University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 11
Orlando, FL
3:20 PM
University of Minnesota
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Minnesota
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Gophers Take Down UCF to Split Opening Day
2/11/2022 10:15:00 PM | Softball
Minnesota launches three home runs and holds opponents to a .170 batting average
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Gopher softball team used a 3-1 win over host UCF in the nightcap Friday to earn a split on opening day at The CFX Classic after a 3-2 loss to No. 12 Georgia in Orlando, Fla.
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Minnesota (1-1) combined for seven extra-base hits, including three solo home runs on the day, while the pitching staff and defense limited the opposition to eight hits in 13 innings for a .170 batting average against. Sara Kinch reached base five times and led the team driving in a run in each contest.
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Kinch and Sydney Strelow hit solo home runs in the fourth inning giving the Gophers a 2-0 advantage before the Bulldogs (2-1) battled back during a three-run fifth. Minnesota made a late run but could not secure the upset falling 3-2 in the opening game of 2022.
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True freshman Emily Leavitt made her collegiate debut and was in cruise control through the first four innings against the nationally-ranked Bulldogs. She struck out three of the first four batters she faced before allowing a base runner to reach via an error in the second. The Chino, Calif., native ended the inning on another strikeout and needed just eight pitches to shut down Georgia in the third.
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The Gophers scored two runs in a span of five pitches in the top of the fourth as Kinch and Strelow crushed no-doubt, solo blasts to chase the Bulldogs starting pitcher. Leavitt carried that momentum into the fourth retiring the side in order for the third time. Georgia broke the shutout in the bottom of the fifth taking advantage of a one-out error by adding a RBI double, Leavitt's first hit allowed on the day. Back-to-back singles extended the push and evened the score, 2-2, before a bases-loaded sacrifice fly put the Bulldogs in front, 3-2.
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Minnesota had chances every inning putting runners into scoring position in each of the first five innings and had the tying run on base in the sixth and seventh, but went 0-for-9 overall with runners on the base paths. The Gophers out-hit Georgia by a 5-4 margin and drew five free passes as Lauren Espalin, DenHartog, Kinch and Strelow each reached base twice. Leavitt tossed the complete game allowing four hits and three runs, only one of which was earned, in six innings.
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Game Two
Natalie DenHartog provided the highlights on defense and offense, while Autumn Pease shut down the Knights, a team receiving votes in the preseason poll, helping the Gophers to a 3-1 victory.
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Jensen and Espalin delivered back-to-back singles starting the game against UCF (1-1) and both were left in scoring position as Minnesota could not capitalize on its early opportunities. Pease was in command from the circle all evening and put up three-straight scoreless innings allowing the offense a chance to come through. Kinch walked beginning the fourth and Chloe Evans added a one-out walk before Jensen delivered a two-out, RBI double to left plating pinch runner MacKenzie Denson from second giving Minnesota a 1-0 advantage.
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Three Gopher hits in the fifth helped push the margin to 2-0 as DenHartog and Makenna Dowell started with singles and Kinch ripped a RBI double back up the middle. UCF sent a two-out home run in the bottom half of the inning cutting the lead to 2-1. The Knights thought they had tied the game in the sixth, but DenHartog had other plans making a leaping catch at the wall.
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The senior wasn't done there as she delivered on the offensive side launching a solo home run in her next at bat helping Minnesota regain a two-run cushion, 3-1. It was the 40th long ball of her career moving into a tie for fourth in program history with Katie Richardson (2012-15) and Kendyl Lindaman (2017-18).
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Leavitt entered in relief for the seventh and issued a four-pitch walk starting the frame. With the tying run batting, the freshman settled in and retired the next three hitters securing the Gophers first win of the 2022 season. Pease recorded the victory giving up one run on four hits across six innings, while striking out seven.
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UP NEXT
The Gophers face Georgia for the second time in as many days Saturday at 10:30 a.m. before taking on Longwood at 3:30 p.m.
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Minnesota (1-1) combined for seven extra-base hits, including three solo home runs on the day, while the pitching staff and defense limited the opposition to eight hits in 13 innings for a .170 batting average against. Sara Kinch reached base five times and led the team driving in a run in each contest.
