University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Mount St. Mary's
Gophers Offense Catches Fire in Wins
2/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 26, 2016
The No. 21/22 University of Minnesota Gophers offense caught fire today taking a 12-7 win over Mount St. Mary's and a 10-1 victory over No. 19/17 Arizona State on the first day of the Diamond Devils Tournament.
Danielle Parlich drilled five hits on the day while Sam Macken recorded five RBI against ASU.
First Game: Minnesota 12, Mount St. Mary's 7
It was all Gophers early on as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Kayla Wenner set the tone drilling a double to center field and advancing to third on an error. She would later score. Parlich got her first hit of the afternoon with a single and advanced to second on the play. Taylor LeMay was walked the next at bat and both Parlich and LeMay would come across the plate in the inning.
Kylie Stober started on the mound for Minnesota and in the first two innings blew four strikeouts past the Mount's batters. Parlich got her second of the hit of the day in the second inning with a single to bring Macken in for the run.
The Mount tied the game up scoring three runs in the top of the third. The Maroon and Gold quickly answered in the bottom of the inning. Groenewegen was hit by a pitch and Brandi McGregor came in to run for her. Paige Palkovich laid down a bunt single and Maddie Houlihan was walked to start the inning. All three would score in that inning with the ball getting past the catcher on a couple plays.
The Mount put back on three runs in the fourth to keep the back and forth scoring going. Again Minnesota answered with four more runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Jessie Isham started things off with her first collegiate hit, recording a single through the left side. Parlich again notched a big play doubling to center. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded Maddie Houlihan came to the plate with two outs and battled at bat. With a 2-2 count she got ahold of one hitting a grand slam over the left field wall.
Macken scored the final run of the game in the fifth inning for her second of the game. Nikki Anderson took the win mound pitching the final four innings while striking out four batters and only giving up four hits.
Second Game: Minnesota 10, Arizona State 1
The Gophers came out with a pop in their bat and never looked back against the No. 19 team in the country. Wenner got on base early and Parlich singled to right field in the top of the first. They both advanced one base on a passed ball. Groenewegen, who got the start on the mound, helped her own cause driving a ball through the left side for a two RBI-single.
Groenewegen continued her dominance on the mound after allowing a double to the first batter of the game she got the next three batters in the first. She followed it up by striking out the side in the bottom of the second. The Gophers defense provided her great support throughout the game as well. There was no better display of that then when Wenner laid out for a diving catch hauling it in to get Minnesota out of the third.
The fourth inning was a big one for Minnesota as they drilled two home runs. The first was a solo shot over the left field wall by Palkovich for her second of the season. Dwyer came close to getting one herself as she got a hold of the ball and had it smack against the right field wall. She slid safely into second for a double. Fabian was walked and Macken brought both home as she aimed for the palm trees with a home run to left. That gives her three on the season.
ASU scored their lone run in the bottom of the fourth. Taylor LeMay was down in the count 1-2 in the sixth inning but stayed with it to put more Gophers runs on the board as she hit a two RBI-single. The final runs of the game came in the top of the seventh as Macken added two more RBI to her total on a double to left center giving her a team leading 13 this season.
Three more Groenewegen strikeouts ended the game putting her total to 10 in the game and 62 already this season. She moves to 5-2 on the season and lowers her ERA to 1.95 on the early season.
Minnesota has a quick turnaround playing two more games tomorrow. They take on Saint Francis (PA) at 11 a.m. and Houston at 1:30 p.m.
