University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
San Diego State
Fiser Collects Eighth Win in Split
3/2/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - On a chilly San Diego day, No. 21/20 Minnesota (11-5) opened up the San Diego Classic at SDSU Softball Stadium with a 4-1 win over Oregon State before dropping the nightcap 6-2 to San Diego State.
"We got our offense going right away and helped [Amber] Fiser give us a lot of easy outs to control the game [against Oregon State]," said head coach Jamie Trachsel. "The past is the past regardless if you win or lose. Part of growing and being a great team is looking forward to the challenge tomorrow against two great teams."
Sophomore infielder MaKenna Partain controlled the offense going 3-for-7 scoring three runs, including a two-run home run against San Diego State.
Game one | No. 21/20 Minnesota 4, Oregon State 1
Sophomore right-hander Amber Fiser tossed her eighth complete game allowing just four hits en route to her eighth win of the season.
It did not take long for the Minnesota bats to get going as Sydney Dwyer notched the fourth straight single in the first inning to score MaKenna Partain and Danielle Parlich. Two batters later Kendyl Lindaman crossed the plate after the Oregon State right fielder dropped a towering fly off the bat of Erika Rozell.
In the second, Minnesota added another run as Lindaman snuck one through the right side scoring Partain for a 4-0 lead.
Oregon State broke through in the fourth denying Fiser of a shutout. The Beavers' three hitter, Shelby Weeks, doubled to lead off the inning and scored the Beavers' only run two batters later as Mariah Mazon found the gap in left field.
The Gophers' bats went quiet as the defense worked out of a jam in the sixth. The dreaded leadoff walk followed by an error and another walk loaded the bases early for the Beavers. Seven-hole hitter Camryyn Ybarra sent a hard grounder to short where Allie Arneson fired to home for the force out. One batter later a ground ball over to Dwyer at first, with a step on the bag for the third out, helped the Gophers escape the inning without allowing a run.
Game two | San Diego State 6, No. 21/20 Minnesota 2
The host Aztecs struck first in the nightcap, despite failing to execute a suicide squeeze in the second. With two outs the Aztecs' number eight hitter, Alizae Umi, singled up the middle scoring the first run of the game.
Minnesota responded the next half inning at the plate. Elle Jensen led off the inning with a bunt single placed perfectly in front of the plate. Back to the top of the lineup, Partain put the Gophers on the board with a line shot that found its way over the right field wall to put the Maroon and Gold up 2-1.
San Diego State in the bottom half of the third tied things up at 2-2 as the cleanup hitter sent a two-out double down the line. The Aztecs sent a new arm to the circle to begin the fourth as Alex Formby retired the next nine hitters as she threw four shutout innings to close the game.
The bottom of the fourth became the Gophers worst enemy as the first three SDSU hitters found their way on base. With two outs, SDSU's Katie Byrd sent a shot to center field as a diving Jensen came up just short of the grab. The bases clearing triple opened up the game adding three runs before a single up the middle gave SDSU the largest and only lead they would need on the night.
Minnesota gave one last fight in the seventh putting runners at the corners before a strikeout of Lindaman wrapped things up.
Up Next
Minnesota continues action Saturday, March 3 with a pair of top-25 matchups. The Gophers open up the day against No. 22 Long Beach State at 1:30 p.m. CT before taking on undefeated and No. 3 UCLA at 4 p.m. CT.
