University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Texas Tech
Gophers Split Second Day in Vegas
2/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 14/13 University of Minnesota Gophers split their second day at the Sportco Kickoff Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., topping Texas Tech 7-4 before falling 13-2 in five innings to Long Beach State University.
First Game: Minnesota 7, Texas Tech 4
It was all Gophers early on against Texas Tech. Sara Groenewegen followed up a 14 strikeout performance yesterday with 15 more against TTU. She went the distance picking up her second win on the early season.
The first run of the game came after Danielle Parlich singled and was later brought home by a Taylor LeMay single. LeMay went 3-4 in the game while bringing in three runs.
The Gophers loaded the bases early in the second inning with Sydney Fabian getting walked, Sydney Dwyer singling up the middle and Kayla Wenner recording a single off a bunt. Fabian would later score with Sam Macken getting her first of three RBI.
The third inning was a strong one for Minnesota as their bat caught fire. Paige Palkovich, Maddie Houlihan, and Sydney Fabian all singled to start the at bat. Sydney Dwyer followed with a single to right field bringing in a run. Macken produced a two RBI double to right field a couple batters later pushing the lead to 6-0.
TTU made things interesting scoring runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to make it a 6-4 game going into the seventh. It was LeMay again coming through ripping a single to right field that brought Dani Wagner home and gave the Gophers a cushion going into the bottom of the inning. Groenewegen forced a ground out and struck out the last two batters of the game to finish off the win.
Minnesota finished with 12 hits in the win with LeMay, Macken and Dwyer all recording multiple.
Second Game: Long Beach State 13, Minnesota 2
LBSU came out hot and never looked back scoring six runs to start the game. They followed it up with one run in the second and five more in the top of the third.
Macken led off with a rocket of a home run to right field in the bottom of the third to put the Gophers on the board.
LBSU scored another in the top of the fourth. A Kayla Wenner double brought Jessie Isham home in the bottom of the fourth. Wenner found herself in a pickle but slid safely into third on the play. Isham's run would be the last of the game.
Macken, Parlich and Wenner all recorded hits in the game for Minneota. Kylie Stober took the loss on the mound and Nikki Anderson got time in at pitcher as well. The two only gave up a combined four earned runs.
Minnesota will close out the weekend tomorrow at 1:15 p.m. against number 19/20 Washington.
