University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Purdue
Gophers Complete Sweep of Purdue
3/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 22 University of Minnesota Gophers won 4-3 over the Purdue University Boilermakers to complete the weekend sweep this afternoon.
The Gophers improve to 22-9 overall with a 3-0 Big Ten record to start conference season.
Sara Groenewegen annihilated a home run to left field while Maddie Houlihan and Kayla Wenner each had RBIs in the win. Nikki Anderson took the win in the circle while Groenewegen picked up her first save of the season.
Groenewegen's home run provided the first run of the game when she led off in the top of the second inning. She was down 1-2 in the count when she got the pitch she wanted and launched it.
The Boilermakers took advantage of some Gophers errors taking a 2-1 lead into the third inning.
After two quick outs the Gophers went on a roll the top of the third. Danielle Parlich battled to a full count and was walked. Taylor LeMay was hit by a pitch the next at bat. Houlihan was able to bring Parlich home driving a hit right up the middle for a RBI single.
Groenewegen came up next and was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wenner took full advantage knocking a single to right field that scored two runs and gave Minnesota the lead back.
The Boilermakers used a triple and a RBI ground out to score in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Anderson went five innings striking out four batters and only gave up one earned run. She improves to 4-2 overall on the season.
Paige Palkovich led off the sixth inning with her sixth double of the season and Sydney Fabian was walked right after but Purdue got out without allowing a run to stay within one.
Groenewegen shut down the Boilermakers in the last two inning striking out five batters. She struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh using just 10 pitches.
Minnesota hits the road for their eighth straight weekend playing Northwestern in a three game series next weekend. First pitch on Friday, April 1 is set for 4 p.m.
