University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
New Mexico State
Minnesota Blanks NMSU, Stays Alive
5/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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| 2 | Box Score | Minnesota Tournament Central | 0 |
May 16, 2015
TUCSON, Ariz.- The No. 15/11 Minnesota softball team staved off elimination in the NCAA Tournament by defeating New Mexico State, 2-0, Saturday night at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. Needing a win after dropping a 5-1 decision to 12th-seeded regional host Arizona earlier in the day, the Gophers downed the Aggies for the third time this season to advance to the region final.
Sara Groenewegen struck out nine NMSU batters in her30th victory and 10th shutout of the season. She allowed two hits in helping the Maroon and Gold improve to 48-10.
After two scoreless frames, Danielle Parlich got Minnesota on the board in the third with an RBI double down the left-field line that scored Sam Macken from first base. The Gophers went on to strand the Queen Creek, Ariz. native on third base in the inning.
Parlich, who drove in Minnesota's lone run in the team's first game of the day, struck again in the fourth with an RBI single that made it 2-0.
Groenewegen, who allowed hits in the third and fourth, took control from there. The sophomore walked the bases loaded with one out in the seventh, but struck out Malena Padilla and Dallas McBride to end the game. She now has 367 strikeouts on the season and 559 for her career, the fourth-most ever for a Gopher.
The Gophers stranded nine runners for the second-consecutive game. They outhit the Aggies, 9-2.
Minnesota will take on Arizona in the NCAA Tucson Regional championship Sunday at 6 p.m. CT. The Gophers will need to defeat the 12th-seeded Wildcats in back-to-back games to advance to the super regional round.
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