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Game OneOh My @natdenh!!! What a catch at the wall@espn #SCTop10 @NCAASoftball @B1Gsoftball pic.twitter.com/ltRwknHX5k
— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) February 12, 2022
Kinch and Sydney Strelow hit solo home runs in the fourth inning giving the Gophers a 2-0 advantage before the Bulldogs (2-1) battled back during a three-run fifth. Minnesota made a late run but could not secure the upset falling 3-2 in the opening game of 2022.
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True freshman Emily Leavitt made her collegiate debut and was in cruise control through the first four innings against the nationally-ranked Bulldogs. She struck out three of the first four batters she faced before allowing a base runner to reach via an error in the second. The Chino, Calif., native ended the inning on another strikeout and needed just eight pitches to shut down Georgia in the third.
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The Gophers scored two runs in a span of five pitches in the top of the fourth as Kinch and Strelow crushed no-doubt, solo blasts to chase the Bulldogs starting pitcher. Leavitt carried that momentum into the fourth retiring the side in order for the third time. Georgia broke the shutout in the bottom of the fifth taking advantage of a one-out error by adding a RBI double, Leavitt's first hit allowed on the day. Back-to-back singles extended the push and evened the score, 2-2, before a bases-loaded sacrifice fly put the Bulldogs in front, 3-2.
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Minnesota had chances every inning putting runners into scoring position in each of the first five innings and had the tying run on base in the sixth and seventh, but went 0-for-9 overall with runners on the base paths. The Gophers out-hit Georgia by a 5-4 margin and drew five free passes as Lauren Espalin, DenHartog, Kinch and Strelow each reached base twice. Leavitt tossed the complete game allowing four hits and three runs, only one of which was earned, in six innings.
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Game Two
Natalie DenHartog provided the highlights on defense and offense, while Autumn Pease shut down the Knights, a team receiving votes in the preseason poll, helping the Gophers to a 3-1 victory.
Â
Jensen and Espalin delivered back-to-back singles starting the game against UCF (1-1) and both were left in scoring position as Minnesota could not capitalize on its early opportunities. Pease was in command from the circle all evening and put up three-straight scoreless innings allowing the offense a chance to come through. Kinch walked beginning the fourth and Chloe Evans added a one-out walk before Jensen delivered a two-out, RBI double to left plating pinch runner MacKenzie Denson from second giving Minnesota a 1-0 advantage.
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Three Gopher hits in the fifth helped push the margin to 2-0 as DenHartog and Makenna Dowell started with singles and Kinch ripped a RBI double back up the middle. UCF sent a two-out home run in the bottom half of the inning cutting the lead to 2-1. The Knights thought they had tied the game in the sixth, but DenHartog had other plans making a leaping catch at the wall.
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The senior wasn't done there as she delivered on the offensive side launching a solo home run in her next at bat helping Minnesota regain a two-run cushion, 3-1. It was the 40th long ball of her career moving into a tie for fourth in program history with Katie Richardson (2012-15) and Kendyl Lindaman (2017-18).
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Leavitt entered in relief for the seventh and issued a four-pitch walk starting the frame. With the tying run batting, the freshman settled in and retired the next three hitters securing the Gophers first win of the 2022 season. Pease recorded the victory giving up one run on four hits across six innings, while striking out seven.
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UP NEXT
The Gophers face Georgia for the second time in as many days Saturday at 10:30 a.m. before taking on Longwood at 3:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pease, Autumn (1-0)
L: G. Jewell (0-1)
S: Leavitt, Emily (1)
Batting:
2B: Jensen, Ellee 1 ; Espalin, Lauren 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1
HR: DenHartog, Natalie 1
RBI: Jensen, Ellee 1 ; DenHartog, Natalie 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DenHartog, Natalie 2 ; Denson, MacKenzie 1
SB: DenHartog, Natalie 1
Batting:
HR: M. Bejarano 1
RBI: M. Bejarano 1
Base Running:
RUNS: M. Bejarano 1
SB: J. Rowe 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
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