University of Minnesota Athletics
Wednesday, April 24
Madison, WI
1:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
Photo by: Craig Lassig
Preview: Wisconsin
4/23/2019 1:55:00 PM | Softball
The No. 16/11 University of Minnesota Gophers are set for a big time road doubleheader with the RV/25 University of Wisconsin Badgers tomorrow afternoon with first pitch set for 1 p.m. The series had been scheduled for last week but was postponed due to weather.
The Gophers are 32-10 overall on the season and sit in third place in the Big Ten with a 13-1 record. Michigan is second at 15-1 and Northwestern is first with a 15-0 conference record. The Gophers have eight conference games left including a regular season series finale at home against Northwestern as the Big Ten race heats up. Both games tomorrow can be streamed on BTN Plus.
Amber Fiser began the year as a preseason All-American and has lived up the hype as the Gophers ace. She is 20-6 on the year with a 1.37 ERA and 222 strikeouts. She has won four Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors including in the past two weeks. The junior tossed a pair of complete games victories in the first and final games of the Nebraska series with 23 strikeouts while allowing only two earned runs on 12 hits. Fiser's Friday shutout featured 13 strikeouts, tying her career-high for the fourth time this season.
Sydney Smith has remained a steady No. 2 option in the circle for Minnesota. She is 10-4 with a 2.89 ERA. Behind all good pitching is a strong defense and the Gophers have one of the best in the entire country. They rank first in the Big Ten and seventh in the NCAA with a .978 fielding percentage.
The first four batters of the Gophers lineup is as strong as any in the entire country. MaKenna Partain leads off for the team and is leading the team with a .378 batting average. She leads the Big Ten in runs per game at a 1.10 average. Maddie Houlihan continues to be a steady senior presence. She is tied for third in program history for most runs scored in a career at 175. She is tied with Rachel Nelson while Sam Macken is second at 182 and Tyler Walker holds the school record with 197 runs scored in her career.
Natalie DenHartog is leading the conference in RBIs at 46 this season while Hope Brandner has added 44 RBIs. Both DenHartog and Brandner have 12 home runs on the season.
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 two outfield spots, first base, second base, shortstop, DP and pitcher. Senior Allie Arneson has made a habit out of catching fire this time of year and is coming off her strongest weekend of the season. The shortstop hit .556 with a pair of doubles, a pair of runs and a pair of walks with one stolen base against Nebraska. The Gophers are a perfect 12-0 on Sundays this season. Seven Gophers have hit their first collegiate home run his season. Minnesota is No. 11 in the RPI this week. The No. 11 ranking in the USA Softball poll is the Gophers highest ranking in either major poll all season.
ABOUT WISCONSIN
Wisconsin enters the mid-week series with 33-8 overall record and are 10-5 in the Big Ten. The Badgers swept a strong Indiana team this past weekend (5-0, 4-3, 8-0).
Infielder Kayla Konwent is leading the team and conference with a .492 batting average. The junior has produced 33 runs, 61 hits, 15 doubles and a conference high 15 home runs. Sophomore Taylor Johnson is batting .370 with a team-high 38 runs, 47 hits, seven doubles, nine home runs and 33 RBIs. The infielder has a team-high 13 stolen bases on 17 attempts. As a team, the Badgers are batting .399.
In the circle, sophomore Haley Hestekin has a 1.89 ERA through 111.1 innings pitched. The right-hander is 14-3 and has tallied a team-high 98 strikeouts while allowing 30 earned runs. Kaitlyn Menz, a junior right-hander, has gone 103.0 innings with 74 strikeouts and 23 earned runs. She is 15-5 with a 1.56 ERA. The Badger pitching staff has compiled a 1.77 ERA to lead the Big Ten.
The Gophers are 32-10 overall on the season and sit in third place in the Big Ten with a 13-1 record. Michigan is second at 15-1 and Northwestern is first with a 15-0 conference record. The Gophers have eight conference games left including a regular season series finale at home against Northwestern as the Big Ten race heats up. Both games tomorrow can be streamed on BTN Plus.
Amber Fiser began the year as a preseason All-American and has lived up the hype as the Gophers ace. She is 20-6 on the year with a 1.37 ERA and 222 strikeouts. She has won four Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors including in the past two weeks. The junior tossed a pair of complete games victories in the first and final games of the Nebraska series with 23 strikeouts while allowing only two earned runs on 12 hits. Fiser's Friday shutout featured 13 strikeouts, tying her career-high for the fourth time this season.
Sydney Smith has remained a steady No. 2 option in the circle for Minnesota. She is 10-4 with a 2.89 ERA. Behind all good pitching is a strong defense and the Gophers have one of the best in the entire country. They rank first in the Big Ten and seventh in the NCAA with a .978 fielding percentage.
The first four batters of the Gophers lineup is as strong as any in the entire country. MaKenna Partain leads off for the team and is leading the team with a .378 batting average. She leads the Big Ten in runs per game at a 1.10 average. Maddie Houlihan continues to be a steady senior presence. She is tied for third in program history for most runs scored in a career at 175. She is tied with Rachel Nelson while Sam Macken is second at 182 and Tyler Walker holds the school record with 197 runs scored in her career.
Natalie DenHartog is leading the conference in RBIs at 46 this season while Hope Brandner has added 44 RBIs. Both DenHartog and Brandner have 12 home runs on the season.
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 two outfield spots, first base, second base, shortstop, DP and pitcher. Senior Allie Arneson has made a habit out of catching fire this time of year and is coming off her strongest weekend of the season. The shortstop hit .556 with a pair of doubles, a pair of runs and a pair of walks with one stolen base against Nebraska. The Gophers are a perfect 12-0 on Sundays this season. Seven Gophers have hit their first collegiate home run his season. Minnesota is No. 11 in the RPI this week. The No. 11 ranking in the USA Softball poll is the Gophers highest ranking in either major poll all season.
ABOUT WISCONSIN
Wisconsin enters the mid-week series with 33-8 overall record and are 10-5 in the Big Ten. The Badgers swept a strong Indiana team this past weekend (5-0, 4-3, 8-0).
Infielder Kayla Konwent is leading the team and conference with a .492 batting average. The junior has produced 33 runs, 61 hits, 15 doubles and a conference high 15 home runs. Sophomore Taylor Johnson is batting .370 with a team-high 38 runs, 47 hits, seven doubles, nine home runs and 33 RBIs. The infielder has a team-high 13 stolen bases on 17 attempts. As a team, the Badgers are batting .399.
In the circle, sophomore Haley Hestekin has a 1.89 ERA through 111.1 innings pitched. The right-hander is 14-3 and has tallied a team-high 98 strikeouts while allowing 30 earned runs. Kaitlyn Menz, a junior right-hander, has gone 103.0 innings with 74 strikeouts and 23 earned runs. She is 15-5 with a 1.56 ERA. The Badger pitching staff has compiled a 1.77 ERA to lead the Big Ten.
Highlights: Gophers 3, Northwestern 2
Saturday, May 02
Highlights: Gophers 6, North Dakota 2
Tuesday, April 21
Highlights: Gophers 2, Ohio State 1
Sunday, April 05
Highlights: Gophers 2, Illinois 0
Sunday, March 29