University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, May 15
University Park, PA
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
28-10, 28-10
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Penn State
6-33, 6-33
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Earn a Pair of Wins Over Penn State
5/15/2021 8:43:00 PM | Softball
The No. 23 University of Minnesota softball team earned a pair of wins today in a doubleheader against Penn State. The Golden Gophers (29-10) won the first game, 8-3, and followed with a 10-0 shutout in the second.
On the day, Katelyn Kemmetmueller went 5-for-7, hitting .714. She belted two home runs, and contributed three RBIs. Natalie DenHartog had three hits in six at bats, three walks, and hit .500. Emily Hansen and Sara Kinch each had three hits. In all, the Gophers hit five home runs on the day and contributed 19 hits. Pitchers Ava Dueck and Amber Fiser each picked up a win.
Up Next
Minnesota closes out the series Sunday at 12 p.m., CT. It also marks the end of the regular season for the Gophers. The NCAA Selection Show will announce the field of 64 Sunday night at 8 p.m., on ESPN2.
Game One Recap | 8-3 Win
Minnesota utilized two home runs and a total of 12 hits en route to an 8-3 first-game win. Kemmetmueller went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. DenHartog went 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored, while Hansen had two RBIs and was 2-for-4.
Penn State got on the board first with a solo home run in the bottom of the second. However, the Gophers responded by scoring five in the top of the third. Hansen doubled to right center to plate two runs. Kemmetmueller added to the lead when she delivered an RBI single to right. Kinch followed with a bloop single to left for a 4-1 lead. Chloe Evans added Minnesota's fifth run of the inning when she produced a RBI sac fly to score Kemmetmueller.
PSU came back in the bottom of the third and scored two of its own as the Nittany Lions cut the Gopher lead to 5-3 off a pair of RBI singles. DenHartog hit her second home run of the weekend and 13th of the season to give the Gophers a 6-3 lead.
Kemmetmueller added her third hit of the day and a 7-3 lead when she hit a bomb over the left field fence, her sixth home run of the season. Minnesota's final blow also came in the top of the seventh when MaKenna Partain added an RBI single that scored Sydney Stelow for the 8-3 eventual final.
Autumn Pease started the game and pitched the first three innings. She allowed three runs, two of which were earned. Dueck earned the win when she pitched four innings, allowed just one hit and had a strikeout. She is now 3-1 this season.
Game Two | 10-0 Win
Minnesota scored in six runs in the fifth and four in the seventh for a 10-0 shutout over Penn State. Kemmetmueller paved the way when she went 2-for-3, had a home run, an RBI and a run scored. Kinch also had a home run and went 1-for-4, and DenHartog was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Fiser picked up the win. Delanie Cox pinch hit in the seventh and delivered a three-run home run.
The two teams went scoreless and only produced three hits combined through four innings. The Gophers, however, broke open the game in the top of the fifth when they plated six runs. Kemmetmueller added her second home run of the day and fifth hit when she hit a solo home run to left. Kinch followed in the very next at bat and crushed one to center field for her second home run of the series. Minnesota hadn't had two batters hit back-to-back home runs since 2018, but have now had back-to-back home runs in two of the last four games. Partain/DenHartog accomplished the feat against Michigan (5/9/21) and now Kemmetmueller and Kinch.
With no outs, the Gophers added to its lead, after back-to-back walks, Ellee Jensen reached on an error to load the bases. DenHartog walked in a run for a 3-0 lead, as Hansen singled to first for another run. Megan Dray provided a sac fly for a 5-0 lead and DenHartog came around to score on a throwing error.
The Gophers weren't done just yet as they added four more in the seventh. After Partain singled and DenHartog doubled, a PSU error scored one run. Cox came in to pinch hit for the Gophers and hit a three-run home run over the Penn State scoreboard to left field. It was the second time this year Cox pinch hit and delivered a home run. The first time was against Northwestern earlier this season.
One run, however, was all that Fiser would need for the win. She improved to 15-7 on the season when she added her second complete game and shutout of the series, as she also blanked PSU Friday, 4-0. She did not allow a walk and struck out eight in the win.
On the day, Katelyn Kemmetmueller went 5-for-7, hitting .714. She belted two home runs, and contributed three RBIs. Natalie DenHartog had three hits in six at bats, three walks, and hit .500. Emily Hansen and Sara Kinch each had three hits. In all, the Gophers hit five home runs on the day and contributed 19 hits. Pitchers Ava Dueck and Amber Fiser each picked up a win.
