University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, March 8
Austin, TX
1:30 PM
University of Minnesota
12-6
7
vs
0
Texas Southern
2-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Minnesota
0
1
3
0
1
0
2
7
11
0
Texas Southern
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
1
Gophers Beat No. 9 Texas
3/8/2019 10:49:00 PM | Softball
The No. 22/RV University of Minnesota Gophers capped off a two-win day by knocking off No. 9/10 Texas, 4-1, at the Longhorn Invitational.Â
Earlier in the day, the Gophers topped Texas Southern 7-0. Minnesota improves to 13-6 on the season and have beat two ranked opponents in as many chances. Texas marked the fifth top-10 matchup of the season for the Gophers and the seventh against a ranked foe.Â
"It's a big deal. These are tough teams," senior pitcher Sydney Smith said. "I think just to come out and make a statement that we can play with whoever is in these tournaments is a good accomplishment." Â
Minnesota will play two more tomorrow with Texas at 2:30 p.m. and Texas Southern at 5:00 p.m. Both games can be viewed on the Longhorn Network.Â
Game 1: Minnesota 7, Texas Southern 0Â
Hannah Bailey made her first career start and tossed a complete game shutout with three strikeouts on her way to the victory in the circle. She only allowed four hits in her first collegiate win.Â
Natalie DenHartog put on a clinic at the plate with a pair of home runs. She went 3-4 with four RBIs. Katelyn Kemmetmueller went 2-4 at the plate with her third home run of the season.Â
Kemmetmueller put the Gophers on the board in the second inning when she launched a solo shot to left center to start the frame.Â
MaKenna Partain led off the third inning with a sneaky bunt. Maddie Houlihan reached on a bloop single to the pitcher right after as Texas Southern had a miscommunication and did not cover first.Â
DenHartog stepped up two batters later and launched a home run to center to make it 4-0 Minnesota. The freshman out of Hopkins, Minn. added a solo shot in the fifth inning. She is tied for the team lead with six home runs on the season.Â
The Gophers added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning. Partain singled up the middle and Houlihan reached on an error. Hope Brandner brought them both home on a rip up the middle for a two-RBI single.Â
The field was clean behind Bailey all afternoon. Minnesota did not commit an error and was led by Allie Arneson at shortstop who finished with a career high six assists.Â
Game 2: Minnesota 4, Texas 1
The Gophers went into attack mode from the start. Ellee Jensen led off with a single to shortstop and Partain followed by drawing a walk. Brandner ripped a shot up the middle to score Jensen. With no outs on the board Minnesota threatened to put more across, but Texas was able to get out with only allowing the one run.Â
Texas attempted to answer in the bottom of the frame by pushing a runner to third but Smith forced back-to-back groundouts to Arneson to get out of trouble. The Gophers field was fantastic throughout the game. Arneson and Partain each recorded five assists and Brandner had 16 putouts.Â
In the bottom of the third Partain robbed Texas of any momentum by snagging a liner. The Longhorns put runners on second and third in the fourth inning with just one out but again Smith forced back-to-back groundouts to get out of trouble.Â
"I knew they were an aggressive team," Smith said. "I knew I was going to have to make big pitches in big moments. I just had to stay calm no matter what and I knew my defense had my back. They were amazing."Â
Smith went four innings while only allowing two hits and did not allow a run while grabbing her fourth win of the season. Amber Fiser came into the game in the fifth and picked up where Smith left off forcing three straight grounders.Â
The Gophers added some insurance in the top of the seventh. Jensen reached base on an error and scooted to second as a throw went over first base. Partain followed with a single and Houlihan loaded the base with a shot through the left side.Â
DenHartog stepped up next and hit a moon shot that sailed to shallow left and scored two as the shortstop lost track of the ball. She was credited with a two-RBI double on the play. Kemmetmueller followed with a single that died down the first base line to score one more run.Â
A 4-0 lead was plenty for Fiser and the Gophers. Texas scraped one run across but Fiser finished the game with a pair of strikeouts to secure her first save of the season.Â
