University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Northwestern
Gophers Secure Fourth B1G Series Win
4/15/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
The No. 6/6 University of Minnesota Gophers started down 2-0 to the Northwestern Wildcats but clawed back to take a 3-2 victory. They have now won four B1G series with a 10-1 conference record and are 37-3 on the season.
Amber Fiser pitched a complete game victory with a career high seven strikeouts. She has been locked in as of late and is now 8-0 on the season with a 1.96 ERA. Against B1G foes she is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 16 strikeouts.
The Gophers only had two hits in the win but they were both solo shot home runs from Danielle Parlich and Sydney Dwyer.
The Wildcats jumped out on the Gophers early in the top of the first. They loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, a single and a wild pitch. They put two across right after with a single and a fielding error on the same play.
Dwyer halted the momentum to prevent any more damage. She made a diving catch to snag a liner and from the ground flipped to MaKenna Partain covering first for a double play. Right after she hustled into foul territory and made a grab for the third out.
WATCH: Excuse us while we pick up the pieces of our brain after this mind blowing play from @syddwy to get the #Gophers out of trouble! pic.twitter.com/bABoP7TTva
- Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) April 15, 2017
Parlich launched a solo shot to right field in the bottom of the first to pull the Gophers within one. She has three home runs on the season.
The next two innings were quiet before Dwyer electrified the 881 fans in attendance at Jane Sage Cowles once again. She launched a home run off the light pole in left to tie the game up in the bottom of the fourth.
The Gophers defense came up big all day behind Fiser. With Northwestern trying to answer in the top of the fifth Kendyl Lindaman picked off a runner at first to get out of the frame.
WATCH: We are used to @Kendyl_23 making jaw dropping plays on offense but check out the gun down on this defensive play!! pic.twitter.com/HVBHsB0o7B
- Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) April 15, 2017
In the bottom of the fifth Allie Arneson led off by drawing a walk and showed great base running to impact the fate of the game. She reached second on an error and slid hard into third after a wild pitch later in the frame. With one out on the board Maddie Houlihan reached on a fielder's choice as Northwestern tried to get Arneson at home but she slid safely under the tag absorbing hard contact for the game winning run.
The one run lead was enough as Fiser and the defense stayed solid to secure the victory. The Gophers will face the Wildcats one more time tomorrow with first pitch set for 12 p.m.
WATCH: The final out to secure a victory and another B1G series for the #Gophers! pic.twitter.com/r5anDfLFbN
- Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) April 15, 2017
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