University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, April 16
5:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Nebraska
Players Mentioned
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Return Home to Host Huskers
4/15/2021 9:30:00 AM | Softball
No. 24/23 Minnesota (19-5) is home this weekend when it hosts Nebraska (14-10), April 16-18, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The weekend format is a single game on Friday at 5 p.m., a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon and a single game scheduled Sunday for noon. All four games will be streamed on BTN Plus.
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
• The Golden Gophers have won five games in a row, the longest active win streak in the Big Ten, thanks in part to a four-game sweep last weekend at then-No. 21/22 Northwestern. Going further back in the schedule, Minnesota has won seven of their past eight and are 16-2 in their last 18 contests.
• In helping Minnesota to that sweep of Northwestern, senior MaKenna Partain has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week. The team's leadoff hitter and starter at second base, Partain hit .412 against the Wildcats with seven hits in 17 at-bats. Three of her seven hits in the series were home runs, resulting in a team-best slugging percentage of .941. She also led the Gophers with six runs scored and tied for the lead with her hit total and four runs batted in, while tallying a .444 on-base percentage. Being named Big Ten Player of the Week is the fourth such accolade of Partain's career and her second this season after picking up the same honor on March 16.
• The Golden Gophers lead the Big Ten with 27 home runs, with Nebraska second at 18. Natalie DenHartog leads the league with eight, while Katelyn Kemmetmueller is tied for second with five.
• Minnesota played a home collegiate softball game at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium for the first time in 678 days two weekends ago when the Gophers hosted Purdue and won three of four. Prior to the Purdue series, the Gophers' last home game was May 25, 2019, when Minnesota hosted a 2019 Super Regional.
• Nebraska enters the Minnesota series with a 14-10 record on the season, including a 2-2 mark so far in true road games. The Huskers are coming off a series win over Illinois in Lincoln, including three straight wins. Freshman Billie Andrews has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for three straight weeks. She leads leads all B1G freshmen in hits, runs, triples, home runs, RBIs, batting average, slugging percentage and stolen bases. Tristen Edwards is the team's top hitter with a .380 average, .720 slugging percentage and .633 on-base percentage. She's tied with Andrews for the team lead in home runs with four. Olivia Ferrell (2.63 ERA, 8-6 record, 71 K, 77.1 IP) and Courtney Wallace (2.65 ERA, 6-4 record, 26 K, 68.2 IP) are the team's top pitchers.
• Minnesota has won 11 straight games over Nebraska, including a three-game sweep in Lincoln when the teams last met in 2019. The Gophers haven't lost to the Huskers since falling 5-3 on March 29, 2015. During the current 11-game streak, Minnesota has outscored Nebraska, 87-23. Four wins have come via shutout and two by run-rule. The Gophers have also won five straight in the series in Minneapolis, not losing since April 1, 2012.
• The Gopher pitching corps holds a 1.69 ERA this season, which ranks 16th nationally. Autumn Pease holds a 1.19 ERA with 75 strikeouts to just 12 walks and a 9-1 record in 70.2 innings this year, while Amber Fiser holds a 1.86 ERA, 9-4 record and 80 strikeouts to 23 walks in 94.0 innings pitched this season.
• After this weekend, Minnesota will stay in Minneapolis to host Iowa in a four-game set, April 23-25. All games will be streamed on BTN Plus.
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