University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Illinois
Minnesota Drops Game At Illinois
4/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 6/6 University of Minnesota Gophers dropped their first Big Ten game of the season after the University of Illinois came back from down three and walked off in the bottom of the seventh to win 4-3.
Kendyl Lindaman kept her hot streak going with a first inning home run and Allie Arneson recorded two big hits in the loss. Amber Fiser got the start in the circle and tied a career high with six strikeouts.
The Gophers jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Danielle Parlich notched a double to left field with one out on the board. She now has a team leading 11 doubles on the season. Two batters later Lindaman stepped up and hit a moon ball over the left field wall. It was her third home run in as many at bats. She leads the team with 11 homers on the season.
Fiser made quick work of the Illini in the bottom of the first striking out the side. The next few innings would turn into a pitcher's duel with neither team bringing another run across until the fifth.
Arneson and Sam Macken hit back-to-back singles to start the fifth. With one out Maddie Houlihan ripped a single up the middle scoring Arneson. The Gophers looked like they had a shot to do more damage with two on and one out but Illinois turned a double play to get out.
Illinois took momentum in the bottom of the inning. They put their leadoff batter on with a single. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a wild pitch before getting hit in. Later in the frame with two outs and the bases loaded Minnesota committed two errors on the same play allowing Illinois to score two and tie the game.
The Gophers went down in order in the top of the sixth. Sara Groenewegen stepped into the circle in the bottom of the sixth and retired the Illini in order to keep it a 3-3 game heading to the seventh.
Like last Saturday against Nebraska, Arneson came up with a big seventh inning hit. With one out on the board she knocked a double down the left field line but the Gophers were unable to bring her home.
The Illini put a runner on with one out on the board in the bottom of the seventh. The next batter walked putting runners on first and second with one out. Illinois then recorded a walk-off single to left to take the win. Groenewegen took just her second loss of the season in the circle. The Gophers only allowed four hits in the loss using Fiser, Carlie Brandt and Groenewegen.
Minnesota is now 29-3 on the season and 4-1 in the Big Ten. The series will be on the line with one more game against Illinois tomorrow. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
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