University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
16-11
New Mexico State
12-13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| New Mexico State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
Gophers Swing Past Aggies in Spring Break Finale
3/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Luck was not needed for the Gophers on this St. Patrick's Day as they combined for 22 runs in a pair of non-conference wins. Behind strong pitching, Minnesota (17-11) collected their sixth shutout of the year in a 7-0 win over New Mexico State (12-14), before posting 18 hits in a 15-5 win in the series finale.
"We had a good day overall," said head coach Jamie Trachsel. "Our offense was rolling on all cylinders, we've had better at bats in the last week and it was a good day for a lot of people."
Junior outfielder Maddie Houlihan led the offense going 5-for-8 while scoring three runs and stealing two bases. Sophomore Kendyl Lindaman went 4-for-8 driving in three runs and scoring four times while adding a home run in each game.
Game one | Minnesota 7, NM State 0
Scoreless through three innings of play, Minnesota broke through to put a crooked number up on the board at the midway mark to take a 2-0 lead. Sydney Dwyer doubled to right-center to begin the fourth inning before Katelyn Kemmetmueller was hit by a pitch to put a pair on early. With two outs freshman Alex Velazquez rose to the occasion roping a single through the left side to score Dwyer. Kemmetmueller came around to cross the plate when pinch hitter Erika Rozell reached via an Aggie error.
Sophomore starter Amber Fiser started right where she left off in the circle dominating the NM State hitters. Fiser struck out five in a row between the fourth and fifth inning allowing the Gophers offense to do what it does best.
Minnesota added three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to give the Gophers a commanding 7-0 victory. Highlighting the fifth inning was home run number seven of the year for Kendyl Lindaman. The two-run bomb was only the beginning of a complete offensive day for the sophomore. Velazquez picked up her second RBI of the game with another two-out single driving home Houlihan who reached on a single earlier in the fifth.
Fiser (11-6) kept the Aggies to minimal runners on the base paths allowing just five hits and no walks while recording nine strikeouts in her third shutout win of the year.
Game two | Minnesota 15, NM State 5
Minnesota's bats were not going to be contained to just one good offensive game on the day. The Gophers recorded a hit in every inning while scoring in five of the seven allotted frames in the series finale.
The Aggies struck first stringing together a run on three hits in the opening frame. NM State's lead was short lived as the Gophers' bats woke up quickly.
Tied 1-1 heading into the third inning, Minnesota broke open the gates plating five runs on four hits while taking advantage of two NM State errors. The Gophers sent 10 hitters to the plate highlighted by a late two-out double by MaKenna Partain down the right field line to score two runs.
An inning later, Dwyer extended the Minnesota lead with a two-run bomb over the left center wall which led to a NM State pitching change a batter later.
Starter Carlie Brandt surrendered a pair of runs in the fifth before Minnesota made a move to the pen bringing in junior Sydney Smith. In relief, Smith tossed three scoreless innings allowing just two hits.
Known for scoring late, Minnesota added three runs in the sixth before and tallying four in the final frame. Lindaman led off the seventh inning with her second home run of the day and ninth of the season. A pair of pinch-hit home runs capped off the offensive day as Kaylen Krueger launched a two-run shot over the right field wall before Erika Rozell homered to left field on the first pitch of the bat.
"I thought we finished strong and we talked about winning the series," said Trachsel. "I thought it was our most complete offensive game of the year and it was a good way to end spring break."
Up next
Minnesota concludes the 31 game road trip opening Big Ten play at Northwestern Friday, March 23. The Gophers and Wildcats clash in a three-game conference series with the finale set to air on Big Ten Network Sunday, March 25 at noon CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fiser, Amber (11-6)
L: Green, K (7-7)
Batting:
2B: Dwyer, Sydney 1
HR: Lindaman, Kendyl 1
RBI: Lindaman, Kendyl 2 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 2 ; Velazquez, Alex 2
SH: Houlihan, Maddie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Parlich, Danielle 2 ; Lindaman, Kendyl 1 ; Dwyer, Sydney 2 ; Houlihan, Maddie 1 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1
SB: Houlihan, Maddie 1 ; Jensen, Ellee 1
HBP: Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1
Base Running:
HBP: Szczesny, C 1
