University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, February 12
Orlando, FL
10:30 AM
University of Minnesota
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Georgia
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Minnesota
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Leavitt, Evans Lead Minnesota to Bounce Back Win
2/12/2022 8:30:00 PM | Softball
Leavitt records first collegiate victory behind Evans' four RBI
ORLANDO, Fla. - A three-run home run by Chloe Evans put the finishing touches on a 6-3 win for the Minnesota softball team against Longwood in game two Saturday following a 5-4, extra-inning setback to No. 12 Georgia in the opener during The CFX Classic in Orlando, Fla.
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For the second day in a row, the Gophers (2-2) dropped a one-run game to the Bulldogs before bouncing back with a win in the finale. Minnesota picked up a 6-3 victory over Longwood as freshman pitcher Emily Leavitt secured her first collegiate win in the circle and Evans registered a career-best four RBI.
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Game One
Minnesota erased an early 4-0 deficit tallying three runs in the second and another in the third to even the score before heading into extra innings against No. 12 Georgia, where it fell in eight innings, 5-4. Ellee Jensen and Lauren Espalin posted four of the Gophers six hits going 2-for-4 each and combined to drive in three runs, while the team drew five walks.
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Autumn Pease worked out of early trouble during the first after the Bulldogs put a pair into scoring position. The senior struck out the next three batters to post a zero on the scoreboard. Jensen singled to start the offense and Makenna Dowell had a two-out walk as both sides threatened in the first.
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Georgia broke the game open scoring four times with two outs in the second aided by an error. Minnesota struck back in the bottom half of the frame taking advantage of three walks to load the bases before Jensen slapped a RBI single to left. Espalin followed with a two-run single to right cutting the margin to one, 4-3. The Gophers fought all the way back to even the score in the third as Evans walked and later came around on a Sydney Strelow RBI single.
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Evans sprinted to a one-out double in the fifth and Espalin lined a double to the wall in the sixth as the Gophers looked for the go-ahead run, but failed to capitalize as the 4-4 tie remained. In extra innings with international tiebreak rules in effect, Georgia struck for a RBI single to take the lead. Minnesota moved the potential tying run to third on a sacrifice bunt before the Bulldogs doubled off the runner on a popped-up bunt attempt ending the game.
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Game Two
Evans launched a three-run home run late to register a career-high four RBI in the 6-3 win against Longwood. Espalin and Natalie DenHartog led the way scoring two runs apiece and Emily Hansen had a hit and two of the team's seven free passes.
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The Lancers jumped out to a 1-0 lead sending a solo home run to left starting the second inning. The Gophers got the lead-off runner on in each of the first three innings and finally broke through in the third to even the game. DenHartog sent a single to left opening the inning and later scampered home on a wild pitch making it a 1-1 ballgame.
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Minnesota turned to small ball in the fifth leading to a pair of runs beginning on Espalin's bunt single. After another DenHartog single, a sac bunt from Makenna Dowell put both runners into scoring position. Espalin slid under the tag on an Evans RBI groundout and Emily Hansen dropped down a squeeze bunt plating the second run of the frame giving the Gophers a 3-1 lead. Longwood threatened in the sixth loading the bases with two outs and closed the gap, 3-2, on a walk before Minnesota went to Pease securing the final out of the inning.
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Evans put the exclamation point on the night launching a three-run blast to right after Espalin walked and Dowell was hit by a pitch pushing the Gophers in front, 6-2. The Lancers got a sacrifice fly in the seventh, but the damage was done as Minnesota closed out the win, 6-3. Leavitt tossed 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on eight hits, while Pease tallied the save pitching the final 1.1 innings.
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UP NEXT
Minnesota closes its first weekend of action Sunday morning taking on Fresno State at 8:30 a.m. (CT).
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For the second day in a row, the Gophers (2-2) dropped a one-run game to the Bulldogs before bouncing back with a win in the finale. Minnesota picked up a 6-3 victory over Longwood as freshman pitcher Emily Leavitt secured her first collegiate win in the circle and Evans registered a career-best four RBI.
