University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 22
Tuscaloosa, AL
10:30 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Louisiana Monroe
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
Photo by: Mike Janes
Preview: Easton Bama Bash
2/20/2019 2:56:00 PM | Softball
The No. 24/RV University of Minnesota Gophers have another tough test ahead this weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala that includes two games with No. 6/6 Alabama.
The Alabama games will be the third and fourth time top-10 matchups for Minnesota already this season after taking on Tennessee and Florida State last weekend. The last time the Gophers took on Alabama was in the 2017 Tuscaloosa Regional with the Crimson Tide coming out on top in two 1-0 pitching duels. The Gophers will also play Louisiana Monroe twice this weekend and Missouri State once. Both Alabama games will be available to stream on ESPN 3.
The Gophers went 2-2 at the prestigious St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational last weekend. They defeated Notre Dame in a 10-0 run-rule and shutout Cal 4-0 but fell 17-6 against No. 1/1 Florida State and 4-2 to No. 7/8 Tennessee. Ellee Jensen led the team with a .500 batting average. She recorded six hits, scored three runs and produced one RBI form the leadoff spot. She is hitting .474 with a .500 on base percentage this season.
Amber Fiser had another strong weekend in the circle. The preseason All-American went 2-1 with a 0.88 ERA and 22 strikeouts. Fiser has only allowed 10 hits this season and has only walked four batters. Fiser leads Big Ten softball with 41 strikeouts already this season. Her 0.78 ERA is good for second in the conference. The Gophers returned their entire pitching staff from a season ago and it has paid off to start 2019. They have used five pitchers this season in Fiser, Hannah Bailey, Carlie Brandt, Rachel Lowary and Sydney Smith.
The Gophers have eight home runs this season and none of those has come from a player who had a home run for the team last year. Hope Brandner transferred to Minnesota from Oregon State and wasted no time making an instant impact. In her first weekend donning the Maroon and Gold she was named the Big Ten Player of the Week. In the first action of the season, the Vacaville, Calif. native, broke the game wide open helping the Gophers score 11 runs in the fourth inning against North Florida. She hit a bases clearing double and a home run in the same frame to produce five runs in total. She followed it up by belting two doubles and another RBI in a 7-0 victory over UCF. She gave the Gophers the lead against Ole Miss with a solo shot home run in the fourth inning. Brandner finished the weekend with three doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs. She hit another home run for the Gophers against California and has a 1.000 slugging percentage on the season.
The Gophers have had another five home runs by players who hit the first of their career. Freshman Ali Lindner hit one opening weekend and her classmate Natalie DenHartog added two last weekend. Carlie Brandt and Anne Miller also launched the first home runs of their career down in Clearwater.
ABOUT No. 6/6 ALABAMA
The Crimson Tide have got off to a perfect 10-0 start to the season. They competed in the Hillenbrand Invitational this past weekend where they went 5-0, defeating USF (2-0), New Mexico (1-0), Cal State Fullerton (7-2), Arizona (6-1) and UIC (13-4, five innings). In 2018, Alabama went 36-20 overall and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional before falling to Washington.
Sophomore outfielder, Kaylee Tow leads the team with a .480 batting average. Tow has compiled 13 runs, 12 hits, five doubles, one homerun and 10 RBIs. Junior Bailey Hemphill is batting .414 with seven runs, 12 hits, three doubles, three home runs and 16 RBIs. In the circle, freshman Montana Fouts is leading the pitching staff. She is 4-0 with 33 strikeouts and has allowed only one earned run.
ABOUT LOUISIANA MONROE
Louisiana Monroe has an overall record of 1-9. The Warhawks went 0-4 in the Houston Classic this past weekend. Last season the Warhawks went 24-29 and fell to Troy University (3-2) in the first round of the Sun Belt Championships.
Senior Sydney McKay is batting a team-high .433 with six runs, 13 hits, two doubles and six RBIs. In the circle, Adrianna Chavarria has pitched 21.1 innings and has posted a 3.28 ERA. The freshman has struck out a team-high 11 batters.
MISSOURI STATE
The Bears are 6-4 going into the third week of the season. Missouri State went 3-2 this past weekend at the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic II. They ended last season with an overall record of 32-20.
In 32 at-bats, sophomore infielder Madison Hunsaker is batting .469 with three runs, 15 hits, five doubles and four RBIs. Rachel Weber, a freshman, leads the team with six runs and has produced 10 hits, one double and four RBIs. Sophomore Stephanie Dickerson is leading all pitchers, going 32 innings with 26 strikeouts and five earned runs.
