University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, March 11
Leesburg, Fla.
9:20 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Rutgers
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
Photo by: Ben Solomon / Rutgers Athletics
Gophers Back in Action This Weekend
3/9/2021 11:30:00 AM | Softball
SCHEDULE
Minnesota vs. Rutgers, Doubleheader starting at 9:20 a.m. CT, March 11
Minnesota vs. Rutgers, Single game, 10:20 a.m. CT, March 12
Minnesota vs. Michigan State, Doubleheader starting at 3:15 p.m. CT, March 13
Minnesota vs. Michigan State, Single game, 10:30 a.m. CT, March 14
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
• Minnesota is back in action March 11-14 as the Golden Gophers are scheduled to play three games against Rutgers (March 11-12) and three against Michigan State (March 13-14) in Leesburg, Fla. It marks the last week of competition before returning to campus locations the last week in March.
• All softball games scheduled to be played at THE Spring Games March 11 – 14 will be simulcast live via BTN +.
• The Golden Gophers will face Rutgers for the first time since 2016. The Gophers played the Scarlet Knights on April 15-17, 2016 in New Brunswick, N.J. The Gophers earned three-straight wins: 7-1, 8-0 (in six innings) and 11-1 (in five innings).
• Minnesota faced Michigan State twice in 2019 when the Golden Gophers earned a pair of wins, 7-1 and 9-5, April 14-15 in Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. In the doubleheader, MaKenna Partain went 6-7 in the box, recorded three double, one triple, one home run and four RBIs. She also scored three runs and batted .857. In the first game against Michigan State that day, Amber Fiser also recorded her 500th career strikeout to become the seventh player in Gopher history to accomplish the feat.
• Minnesota went 3-3 in the opening weekend of 2021 play. The Gophers split action against Maryland, Ohio State and Indiana, Feb. 26-28 in Leesburg, Fla.
• Freshmen MacKenzie Denson and Sara Kinch started in their first collegiate games in the opening weekend of play. Denson started in all six games and batted .385 and had five hits. Kinch added five starts and saw action also in all six behind the plate. She added two walks and 40 putouts.
• Megan Dray, who transferred from North Carolina made her mark in the first weekend of play. The junior had three doubles, four hits and had 41 putouts as she played first base. She also added three walks.
FISER'S FINES
Amber Fiser has already cemented herself as one of the top players in Gopher softball history and is making a case for one of the top players in all of NCAA softball. She is fifth all-time in program history in wins (83) and strikeouts (829). In 2019, Fiser was named a First Team NFCA All-American, was a Honda Cup Award Finalist and was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. Her 31 wins on the 2019 season tied for second all-time in program history and 346 strikeouts were third all-time. She set a school record and matched a conference record with six Big Ten Pitcher of the Week awards. She also picked up two NFCA Division I Pitcher of the Week awards.
RUN MAKENNA, RUN!
MaKenna Partain has etched her name into Gophers history and has a chance to leave as one of the most productive offensive players in team history but has done so quietly when it comes to national attention. She has already made 207 career starts with the majority of her action coming at second base. She is fourth in career runs at 188 and seventh in career doubles at 49. Both records are in reach as Tyler Walker holds the record with 197 career runs and Kaitlyn Richardson has the doubles record with 64.
ON THE DOCKET
Following this weekend, Minnesota returns to action March 26-28 when it travels to Champaign, Ill., and plays Illinois on its campus. Minnesota opens home play on April 2-4 when it hosts Purdue.
Minnesota vs. Rutgers, Doubleheader starting at 9:20 a.m. CT, March 11
Minnesota vs. Rutgers, Single game, 10:20 a.m. CT, March 12
Minnesota vs. Michigan State, Doubleheader starting at 3:15 p.m. CT, March 13
Minnesota vs. Michigan State, Single game, 10:30 a.m. CT, March 14
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
• Minnesota is back in action March 11-14 as the Golden Gophers are scheduled to play three games against Rutgers (March 11-12) and three against Michigan State (March 13-14) in Leesburg, Fla. It marks the last week of competition before returning to campus locations the last week in March.
• All softball games scheduled to be played at THE Spring Games March 11 – 14 will be simulcast live via BTN +.
• The Golden Gophers will face Rutgers for the first time since 2016. The Gophers played the Scarlet Knights on April 15-17, 2016 in New Brunswick, N.J. The Gophers earned three-straight wins: 7-1, 8-0 (in six innings) and 11-1 (in five innings).
• Minnesota faced Michigan State twice in 2019 when the Golden Gophers earned a pair of wins, 7-1 and 9-5, April 14-15 in Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. In the doubleheader, MaKenna Partain went 6-7 in the box, recorded three double, one triple, one home run and four RBIs. She also scored three runs and batted .857. In the first game against Michigan State that day, Amber Fiser also recorded her 500th career strikeout to become the seventh player in Gopher history to accomplish the feat.
• Minnesota went 3-3 in the opening weekend of 2021 play. The Gophers split action against Maryland, Ohio State and Indiana, Feb. 26-28 in Leesburg, Fla.
• Freshmen MacKenzie Denson and Sara Kinch started in their first collegiate games in the opening weekend of play. Denson started in all six games and batted .385 and had five hits. Kinch added five starts and saw action also in all six behind the plate. She added two walks and 40 putouts.
• Megan Dray, who transferred from North Carolina made her mark in the first weekend of play. The junior had three doubles, four hits and had 41 putouts as she played first base. She also added three walks.
FISER'S FINES
Amber Fiser has already cemented herself as one of the top players in Gopher softball history and is making a case for one of the top players in all of NCAA softball. She is fifth all-time in program history in wins (83) and strikeouts (829). In 2019, Fiser was named a First Team NFCA All-American, was a Honda Cup Award Finalist and was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. Her 31 wins on the 2019 season tied for second all-time in program history and 346 strikeouts were third all-time. She set a school record and matched a conference record with six Big Ten Pitcher of the Week awards. She also picked up two NFCA Division I Pitcher of the Week awards.
RUN MAKENNA, RUN!
MaKenna Partain has etched her name into Gophers history and has a chance to leave as one of the most productive offensive players in team history but has done so quietly when it comes to national attention. She has already made 207 career starts with the majority of her action coming at second base. She is fourth in career runs at 188 and seventh in career doubles at 49. Both records are in reach as Tyler Walker holds the record with 197 career runs and Kaitlyn Richardson has the doubles record with 64.
ON THE DOCKET
Following this weekend, Minnesota returns to action March 26-28 when it travels to Champaign, Ill., and plays Illinois on its campus. Minnesota opens home play on April 2-4 when it hosts Purdue.
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