University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Utah Valley
Gophers Top No. 8 Oklahoma
2/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 14/13 Minnesota Gophers started the 2016 season with a run rule, 9-0, win over Utah Valley followed by topping No. 9/8 Oklahoma 1-0 after a Sydney Dwyer walk-off home run to center field.
Strong pitching from Kylie Stober and Sara Groenewegen along with clean defense as the Gophers committed no errors in the two games combined were key in the wins.
First Game: No. 14/13 Minnesota 9, Utah Valley 0
Sara Groenewegen wasted no time setting the tone on the day taking a home run to center field on a 3-0 count with two outs in the top of the first inning.
Maddie Houlihan had a strong collegiate debut starting with a double down the left field line in the second inning. Later in the inning with the bases loaded Sam Macken was walked and Sydney Fabian trotted home for the Gophers second run of the game.
In the third inning Houlihan kept rolling as she smacked a home run to left field to make it a 4-0 game.
The Maroon and Gold put up a big fourth inning. Kayla Wenner started it off showing off her speed as she beat out a throw from third base. She would later score. Danielle Parlich added a run when Taylor LeMay singled to left field. Erika Rozell came in to pinch hit and singled to left field bringing in another run to put the Gophers up 7-0 after four.
The final two runs came in the fifth inning with Brandi McGregor and Wenner both coming home. Kylie Stober was strong on the mound only giving up one hit in the five inning game while striking out six batters.
Macken, Parlich, Groenewegen, LeMay, Paige Palkovich, Rozell, Wenner and Houlihan with two all contributed to the Gophers nine hits.
Second Game: No. 14/13 Minnesota 1, No. 9/8 Oklahoma 0
The second game of the day featured two of the top pitchers in the country in Groenewegen and Oklahoma's Paige Parker. Groenewegen came out on top with 14 strikeouts while only allowing two hits in the game.
The Gophers came inches away from breaking the tie early on when LeMay smashed a ball to left field and had it go just foul.
Minnesota battled off pitches from Parker time and time again as the game wore on. After a battle of an out to start the bottom of the seventh Dwyer stepped up to the plate. She had a 1-2 count when she launched the ball to center field for the walk-off victory.
Macken, Palkovich, Parlich and Dwyer all recorded hits in the game.
Tomorrow the Gophers will have two games again first taking on Texas Tech at 1:15 p.m. followed by a game against Long Beach State schedule for 3:30 p.m.