The Alabama games will be the third and fourth time top-10 matchups for Minnesota already this season after taking on Tennessee and Florida State last weekend. The last time the Gophers took on Alabama was in the 2017 Tuscaloosa Regional with the Crimson Tide coming out on top in two 1-0 pitching duels. The Gophers will also play Louisiana Monroe twice this weekend and Missouri State once. Both Alabama games will be available to stream on ESPN 3.
The Gophers went 2-2 at the prestigious St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational last weekend. They defeated Notre Dame in a 10-0 run-rule and shutout Cal 4-0 but fell 17-6 against No. 1/1 Florida State and 4-2 to No. 7/8 Tennessee. Ellee Jensen led the team with a .500 batting average. She recorded six hits, scored three runs and produced one RBI form the leadoff spot. She is hitting .474 with a .500 on base percentage this season.
Amber Fiser had another strong weekend in the circle. The preseason All-American went 2-1 with a 0.88 ERA and 22 strikeouts. Fiser has only allowed 10 hits this season and has only walked four batters. Fiser leads Big Ten softball with 41 strikeouts already this season. Her 0.78 ERA is good for second in the conference. The Gophers returned their entire pitching staff from a season ago and it has paid off to start 2019. They have used five pitchers this season in Fiser, Hannah Bailey, Carlie Brandt, Rachel Lowary and Sydney Smith.
The Gophers have eight home runs this season and none of those has come from a player who had a home run for the team last year. Hope Brandner transferred to Minnesota from Oregon State and wasted no time making an instant impact. In her first weekend donning the Maroon and Gold she was named the Big Ten Player of the Week. In the first action of the season, the Vacaville, Calif. native, broke the game wide open helping the Gophers score 11 runs in the fourth inning against North Florida. She hit a bases clearing double and a home run in the same frame to produce five runs in total. She followed it up by belting two doubles and another RBI in a 7-0 victory over UCF. She gave the Gophers the lead against Ole Miss with a solo shot home run in the fourth inning. Brandner finished the weekend with three doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs. She hit another home run for the Gophers against California and has a 1.000 slugging percentage on the season.
The Gophers have had another five home runs by players who hit the first of their career. Freshman Ali Lindner hit one opening weekend and her classmate Natalie DenHartog added two last weekend. Carlie Brandt and Anne Miller also launched the first home runs of their career down in Clearwater.
ABOUT No. 6/6 ALABAMA
The Crimson Tide have got off to a perfect 10-0 start to the season. They competed in the Hillenbrand Invitational this past weekend where they went 5-0, defeating USF (2-0), New Mexico (1-0), Cal State Fullerton (7-2), Arizona (6-1) and UIC (13-4, five innings). In 2018, Alabama went 36-20 overall and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional before falling to Washington.
Sophomore outfielder, Kaylee Tow leads the team with a .480 batting average. Tow has compiled 13 runs, 12 hits, five doubles, one homerun and 10 RBIs. Junior Bailey Hemphill is batting .414 with seven runs, 12 hits, three doubles, three home runs and 16 RBIs. In the circle, freshman Montana Fouts is leading the pitching staff. She is 4-0 with 33 strikeouts and has allowed only one earned run.
ABOUT LOUISIANA MONROE
Louisiana Monroe has an overall record of 1-9. The Warhawks went 0-4 in the Houston Classic this past weekend. Last season the Warhawks went 24-29 and fell to Troy University (3-2) in the first round of the Sun Belt Championships.
Senior Sydney McKay is batting a team-high .433 with six runs, 13 hits, two doubles and six RBIs. In the circle, Adrianna Chavarria has pitched 21.1 innings and has posted a 3.28 ERA. The freshman has struck out a team-high 11 batters.
MISSOURI STATE
The Bears are 6-4 going into the third week of the season. Missouri State went 3-2 this past weekend at the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic II. They ended last season with an overall record of 32-20.
In 32 at-bats, sophomore infielder Madison Hunsaker is batting .469 with three runs, 15 hits, five doubles and four RBIs. Rachel Weber, a freshman, leads the team with six runs and has produced 10 hits, one double and four RBIs. Sophomore Stephanie Dickerson is leading all pitchers, going 32 innings with 26 strikeouts and five earned runs.
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