraska fought back beginning in the bottom of the frame.
Marjani Knighten gave the Huskers their first hit and their first run in the third with an RBI double. After adding one more run at the end of the fourth, Nebraska cut its deficit to 5-4 when Knighten added a two-run homer in the fifth.
In the sixth inning, Paige Palkovich seized the momentum back for the Gophers with her third home run in the last five game, a two-run blast that made it 7-4.
Dawna Tyson made it a 7-6 contest in the bottom of the six with a two-run long ball, but a solo home run by Sam Macken in the seventh made it 8-6.
With one out and the bases in the seventh, Alicia Armstrong made it a one-run game again with a home run. Following Armstrong's big hit, Cassie McClure reach on an error. The game ended on a 4-3 double play, however, as Danielle Parlich collected a Steph Pasquale grounder, tagged McClure and threw to first for the final out.
Groenewegen improved to 18-2 with the win in the circle, while Nikki Anderson picked up her second save.
The win was Minnesota's sixth in a row in regular-season conference play dating back to 2014, the longest such run in the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers entered the game with an eight-game league winning streak in regular-season Big Ten action.
The Gophers will play the Cornhuskers again Saturday at 1 p.m. and will conclude the series Sunday at noon. Minnesota is set to open its home schedule next weekend against No. 4 Michigan.
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