University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
5-0
Creighton
3-2
Late Rally Lifts Gophers Past Creighton, 7-3
2/11/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAS VEGAS - A six-run seventh inning aided the comeback for the No. 16 Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-0) as they defeated Creighton (3-2) in the final game of the SportCo Kick Off Classic, 7-3.
"We got a gutsy performance from Fiser on the mound as she held us in the game until our offenses go their timing down," said head coach Jamie Trachsel. "A huge seventh inning to stretch the lead with two outs made it a complete team effort."
Sophomore Amber Fiser (3-0) tossed another strong outing for the Gophers, surrendering two earned runs while adding a career high 10 strikeouts.
MaKenna Partain notched a 2-for-4 day in the leadoff spot, including a two run homer in the seventh to give Minnesota their first lead. Dani Wagner went 1-for-3 with a two run home run in the seventh.
Down to their final three outs Minnesota saw the bats come alive in the seventh. Partain started the fireworks display with a one-out two run bomb to give the Gophers their first lead of the day. The party didn't stop there as the Maroon and Gold began a two out rally. Maddie Houlihan and Erika Rozell notched back-to back singles just in time for Dwyer to launch a double to the bottom of the center field wall, scoring a pair. Wagner helped the cause the next at bat clearing the bases with the Gophers second home run of the inning.
Creighton starter Kiele Miller held Minnesota to just four hits through six innings of play. The Bluejays struck first with a RBi single from cleanup hitter Kelli Finan in the opening frame.
In the sixth, Kendyl Lindaman started the rally Minnesota needed with a double to the right field gap. One batter later Sydney Dwyer would drive in the Gophers first run of the day, scoring Rozell who pinch ran for Lindaman.
The Bluejays struck back in their half of the sixth as Fiser surrendered a solo shot to left center to give Creighton back the lead, 2-1.
A six-run seventh inning was a cherry on top for the Gopher weekend offense to take a 7-3 lead.
Creighton took advantage of a pair of Minnesota errors to plate one more in the seventh before Fiser recorded the game-ending strikeout.
Up Next
Minnesota travels to Tallahassee, Fla. Jan. 16-18 for the B1G/ACC Challenge. Over the three day span the Gophers will take on the host Florida State and Notre Dame.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fiser, Amber (3-0)
L: MILLER, Kiele (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Lindaman, Kendyl 1 ; Dwyer, Sydney 2
HR: Partain, MaKenna 1 ; Wagner, Dani 1
RBI: Partain, MaKenna 2 ; Dwyer, Sydney 3 ; Wagner, Dani 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Partain, MaKenna 1 ; Houlihan, Maddie 1 ; Rozell, Erika 2 ; Dwyer, Sydney 1 ; Wagner, Dani 1 ; Jensen, Ellee 1
HBP: Wagner, Dani 1
Batting:
HR: STURGEON, Jordyn 1
RBI: CROWLEY, Sam 1 ; FINAN, Kelli 1 ; STURGEON, Jordyn 1
SH: CROWLEY, Sam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CROWLEY, Sam 1 ; STURGEON, Jordyn 1 ; HUNT, Kaitlynn 1
