University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Notre Dame
Wagner's Walk-Off Lifts Gophers To Victory
2/18/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score
The No. 13/13 University of Minnesota Gophers tied a program record for most wins to start a season with two more victories at the ACC/B1G Challenge today.
The Gophers won 3-2 in eight innings on a walk-off against Notre Dame and made quick work of North Carolina State winning 11-0 in five innings.
First Game: Minnesota 3, Notre Dame 2 (8 innings)
The Gophers topped the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 3-2 in eight innings on a Dani Wagner walk-off single to center that scored Ellie Cowger. The Maroon and Gold already have two walk-off victories this season.
Like the day before, Notre Dame struck first scoring right away in the top of the first. They added another in the third but a combination of strong pitching and great fielding kept the Gophers in it the whole game.
Tori Finucane got the start in the circle and was in top form. She shut down the Fighting Irish in order in the top of the fourth. Kendyl Lindaman used one crack of the bat to wake up the Gophers offense in the bottom of the fourth.
Lindaman led off the Gophers at bat and blasted a solo shot down the left field line for her third home run of the early season. MaKenna Partain followed it up with a single and moved to third on a Fighting Irish error the next play. Sara Groenewegen brought Partain home for the tying run with a sacrifice fly to left center.
Finucane again forced a three up, three down in the top of the fifth. She went five innings and only allowed three hits and one earned run. Groenewegen came in to pitch in the sixth and right away forced a three up, three down of her own.
After retiring Notre Dame again in the top of the seven, the Gophers threatened in the bottom. Danielle Parlich drew a walk. Maddie Houlihan stepped up next and made it all the way around to third on an error but Parlich was thrown out at home. Notre Dame forced the third out on a fly out to take the game to extra innings.
The Gophers field was perfect on the day without a single error. Parlich, Allie Arneson and Partain all made a number of great infield plays. One of the best was when Parlich snagged a hard and low hit line drive to start the eighth.
After keeping Notre Dame off the board, the Gophers took advantage right away in the bottom of the eighth. Sydney Dwyer ripped the first pitch she saw right up the middle for a single. Ellie Cowger came in to run and slid safely into second on a wild pitch. Groenewegen moved Cowger over to third on a groundout.
Wagner stepped calmly into the box with one out and battled to a full count. She lifted the sixth pitch she saw high into shallow center for her first career walk-off hit as Cowger crossed home with ease.
Groenewegen was credited with the win in the circle and is now 4-0 this season.
Second Game: Minnesota 11, NC State 0 (5 innings) The Gophers jumped out to an 8-0 start over North Carolina State en route to an 11-0 victory in five innings. Sam Macken got her bat going in the game with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs.
Macken led off with a double to left. Parlich followed it up with a double of her own and they were both brought in by a Houlihan single up the middle. Groenewegen recorded an RBI ground out later and Wagner kept her big day going bringing in two runs on a single to left center.
The Gophers went all the way through the lineup before NC State made a pitching change. Macken stepped back into the box and drilled a three run home run over the left field wall. She now has two homers this season.
The Wolfpack threatened in the bottom of the first with two runners on but Partain made a diving catch on a line drive to end the inning.
Wagner again made an impact when she led off in the third inning. She hit a deep fly ball to left field that bounced out of the outfielder's glove and over the wall for her first career home run. Between both games today Wagner went 4-7 with a double, a home run, a team leading three runs scored and four RBIs including a walk-off single. She had a team leading 1.143 slugging percentage.
Macken brought in two more runs in the top of the fifth with her second double of the game. Fiser was strong in the circle through four innings. She only allowed three hits and had five strikeouts while not giving up a run. She moves to 3-0 on the season. Kendal Judge made her first ever collegiate appearance in the fifth inning and only allowed one hit and no runs.
The Gophers finish play at the ACC/B1G Challenge tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. against NC State.
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