University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Northwestern
Gophers Win Series Against Northwestern
4/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 21/22 University of Minnesota Gophers won the weekend series over the Northwestern University Wildcats after winning 8-4 in second game and falling 10-2 to close out the weekend.
The Maroon and Gold win the series after taking the first game 16-0 on Friday. The Gophers are 24-10 overall with a 5-1 Big Ten record. The loss this afternoon snapped a seven game win streak. The Gophers hit seven home runs on the weekend including two by Taylor LeMay and two by Sydney Fabian.
After eight straight weeks on the road, the Gophers are set to host Illinois for a three game series next weekend.
First Game: Minnesota 8, Northwestern 4
Sydney Dwyer had a three hit game while LeMay and Fabian each smacked a home run in the win.
After a scoreless first inning the Gophers jumped out to a lead in the second inning. With two outs on the board Paige Palkovich was walked. Dwyer hit a double to left center to put runners in scoring position. Fabian came up next and sent a home run hooking fair over the right field foul post on the first pitch she saw scoring three.
The Wildcats made it 3-1 after two and neither team scored in the third. Sam Macken had a strong fielding day at third that was showcases throughout the game. She had a putout and an assist in the third inning to start her four putout, four assist day.
The Gophers offense got rolling again in the fourth started by a Kayla Wenner single. She stole second right after. Palkovich reached on an error and Dwyer blooped in a single to load the bases.
Fabian recorded an RBI walk and Macken hit an RBI single to the pitcher to keep the pressure on. The Gophers were poised to do more damage with the bases still loaded and just one out on the board but the Wildcats got out of the jam with a double play.
A three run home run in the bottom of the inning pulled Northwestern within one.
LeMay opened the fifth inning with a home run of her own. That was her second of the weekend and fourth of the season.
Groenewegen was walked next with Dani Wagner coming in to pinch run for her. Wagner advanced to second on a wild pitch and was brought to third by a Maddie Houlihan single. She later scored on an illegal pitch.
Houlihan was brought home later in the stanza in the form of a Palkovich sacrifice fly for the game's final run.
Groenewegen took the win in the circle improving to 18-4 on the season. She went 5.2 innings allowing just four hits while striking out four batters. Nikki Anderson picked up her first save of the year. She only gave up one hit in 1.1 innings of work and got the Gophers out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth.
Second Game: Northwestern 10, Minnesota 2
Fabian had another home run but it was not enough as Northwestern's offense caught fire in the final game of the weekend.
The Wildcats poured in three runs in each of the first two innings. They finished the game with three home runs.
The Gophers pulled within four after the top of the third. Fabian led off with a home run over the left field wall for her fourth of the season.
Danielle Parlich reached on a wild pitch and LeMay was walked later in the inning with one out. They both went into scoring position after a passed ball. Groenewegen was walked to load the bases. Houlihan hit an RBI ground out and the Wildcats got out of the jam right after with a strikeout. Houlihan has 23 RBI this season.
The Wildcats bounced right back with another three runs in the bottom of the inning and ended the game with a walk-off home run to right in the fifth.
Anderson took the loss on the mound and is now 4-3 on the season. Kylie Stober pitched 2.2 innings recording five strikeouts.
