University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, April 14
Jane Sage Cowles Stadium
11:00 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Michigan State
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
Photo by: Christopher Mitchell
Preview: Michigan State
4/11/2019 2:37:00 PM | Softball
The No. 19/13 University of Minnesota Gophers welcome Michigan State for a Big Ten series this weekend. Due to weather they will now play a doubleheader on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. (The best way to stay up-to-date on the weekend schedule and time changes is to follow us on Twitter @GopherSoftball.)Â
The Gophers are 27-10 overall and are off to an 8-1 start in Big Ten play. After facing the No. 1 ranked toughest nonconference schedule in the entire country, Minnesota is a program record No. 8 in the RPI for the second straight week. In that span the Gophers faced 10 ranked opponents and came up with two victories over a top-10 (at the time) Texas squad. Counting Big Ten play, the Gophers have the second toughest strength of schedule in the country.Â
Hope Brandner transferred to Minnesota after spending her freshman season at Oregon State and has made a big impact. She has powered her way through Big Ten play with six home runs and 15 RBIs against conference foes. She has a 1.458 slugging percentage in nine conference games. She has 12 home runs on the season, which is already in the Gophers top-10 for most in a single season. She has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week twice and the FastPitchNews National Player of the Week once.Â
The Gophers have been led by one of the top pitching duos in the country in Amber Fiser and Sydney Smith. Fiser is 16-6 with a 1.45 ERA, 179 strikeouts and two saves. She is third in the Big Ten in wins, ERA and strikeouts. She has been named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week twice and earned one NFCA National Pitcher of the Week this season. As only a junior, Fiser has 499 career strikeouts. She is looking to become just the seventh Gopher to ever hit 500 career strikeouts and needs just 41 strikeouts to move into the Gophers top-5 all-time. Smith is 9-4 with a 2.52 ERA and has 67 strikeouts. Fiser has tossed a career high 13 strikeouts in a game twice this season while Smith has two games with 11 strikeouts this year.
Behind every good pitching staff is a strong defense and the Gophers have one of the best in the entire country. Minnesota is ranked No. 5 in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten with a .979 fielding percentage.Â
MaKenna Partain leads the Big Ten in runs per game at 1.08. A big reason is Brandner and freshman Natalie DenHartog have been strong right behind her in the lineup. DenHartog is second in the Big Ten with 41 RBIs while Brandner leads with 42. Partain set a school record this season for most runs in a single game when she notched five against Maryland.Â
Quick hitters: Ace Amber Fiser has a first degree black belt in Taekwondo. Utility Carlie Brandt has played seven positions in her collegiate career: all three outfield spots, second base, shortstop, DP and pitcher. The Gophers are a perfect 9-0 on Sundays this season. Seven Gophers have hit their first collegiate home run his season. Maddie Houlihan is fourth all-time in program history with 172 runs scored. Tyler Walker holds the record at 197.
About Michigan StateÂ
The Spartans are 15-22 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten. They went 2-1 against Maryland this past weekend to secure their first conference series win of the season. They faced Central Michigan on Wednesday, defeating them 16-4 in six innings.
Charla Echols, a freshman infielder, leads the team with a .375 batting average through 104 at bats, producing 28 runs, 39 hits, 11 doubles and 23 RBIs. Senior outfielder, Ebonee Echols, has recorded 21 runs, 36 hits, 28 RBIs, seven doubles and five home runs while batting .360. Sophomore Caitie Ladd is tied on the team with 11 doubles and leads the team with seven home runs and 29 RBIs.Â
Alli Walker has recorded a 3.98 ERA in the circle through 88 innings. The sophomore right-hander has given up 50 earned runs and has struck out 53 batters. The Spartan pitching staff has a combined ERA of 4.52.
Â
The Gophers are 27-10 overall and are off to an 8-1 start in Big Ten play. After facing the No. 1 ranked toughest nonconference schedule in the entire country, Minnesota is a program record No. 8 in the RPI for the second straight week. In that span the Gophers faced 10 ranked opponents and came up with two victories over a top-10 (at the time) Texas squad. Counting Big Ten play, the Gophers have the second toughest strength of schedule in the country.Â
Hope Brandner transferred to Minnesota after spending her freshman season at Oregon State and has made a big impact. She has powered her way through Big Ten play with six home runs and 15 RBIs against conference foes. She has a 1.458 slugging percentage in nine conference games. She has 12 home runs on the season, which is already in the Gophers top-10 for most in a single season. She has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week twice and the FastPitchNews National Player of the Week once.Â
The Gophers have been led by one of the top pitching duos in the country in Amber Fiser and Sydney Smith. Fiser is 16-6 with a 1.45 ERA, 179 strikeouts and two saves. She is third in the Big Ten in wins, ERA and strikeouts. She has been named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week twice and earned one NFCA National Pitcher of the Week this season. As only a junior, Fiser has 499 career strikeouts. She is looking to become just the seventh Gopher to ever hit 500 career strikeouts and needs just 41 strikeouts to move into the Gophers top-5 all-time. Smith is 9-4 with a 2.52 ERA and has 67 strikeouts. Fiser has tossed a career high 13 strikeouts in a game twice this season while Smith has two games with 11 strikeouts this year.
Behind every good pitching staff is a strong defense and the Gophers have one of the best in the entire country. Minnesota is ranked No. 5 in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten with a .979 fielding percentage.Â
MaKenna Partain leads the Big Ten in runs per game at 1.08. A big reason is Brandner and freshman Natalie DenHartog have been strong right behind her in the lineup. DenHartog is second in the Big Ten with 41 RBIs while Brandner leads with 42. Partain set a school record this season for most runs in a single game when she notched five against Maryland.Â
Quick hitters: Ace Amber Fiser has a first degree black belt in Taekwondo. Utility Carlie Brandt has played seven positions in her collegiate career: all three outfield spots, second base, shortstop, DP and pitcher. The Gophers are a perfect 9-0 on Sundays this season. Seven Gophers have hit their first collegiate home run his season. Maddie Houlihan is fourth all-time in program history with 172 runs scored. Tyler Walker holds the record at 197.
About Michigan StateÂ
The Spartans are 15-22 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten. They went 2-1 against Maryland this past weekend to secure their first conference series win of the season. They faced Central Michigan on Wednesday, defeating them 16-4 in six innings.
Charla Echols, a freshman infielder, leads the team with a .375 batting average through 104 at bats, producing 28 runs, 39 hits, 11 doubles and 23 RBIs. Senior outfielder, Ebonee Echols, has recorded 21 runs, 36 hits, 28 RBIs, seven doubles and five home runs while batting .360. Sophomore Caitie Ladd is tied on the team with 11 doubles and leads the team with seven home runs and 29 RBIs.Â
Alli Walker has recorded a 3.98 ERA in the circle through 88 innings. The sophomore right-hander has given up 50 earned runs and has struck out 53 batters. The Spartan pitching staff has a combined ERA of 4.52.
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Minnesota (4) - Michigan (0) Highlights
Friday, May 02
Sydney Schwartz Throws No-Hitter
Tuesday, April 29
Gophers (8) - North Dakota (0) Highlights
Sunday, April 27
Gophers (5) - North Dakota (3) Highlights
Saturday, April 26