University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, May 4
Jane Sage Cowles Stadium
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
38-11, 19-2
8
vs
0
Northwestern
42-8, 21-1
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Northwestern
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Minnesota
3
0
0
3
2
8
7
2
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Snap Wildcats Win Streak in Run-Rule Fashion
5/4/2019 6:04:00 PM | Softball
The No. 13/8 University of Minnesota Gophers snapped No. 19/14 Northwestern's 20-game win streak in an 8-0 run-rule this afternoon.Â
"I'm proud of how we responded after last night," head coach Jamie Trachsel said. "We attacked right way. It was a total team effort. Sydney and Amber came through for us and the offense put up runs in three of the five innings with two blowup innings."Â
The Gophers shined on the national stage with the game televised on ESPN and a sellout crowd of 1,286 on hand. That was the third largest home attendance number in program history.Â
"Minnesota softball is a national brand," Trachsel said. "What a great day to celebrate with the fans that came out. They show up all the time. They show up every day, they show up in the fall. The people that are part of this program are proud to wear Maroon and Gold and they show up and support you no matter what. It was a special day."Â
Sydney Smith got the start in the circle and pitched 2.1 innings for Minnesota. She struck out three and only allowed one hit on the day.Â
Minnesota scored early and took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Natalie DenHartog punched MaKenna Partain across the plate for a 1-0 lead. Emma Burns tacked on two more runs after she hit her seventh home run of the year.Â
Amber Fiser came in during the top of the third with one out on the board and the bases loaded. She pulled off back-to-back strikeouts to get Minnesota out of the jam. She was just getting started as she struck out seven straight batters and did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings of work.Â
Minnesota plated three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 6-0. With Allie Arneson and Ali Lindner on base, Partain homered to right center to clear the bases. The home run was her fifth of the season. She also moved into sole possession of second place all-time for most runs scored in a single season in program history. She is up to 60 on the year.Â
The Gophers sealed the deal in the bottom of the fifth. Lindner reached on a fielding error as the left fielder lost handle on a routine fly and DenHartog and Carlie Brandt scooted home for the walk-off.Â
Fiser picked up the win in the circle and moves to 24-7 overall. She brought her ERA down to 1.29 and has 273 strikeouts this season.
With the win, the Minnesota improves to 38-11 overall and are 19-2 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats came into the game with 20-straight wins before the Gophers handed them their first conference loss. Even with a win tomorrow, the best the Gophers can finish in the Big Ten is third due to winning percentage. Minnesota is No. 10 in the RPI and Northwestern is No. 11 so tomorrow's series finale still holds strong postseason value.Â
"Two great teams going at it," Trachsel said. "There is seeding implications, postseason implications. This is what you play for. You play for the time of year where everything is on the line."Â
Â
"I'm proud of how we responded after last night," head coach Jamie Trachsel said. "We attacked right way. It was a total team effort. Sydney and Amber came through for us and the offense put up runs in three of the five innings with two blowup innings."Â
The Gophers shined on the national stage with the game televised on ESPN and a sellout crowd of 1,286 on hand. That was the third largest home attendance number in program history.Â
"Minnesota softball is a national brand," Trachsel said. "What a great day to celebrate with the fans that came out. They show up all the time. They show up every day, they show up in the fall. The people that are part of this program are proud to wear Maroon and Gold and they show up and support you no matter what. It was a special day."Â
Sydney Smith got the start in the circle and pitched 2.1 innings for Minnesota. She struck out three and only allowed one hit on the day.Â
Minnesota scored early and took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Natalie DenHartog punched MaKenna Partain across the plate for a 1-0 lead. Emma Burns tacked on two more runs after she hit her seventh home run of the year.Â
Amber Fiser came in during the top of the third with one out on the board and the bases loaded. She pulled off back-to-back strikeouts to get Minnesota out of the jam. She was just getting started as she struck out seven straight batters and did not allow a hit in 2.2 innings of work.Â
Minnesota plated three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 6-0. With Allie Arneson and Ali Lindner on base, Partain homered to right center to clear the bases. The home run was her fifth of the season. She also moved into sole possession of second place all-time for most runs scored in a single season in program history. She is up to 60 on the year.Â
The Gophers sealed the deal in the bottom of the fifth. Lindner reached on a fielding error as the left fielder lost handle on a routine fly and DenHartog and Carlie Brandt scooted home for the walk-off.Â
Fiser picked up the win in the circle and moves to 24-7 overall. She brought her ERA down to 1.29 and has 273 strikeouts this season.
With the win, the Minnesota improves to 38-11 overall and are 19-2 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats came into the game with 20-straight wins before the Gophers handed them their first conference loss. Even with a win tomorrow, the best the Gophers can finish in the Big Ten is third due to winning percentage. Minnesota is No. 10 in the RPI and Northwestern is No. 11 so tomorrow's series finale still holds strong postseason value.Â
"Two great teams going at it," Trachsel said. "There is seeding implications, postseason implications. This is what you play for. You play for the time of year where everything is on the line."Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fiser, Amber (24-7)
L: Williams, Danielle (37-4)
Batting:
HR: Partain, MaKenna 1 ; Burns, Emma 1
RBI: Partain, MaKenna 3 ; DenHartog, Natalie 1 ; Burns, Emma 2
SH: Houlihan, Maddie 1 ; Brandt, Carlie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Partain, MaKenna 2 ; DenHartog, Natalie 2 ; Burns, Emma 1 ; Arneson, Allie 1 ; Brandt, Carlie 1 ; Lindner, Ali 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballC/UT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballMinnesota (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