University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, February 17
Phoenix, AZ
1:00 PM
University of Minnesota
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Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Gophers Fall Twice Opening Arizona Trip
2/17/2022 9:30:00 PM | Softball
Photo Gallery
TEMPE, Ariz. - Minnesota softball dropped both ends of a day, night doubleheader coming 8-7 on a walk-off home run at Grand Canyon and later in the day across the city 8-0 in six innings at No. 21 Arizona State Thursday opening its weekend trip to Arizona.
Game One
The Gophers held three separate leads, only to see GCU respond every time and hit five home runs, including a walk-off homer during an 8-7 loss. Minnesota was down to its last strike in the top of the seventh and got a RBI single from Sara Kinch to keep the game alive.
It was the grad transfers that set the tone early as Lauren Espalin ripped a one-out single and slid into second on a GCU error. Makenna Dowell made the home team pay as she crushed a two-run home run to right giving the Gophers a 2-0 lead in the first. The Lopes immediately used a two-out long ball of their own to even the score, 2-2.
After the Gophers struck for another unearned run in the second, GCU hit a lead-off homer tying the game before Autumn Pease fanned the next three batters starting a stretch where she retired nine of 10 Lopes. That allowed the offense to come through in the fifth as Natalie DenHartog delivered a two-run single with Ellee Jensen and Espalin in scoring position. Chloe Evans made it a three-run frame on a RBI single.
The advantage was short lived again as the Lopes fought back scoring three times in the home half of the inning behind five-straight hits. GCU took its first lead of the day, 7-6, opening the sixth on a solo blast.
DenHartog was hit on the top of her helmet with one out in the seventh and after stealing second base, the senior sprinted home on a two-out, two-strike RBI single by Kinch to tie the game. GCU hit a home run for the walk-off win, 8-7, with one out in the bottom of the seventh,.
Seven different players had at least one hit for the Gophers offense. Pease reached double-digit strikeouts for the first time in her career totaling 10 in the setback and Emily Leavitt was tagged with the loss pitching the seventh.
Game Two
Minnesota had a chance to break the game open early loading the bases with one out, but were unable to capitalize, and the nationally-ranked Sun Devils took advantage. ASU hit a solo home run starting the bottom of the first for the 1-0 lead.
Leavitt settled in and set down nine of the next 10 batters, including seven straight, until a lead-off single in the fourth. The Sun Devils pushed their margin to 3-0 later in the frame hitting a two-out home run. The Gophers had a string of seven-consecutive hitters retired before back-to-back singles by Espalin and DenHartog in the fifth bringing the potential tying run to the plate. Minnesota couldn't get the hit it needed as the deficit remained three.
ASU added three runs in the fifth and ended the game early hitting a two-run home run in the sixth closing the 8-0 shutout.
Espalin tallied two of Minnesota's five hits in the game. In the circle, Leavitt struck out five in 4.1 innings allowing five runs on five hits before Nani Valencia made her collegiate debut finishing the game. The freshman fanned two in 1.1 innings giving up one earned run on three hits.
UP NEXT
Minnesota plays a single game against UTEP Friday from Farrington Stadium at Arizona State. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. (CT).
TEMPE, Ariz. - Minnesota softball dropped both ends of a day, night doubleheader coming 8-7 on a walk-off home run at Grand Canyon and later in the day across the city 8-0 in six innings at No. 21 Arizona State Thursday opening its weekend trip to Arizona.
Game One
The Gophers held three separate leads, only to see GCU respond every time and hit five home runs, including a walk-off homer during an 8-7 loss. Minnesota was down to its last strike in the top of the seventh and got a RBI single from Sara Kinch to keep the game alive.
It was the grad transfers that set the tone early as Lauren Espalin ripped a one-out single and slid into second on a GCU error. Makenna Dowell made the home team pay as she crushed a two-run home run to right giving the Gophers a 2-0 lead in the first. The Lopes immediately used a two-out long ball of their own to even the score, 2-2.
After the Gophers struck for another unearned run in the second, GCU hit a lead-off homer tying the game before Autumn Pease fanned the next three batters starting a stretch where she retired nine of 10 Lopes. That allowed the offense to come through in the fifth as Natalie DenHartog delivered a two-run single with Ellee Jensen and Espalin in scoring position. Chloe Evans made it a three-run frame on a RBI single.
The advantage was short lived again as the Lopes fought back scoring three times in the home half of the inning behind five-straight hits. GCU took its first lead of the day, 7-6, opening the sixth on a solo blast.
DenHartog was hit on the top of her helmet with one out in the seventh and after stealing second base, the senior sprinted home on a two-out, two-strike RBI single by Kinch to tie the game. GCU hit a home run for the walk-off win, 8-7, with one out in the bottom of the seventh,.
Seven different players had at least one hit for the Gophers offense. Pease reached double-digit strikeouts for the first time in her career totaling 10 in the setback and Emily Leavitt was tagged with the loss pitching the seventh.
Game Two
Minnesota had a chance to break the game open early loading the bases with one out, but were unable to capitalize, and the nationally-ranked Sun Devils took advantage. ASU hit a solo home run starting the bottom of the first for the 1-0 lead.
Leavitt settled in and set down nine of the next 10 batters, including seven straight, until a lead-off single in the fourth. The Sun Devils pushed their margin to 3-0 later in the frame hitting a two-out home run. The Gophers had a string of seven-consecutive hitters retired before back-to-back singles by Espalin and DenHartog in the fifth bringing the potential tying run to the plate. Minnesota couldn't get the hit it needed as the deficit remained three.
ASU added three runs in the fifth and ended the game early hitting a two-run home run in the sixth closing the 8-0 shutout.
Espalin tallied two of Minnesota's five hits in the game. In the circle, Leavitt struck out five in 4.1 innings allowing five runs on five hits before Nani Valencia made her collegiate debut finishing the game. The freshman fanned two in 1.1 innings giving up one earned run on three hits.
UP NEXT
Minnesota plays a single game against UTEP Friday from Farrington Stadium at Arizona State. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. (CT).
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thompson, Ariel (2-1)
L: Leavitt, Emily (2-2)
Batting:
HR: Dowell, Makenna 1
RBI: DenHartog, Natalie 2 ; Dowell, Makenna 2 ; Kinch, Sara 1 ; Evans, Chloe 1
SH: Espalin, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jensen, Ellee 1 ; Espalin, Lauren 2 ; DenHartog, Natalie 2 ; Dowell, Makenna 1 ; Evans, Chloe 1
SB: DenHartog, Natalie 1
CS: Evans, Chloe 1
HBP: DenHartog, Natalie 1
Batting:
2B: Reed, Stephanie 1 ; Tourville, Savannah 1
HR: Chatman, Denae 2 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 2 ; Barnes, Macee 1
RBI: Chatman, Denae 4 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 2 ; Barnes, Macee 2
SF: Chatman, Denae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nicoletti, Gianna 1 ; Reed, Stephanie 1 ; Chatman, Denae 2 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 2 ; Tourville, Savannah 1 ; Barnes, Macee 1
SB: Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Villaescusa, Emma 1
CS: Dunckel, Katelyn 1
HBP: Dunckel, Katelyn 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
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