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Earlier in the day, the Gophers topped Texas Southern 7-0. Minnesota improves to 13-6 on the season and have beat two ranked opponents in as many chances. Texas marked the fifth top-10 matchup of the season for the Gophers and the seventh against a ranked foe.Â
"It's a big deal. These are tough teams," senior pitcher Sydney Smith said. "I think just to come out and make a statement that we can play with whoever is in these tournaments is a good accomplishment." Â
Minnesota will play two more tomorrow with Texas at 2:30 p.m. and Texas Southern at 5:00 p.m. Both games can be viewed on the Longhorn Network.Â
Game 1: Minnesota 7, Texas Southern 0Â
Hannah Bailey made her first career start and tossed a complete game shutout with three strikeouts on her way to the victory in the circle. She only allowed four hits in her first collegiate win.Â
Natalie DenHartog put on a clinic at the plate with a pair of home runs. She went 3-4 with four RBIs. Katelyn Kemmetmueller went 2-4 at the plate with her third home run of the season.Â
Kemmetmueller put the Gophers on the board in the second inning when she launched a solo shot to left center to start the frame.Â
MaKenna Partain led off the third inning with a sneaky bunt. Maddie Houlihan reached on a bloop single to the pitcher right after as Texas Southern had a miscommunication and did not cover first.Â
DenHartog stepped up two batters later and launched a home run to center to make it 4-0 Minnesota. The freshman out of Hopkins, Minn. added a solo shot in the fifth inning. She is tied for the team lead with six home runs on the season.Â
The Gophers added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning. Partain singled up the middle and Houlihan reached on an error. Hope Brandner brought them both home on a rip up the middle for a two-RBI single.Â
The field was clean behind Bailey all afternoon. Minnesota did not commit an error and was led by Allie Arneson at shortstop who finished with a career high six assists.Â
Game 2: Minnesota 4, Texas 1
The Gophers went into attack mode from the start. Ellee Jensen led off with a single to shortstop and Partain followed by drawing a walk. Brandner ripped a shot up the middle to score Jensen. With no outs on the board Minnesota threatened to put more across, but Texas was able to get out with only allowing the one run.Â
Texas attempted to answer in the bottom of the frame by pushing a runner to third but Smith forced back-to-back groundouts to Arneson to get out of trouble. The Gophers field was fantastic throughout the game. Arneson and Partain each recorded five assists and Brandner had 16 putouts.Â
In the bottom of the third Partain robbed Texas of any momentum by snagging a liner. The Longhorns put runners on second and third in the fourth inning with just one out but again Smith forced back-to-back groundouts to get out of trouble.Â
"I knew they were an aggressive team," Smith said. "I knew I was going to have to make big pitches in big moments. I just had to stay calm no matter what and I knew my defense had my back. They were amazing."Â
Smith went four innings while only allowing two hits and did not allow a run while grabbing her fourth win of the season. Amber Fiser came into the game in the fifth and picked up where Smith left off forcing three straight grounders.Â
The Gophers added some insurance in the top of the seventh. Jensen reached base on an error and scooted to second as a throw went over first base. Partain followed with a single and Houlihan loaded the base with a shot through the left side.Â
DenHartog stepped up next and hit a moon shot that sailed to shallow left and scored two as the shortstop lost track of the ball. She was credited with a two-RBI double on the play. Kemmetmueller followed with a single that died down the first base line to score one more run.Â
A 4-0 lead was plenty for Fiser and the Gophers. Texas scraped one run across but Fiser finished the game with a pair of strikeouts to secure her first save of the season.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bailey, Hannah (1-0)
L: Naomi Reyes (0-3)
Batting:
HR: DenHartog, Natalie 2 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1
RBI: Brandner, Hope 2 ; DenHartog, Natalie 4 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1
SH: Burns, Emma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Partain, MaKenna 2 ; Houlihan, Maddie 2 ; DenHartog, Natalie 2 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1
SB: Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
4
dp/2b
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
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