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Game One
Minnesota erased an early 4-0 deficit tallying three runs in the second and another in the third to even the score before heading into extra innings against No. 12 Georgia, where it fell in eight innings, 5-4. Ellee Jensen and Lauren Espalin posted four of the Gophers six hits going 2-for-4 each and combined to drive in three runs, while the team drew five walks.
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Autumn Pease worked out of early trouble during the first after the Bulldogs put a pair into scoring position. The senior struck out the next three batters to post a zero on the scoreboard. Jensen singled to start the offense and Makenna Dowell had a two-out walk as both sides threatened in the first.
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Georgia broke the game open scoring four times with two outs in the second aided by an error. Minnesota struck back in the bottom half of the frame taking advantage of three walks to load the bases before Jensen slapped a RBI single to left. Espalin followed with a two-run single to right cutting the margin to one, 4-3. The Gophers fought all the way back to even the score in the third as Evans walked and later came around on a Sydney Strelow RBI single.
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Evans sprinted to a one-out double in the fifth and Espalin lined a double to the wall in the sixth as the Gophers looked for the go-ahead run, but failed to capitalize as the 4-4 tie remained. In extra innings with international tiebreak rules in effect, Georgia struck for a RBI single to take the lead. Minnesota moved the potential tying run to third on a sacrifice bunt before the Bulldogs doubled off the runner on a popped-up bunt attempt ending the game.
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Game Two
Evans launched a three-run home run late to register a career-high four RBI in the 6-3 win against Longwood. Espalin and Natalie DenHartog led the way scoring two runs apiece and Emily Hansen had a hit and two of the team's seven free passes.
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The Lancers jumped out to a 1-0 lead sending a solo home run to left starting the second inning. The Gophers got the lead-off runner on in each of the first three innings and finally broke through in the third to even the game. DenHartog sent a single to left opening the inning and later scampered home on a wild pitch making it a 1-1 ballgame.
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Minnesota turned to small ball in the fifth leading to a pair of runs beginning on Espalin's bunt single. After another DenHartog single, a sac bunt from Makenna Dowell put both runners into scoring position. Espalin slid under the tag on an Evans RBI groundout and Emily Hansen dropped down a squeeze bunt plating the second run of the frame giving the Gophers a 3-1 lead. Longwood threatened in the sixth loading the bases with two outs and closed the gap, 3-2, on a walk before Minnesota went to Pease securing the final out of the inning.
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Evans put the exclamation point on the night launching a three-run blast to right after Espalin walked and Dowell was hit by a pitch pushing the Gophers in front, 6-2. The Lancers got a sacrifice fly in the seventh, but the damage was done as Minnesota closed out the win, 6-3. Leavitt tossed 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on eight hits, while Pease tallied the save pitching the final 1.1 innings.
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UP NEXT
Minnesota closes its first weekend of action Sunday morning taking on Fresno State at 8:30 a.m. (CT).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kerpics, Madison (2-1)
L: Pease, Autumn (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Chambley, Sydney 1
RBI: Chambley, Sydney 1 ; Mosley, Sara 1 ; Davis, Lyndi Rae 1
SH: Eaton, Hayley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chambley, Sydney 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 1 ; Fincher, Lacey 1 ; Davis, Lyndi Rae 1 ; Eaton, Hayley 1
SB: Chambley, Sydney 1
CS: Landrum, CJ 1
Batting:
2B: Espalin, Lauren 1 ; Evans, Chloe 1
RBI: Jensen, Ellee 1 ; Espalin, Lauren 2 ; Strelow, Sydney 1
SH: Chavez, Kayla 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Evans, Chloe 1 ; Chavez, Kayla 1 ; Dray, Megan 1 ; Strelow, Sydney 1
SB: Espalin, Lauren 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
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