University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Florida Atlantic
The Win Streak Lives Another Day
3/5/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 10/11 University of Minnesota Gophers used two pitching gems and timely hitting to pick up wins against tough FAU and LSU squads.
The Gophers topped FAU 4-1 behind a Tori Finucane one-hitter and beat No. 13/12 LSU 3-0 as Sara Groenewegen threw a complete game shutout. Minnesota now holds the longest win streak in program history sitting at 17-0 on the season.
First Game: Minnesota 4, FAU 1 Finucane pitched a complete game one-hitter with eight strikeouts as the Gophers topped FAU 4-1 this afternoon. The senior threw 124 pitches seemingly getting stronger as the game went on.
Freshmen Kendyl Lindaman and MaKenna Partain continued their hot start to the season with back-to-back home runs in the third inning accounting for all four of the Gophers runs.
FAU got on the board right away in the top of the first inning. The leadoff batter was walked, stole second and later moved to third on a wild pitch. She advanced home on a throwing error. Finucane allowed her only hit of the game in the frame taking over the rest of the way.
The Gophers struggled to get anything going offensively until a big third inning. Sam Macken drew a walk and Danielle Parlich reached on an error with one out on the board. Macken was forced out at third as Maddie Houlihan reached on a fielder's choice putting runners on first and second with two outs.
For the third time this year Lindaman hit a go-ahead home run as she stepped to the plate and blasted one over the wall in left center. She has a team leading five home runs this season. Partain stepped into the box next and drilled her first collegiate home run to keep the momentum going.
Finucane came out rolling in the top of the fourth firing in back-to-back strikeouts. Minnesota threatened to add more runs in the bottom of the fourth putting runners on second and third but FAU got out of the jam.
Finucane forced three up, three downs in both the sixth and seventh innings with three strikeouts to seal the victory. She moves to 3-0 on the season with a 2.50 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
While Finucane was brillitant so was the defense behind her.
Remember when we said @AllieArneson made the whole crowd gasp? Here is the play! #NCAATop10 pic.twitter.com/L0oUNb5ttO
- Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) March 5, 2017
Second Game: Minnesota 3, No. 13/12 LSU 0 Groenewegen had a perfect game going into the sixth inning against a LSU team that came in hitting .374 through their first 18 games. She finished only giving up three hits while striking out nine batters.
The Maroon and Gold threatened right away to start the game. Macken drew a walk and Parlich reached on an error putting runners on first and second. They both moved over on a groundout but the Gophers could not get either across home.
The game moved quick through the first three innings until the Gophers got back into an offensive rhythm in the fourth.
Again it was the freshmen held No. 4 and 5 spots in the lineup coming through. Lindaman hit a lead off single and was brought all the way home by a Partain double. Partain advanced to third on the throw and was brought home by a Groenewegen deep sacrifice fly to center.
Allie Arneson walked and Dani Wagner singled right after. They both moved over but LSU got out of the frame without allowing any more damage.
Groenewegen and the defense continued to mow down LSU the next couple innings. Houlihan made a great diving catch in the fifth and is making people forget she played first base her whole career prior to this season.
In the top of the sixth Groenewegen was hit by a pitch. Ellie Cowger came in to run for her and put in work. With two outs on the board Cowger moved over on a wild pitch, slid into third after a passed ball and scored on another wild pitch.
LSU hit back-to-back singles with two outs on the board to break up Groenewegen's perfect game in the bottom of the sixth. On the next play Lindaman stayed with a ball in the dirt and caught a runner trying to steal third to kill the LSU momentum and get out of the inning.
LSU singled to start their last chance in the bottom of the seventh but Groenewegen came back with three straight strikeouts to complete the win.
B7: @saragroe has ice in her veins! pic.twitter.com/tkEryC4J4t
- Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) March 5, 2017
Groenewegen is now 9-0 on the season with a 0.50 ERA and 72 strikeouts. The Gophers will finish play at the LSU Invite tomorrow morning against Illinois State at 11 a.m.
Don't forget to follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all season long to keep up with the latest news, features, videos and more!
