University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
15-11
New Mexico State
12-12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| New Mexico State | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 3 | 7 | 3 |
Gophers fall to NM State in Series Opener
3/16/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Minnesota softball (15-11) opened a non-conference series against New Mexico State University (12-12) with a loss Friday night, 3-0.
At the plate, Minnesota was led by sophomore infielder MaKenna Partain who went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and a walk.
After a scoreless opening frame from both teams, NM State's bats put a crooked number up in the following inning to take an early lead on the visiting Gophers. A fielder's choice and a double off the bottom of the center field wall set up runners in scoring position for the Aggies in the home half of the second. A groundout to Sydney Dwyer for the second out looked as if the Gophers were going to escape the inning, but an early pinch hitter in the nine hole for NM State proved otherwise. A two-out double to the left field wall cleared the bases as the Aggies jumped on Minnesota starter Amber Fiser early.
Minnesota saw their best opportunity to cut into the NM State in the third when MaKenna Partain led off the inning with a walk. Kendyl Lindaman followed taking a pitch straight to the knee giving the Gophers a pair of early base runners. Sydney Dwyer moved Partain up to third with a deep fly ball to the right field warning track for the first out of the inning. Following an early pitching change by NM State, Danielle Parlich loaded the bases up after knocking the ball out of the Aggie's first baseman's glove on an attempt to tag Parlich out before reaching first.
The chaos that was the top of the third did not end on the Aggies' error. One batter later, Maddie Houlihan sent a chopper to short where the Aggie fielder attempted to tag Lindaman heading to third following it with a throw to first retiring Houlihan. The initial ruling on the field was that the shortstop missed the tag on Lindaman, but after a meeting between the men in blue it was determined the tag was applied and an inning ending double play denied the Gophers a run.
Minnesota saw another scoring opportunity come to a close in the fourth leaving the bases loaded. The bottom of the order in Katelyn Kemmetmueller, Allie Arneson and Carlie Brandt led off the inning with singles to load them up early. Nm State worked out of the jam by recording the force out at home before a pop out in the infield and a ground out closed out the Gopher half of the inning.
Down to their final three outs in the seventh and trailing by three runs, Minnesota stranded runners at the corners to close out the game.
Despite the loss in the circle, Fiser (10-6) recorded seven strikeouts while allowing two walks and seven hits.
Up next
The Gophers and Aggies close out the series with a doubleheader Saturday, March 17 beginning at 5 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: De La Roca (4-1)
L: Fiser, Amber (10-6)
Batting:
SH: Arneson, Allie 1
Base Running:
SB: Lindaman, Kendyl 1
CS: Jensen, Ellee 1
HBP: Lindaman, Kendyl 2
Batting:
2B: Glackin, F 1 ; Johnson, K 1
RBI: Butler, N 1 ; Johnson, K 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Rodriguez, R 1 ; Szczesny, C 1 ; Glackin, F 1
CS: Wilke, B 1 ; Medina, J 1
