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Photo by: Mike Janes
Weekend Jottings: Fresh Faces, Old Reliables
2/10/2020 9:29:00 AM | Softball
By Athletic Communications Student Assistant Sadie Keller
Fresh Faces
In their first weekend playing for the Maroon and Gold, Gopher newcomers shined. Five new Gophers made starts over the weekend between freshmen and transfers: Kianna Jones, Autumn Pease, Olivia Peterson, Sydney Strelow and Brooke Vander Heide.
"They are fearless," head coach Jamie Trachsel said. "They fell to their training. We have a lot of confidence in everyone on this roster."
In the circle, sophomore transfer Autumn Pease impressed with two starts and a total of four appearances. She tossed five strikeouts and only allowed two hits and no runs in five innings of work to pick up the first victory of the season against Missouri State. Pease finished the weekend 1-0 with 13 innings pitched and 19 strikeouts.
Freshman Olivia Peterson provided the Gophers lone run of the game against Missouri State. She sparked the offense with a single for the first hit of the game and was brought home by way of a sacrifice bunt followed by an RBI-single.
Freshman Sydney Strelow was fantastic in the batter's box and behind the plate. In the first four games of her collegiate career, Strelow hit for a .375 average, walked four times and was hit by a pitch. She started three games behind the plate and threw out a runner as part of a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play against Kentucky.
After seeing limited playing time during the 2019 season, sophomore Emily Hansen had a breakout opening weekend. The Buffalo, Minn. native started all five games and shined at the plate. She boasts a .333 average with a double, a triple and seven RBIs. Hansen came up with big time hits for the Gophers, including a clutch two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning against Missouri to tie the game and force extra innings.
"We have a lot of belief that when we put you in the lineup that you are more than capable of doing your job and doing it the right way," Trachsel said. "It's an opportunity for new faces as people graduate and move on. It's exciting to get some fresh faces in here and see them perform."
Old Reliables
The Gophers still have plenty of experience from last year's WCWS team and they were a steady presence throughout opening weekend.
Senior All-American Amber Fiser started three games and appeared in all five during the opening weekend. Against both NC State and Missouri Fiser recorded 13 strikeouts and tied her career high for the sixth and seventh times. She took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against South Alabama on Saturday afternoon and kept the Gophers alive in the pitching duel until the bats could came alive. Fiser finished the weekend with two wins, one save and a commanding 38 strikeouts over 23 innings pitched.
Fellow senior MaKenna Partain was named to the NFCA D1 Leadoff All-Tournament Team after an outstanding performance. The senior finished the weekend with three doubles, a triple, five RBIs and drew four walks to finish with a .389 batting average and a .500 on base percentage. Partain had three multi-hit games and started many rallies for Minnesota, including a triple down the right field line to drive in two runs in the second inning against Missouri on Saturday. She also doubled to lead off the seventh inning in the same game and later scored in the effort to send the game to extras.
Fresh Faces
In their first weekend playing for the Maroon and Gold, Gopher newcomers shined. Five new Gophers made starts over the weekend between freshmen and transfers: Kianna Jones, Autumn Pease, Olivia Peterson, Sydney Strelow and Brooke Vander Heide.
"They are fearless," head coach Jamie Trachsel said. "They fell to their training. We have a lot of confidence in everyone on this roster."
In the circle, sophomore transfer Autumn Pease impressed with two starts and a total of four appearances. She tossed five strikeouts and only allowed two hits and no runs in five innings of work to pick up the first victory of the season against Missouri State. Pease finished the weekend 1-0 with 13 innings pitched and 19 strikeouts.
Freshman Olivia Peterson provided the Gophers lone run of the game against Missouri State. She sparked the offense with a single for the first hit of the game and was brought home by way of a sacrifice bunt followed by an RBI-single.
Freshman Sydney Strelow was fantastic in the batter's box and behind the plate. In the first four games of her collegiate career, Strelow hit for a .375 average, walked four times and was hit by a pitch. She started three games behind the plate and threw out a runner as part of a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play against Kentucky.
After seeing limited playing time during the 2019 season, sophomore Emily Hansen had a breakout opening weekend. The Buffalo, Minn. native started all five games and shined at the plate. She boasts a .333 average with a double, a triple and seven RBIs. Hansen came up with big time hits for the Gophers, including a clutch two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning against Missouri to tie the game and force extra innings.
"We have a lot of belief that when we put you in the lineup that you are more than capable of doing your job and doing it the right way," Trachsel said. "It's an opportunity for new faces as people graduate and move on. It's exciting to get some fresh faces in here and see them perform."
Old Reliables
The Gophers still have plenty of experience from last year's WCWS team and they were a steady presence throughout opening weekend.
Senior All-American Amber Fiser started three games and appeared in all five during the opening weekend. Against both NC State and Missouri Fiser recorded 13 strikeouts and tied her career high for the sixth and seventh times. She took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against South Alabama on Saturday afternoon and kept the Gophers alive in the pitching duel until the bats could came alive. Fiser finished the weekend with two wins, one save and a commanding 38 strikeouts over 23 innings pitched.
Fellow senior MaKenna Partain was named to the NFCA D1 Leadoff All-Tournament Team after an outstanding performance. The senior finished the weekend with three doubles, a triple, five RBIs and drew four walks to finish with a .389 batting average and a .500 on base percentage. Partain had three multi-hit games and started many rallies for Minnesota, including a triple down the right field line to drive in two runs in the second inning against Missouri on Saturday. She also doubled to lead off the seventh inning in the same game and later scored in the effort to send the game to extras.
Saturday, May 30
Saturday, May 02
Tuesday, April 21
Sunday, April 05