Up Next
Minnesota closes out the series Sunday at 12 p.m., CT. It also marks the end of the regular season for the Gophers. The NCAA Selection Show will announce the field of 64 Sunday night at 8 p.m., on ESPN2.
Game One Recap | 8-3 Win
Minnesota utilized two home runs and a total of 12 hits en route to an 8-3 first-game win. Kemmetmueller went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. DenHartog went 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored, while Hansen had two RBIs and was 2-for-4.
Penn State got on the board first with a solo home run in the bottom of the second. However, the Gophers responded by scoring five in the top of the third. Hansen doubled to right center to plate two runs. Kemmetmueller added to the lead when she delivered an RBI single to right. Kinch followed with a bloop single to left for a 4-1 lead. Chloe Evans added Minnesota's fifth run of the inning when she produced a RBI sac fly to score Kemmetmueller.
PSU came back in the bottom of the third and scored two of its own as the Nittany Lions cut the Gopher lead to 5-3 off a pair of RBI singles. DenHartog hit her second home run of the weekend and 13th of the season to give the Gophers a 6-3 lead.
Kemmetmueller added her third hit of the day and a 7-3 lead when she hit a bomb over the left field fence, her sixth home run of the season. Minnesota's final blow also came in the top of the seventh when MaKenna Partain added an RBI single that scored Sydney Stelow for the 8-3 eventual final.
Autumn Pease started the game and pitched the first three innings. She allowed three runs, two of which were earned. Dueck earned the win when she pitched four innings, allowed just one hit and had a strikeout. She is now 3-1 this season.
Game Two | 10-0 Win
Minnesota scored in six runs in the fifth and four in the seventh for a 10-0 shutout over Penn State. Kemmetmueller paved the way when she went 2-for-3, had a home run, an RBI and a run scored. Kinch also had a home run and went 1-for-4, and DenHartog was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Fiser picked up the win. Delanie Cox pinch hit in the seventh and delivered a three-run home run.
The two teams went scoreless and only produced three hits combined through four innings. The Gophers, however, broke open the game in the top of the fifth when they plated six runs. Kemmetmueller added her second home run of the day and fifth hit when she hit a solo home run to left. Kinch followed in the very next at bat and crushed one to center field for her second home run of the series. Minnesota hadn't had two batters hit back-to-back home runs since 2018, but have now had back-to-back home runs in two of the last four games. Partain/DenHartog accomplished the feat against Michigan (5/9/21) and now Kemmetmueller and Kinch.
With no outs, the Gophers added to its lead, after back-to-back walks, Ellee Jensen reached on an error to load the bases. DenHartog walked in a run for a 3-0 lead, as Hansen singled to first for another run. Megan Dray provided a sac fly for a 5-0 lead and DenHartog came around to score on a throwing error.
The Gophers weren't done just yet as they added four more in the seventh. After Partain singled and DenHartog doubled, a PSU error scored one run. Cox came in to pinch hit for the Gophers and hit a three-run home run over the Penn State scoreboard to left field. It was the second time this year Cox pinch hit and delivered a home run. The first time was against Northwestern earlier this season.
One run, however, was all that Fiser would need for the win. She improved to 15-7 on the season when she added her second complete game and shutout of the series, as she also blanked PSU Friday, 4-0. She did not allow a walk and struck out eight in the win.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fiser, Amber (15-7)
L: Kylee Lingenfelter (2-12)
Batting:
2B: DenHartog, Natalie 1
HR: Cox, Delanie 1 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1
RBI: DenHartog, Natalie 1 ; Hansen, Emily 1 ; Denson, MacKenzie 1 ; Dray, Megan 1 ; Cox, Delanie 3 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1
SH: Jensen, Ellee 2
SF: Dray, Megan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jensen, Ellee 1 ; Partain, MaKenna 2 ; DenHartog, Natalie 2 ; Denson, MacKenzie 1 ; Cox, Delanie 1 ; Kemmetmueller, Katelyn 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1 ; Brandt, Carlie 1
SB: Denson, MacKenzie 1
Batting:
2B: Melody Coombs 1
Base Running:
HBP: Kennedy Legg 1 ; Ally Kurland 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
UT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
C
/ 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