University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Iowa
Houlihan Stays Hot as Win Streak Continues
5/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Maddie Houlihan followed up a monster weekend her last time out with a 5-5 performance this evening as the No. 23/19 University of Minnesota Gophers won 14-3 over the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.
Much of the game was closer than the end result showed but the Maroon and Gold used a four run fifth inning and a seven run seventh inning to keep their win streak going strong. The Gophers have now won their last nine games outscoring their opponents 87-16 in that span.
"In practice we have really been working on letting the ball come out and putting good swings on good pitches," Houlihan said. "It has been working for us. We have been able to put runs up on the board and let our pitchers do their work and feel comfortable in the circle."
Iowa jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first but Minnesota quickly responded in the second as Paige Palkovich and Sydney Dwyer both recorded RBI doubles.
The Hawkeyes pulled back ahead after the third inning but Houlihan launched a home run into the scoreboard to tie the game back up in the fourth inning. She has now homered in the past four games.
The Gophers shutdown the Hawkeyes offense the rest of the way with their own offense just getting started.
Sydney Fabian was walked for the first of three times in the game, Sam Macken singled and Danielle Parlich was walked to start the fifth. All three came home on a crazy play as Taylor LeMay ripped a single up the middle but was caught in a rundown. The single brought Fabian and Macken in while Parlich was able to score when LeMay got tagged out at first.
Later in the inning on another bizarre play Kayla Wenner singled and Houlihan was able to score on an error by the shortstop with Palkovich getting thrown out at home on the same play.
After a scoreless sixth inning the Gophers went back on the attack in the seventh. Groenewegen was walked to move her reach bases streak to 20 straight games and Houlihan singled for the fourth time in the game. In the past four games Houlihan is hitting an unreal .917 batting average.
Palkovich hit her second RBI double of the game to score them both and finish with three RBI in the game. She has 10 doubles on the year, second on the team.
Dwyer, Bettendorf, Iowa native, brought Palkovich home with a single up the middle in front of a big cheering section for her second RBI of the day.
Parlich got an RBI walk later in the inning with the bases loaded and LeMay followed with a bases clearing double to left center. She had five RBI on the day and now has 12 multi-RBI games on the season, a team best.
Sara Groenewegen got the win in the circle moving to 26-5 on the season. She gave up a hit for the first time in 10 straight innings this evening but was still in control on the mound finishing with nine strikeouts. Eight of those strikeouts came in the first four innings of play. Kylie Stober pitched the last inning striking out one batter while not allowing a hit.
The Gophers are now 36-12 overall with a 17-3 Big Ten record. They continue the series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
