University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Nebraska
Gophers Sweep Nebraska, Move To 28-2
3/26/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 8/8 University of Minnesota Gophers completed the weekend sweep over the Nebraska Cornhuskers with an 8-1 victory this afternoon.
The Gophers are now 28-2 on the season and a perfect 3-0 in Big Ten play. Sara Groenewegen notched the win in the circle moving into second all-time for most wins in program history with 89 career victories. Sara Moulton has the most all-time with 112 while Groenewegen passed pitching coach Piper (Marten) Ritter who had 88 in her career.
Groenewegen continued her impressive season with a complete game two-hitter. She did not allow an earned run and fired in 11 strikeouts. She has hit double-digit strikeouts four times this season and is now 13-1 with a 0.57 ERA and 115 strikeouts.
Maddie Houlihan recorded three hits in the game while Sam Macken, Sydney Dwyer and Kendyl Lindaman all recorded multiple-RBI games. Lindaman launched her team leading eighth home run of the season.
In the first inning Groenewegen struck out the first three batters she faced to set the tone in the game. Minnesota's bats started slow but hit stride with a four run third inning.
Allie Arneson sparked the big third inning with a lead off double down the right field line. Macken brought her in with a double to center. Houlihan notched an RBI single to left and Dwyer put a double over the right fielder scoring two more. Dwyer has 42 RBIs on the season.
Nebraska notched their first hit of the game in the bottom of the third inning but Groenewegen and the field shut them down to keep the lead. The Cornhuskers got on the board in the fourth after an error and an RBI single.
Arneson sparked the offense again in the sixth with a lead off single. Danielle Parlich later singled and Arneson advanced to third on a wild pitch to put runners on the corners with two outs. Lindaman stepped into the box next and got a hold of a ball for a three run home run to right center. Lindaman has eight home runs, 31 RBIs and a team leading .747 slugging percentage on the season.
Macken brought in the final run of the game with an RBI single in the seventh. She upped her batting average above .300 this weekend and the Gophers now have seven batters hitting over the .300 mark. Five hitters are at the .390 mark or higher.
The Gophers move into the second weekend of B1G play next traveling to Illinois for a weekend series.
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