University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, March 25
Piscataway, NJ
2:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Rutgers
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
Minnesota Opens B1G Play at Rutgers Mar. 25-27
3/24/2022 8:15:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS - It's Big Ten time for the Gophers softball team as they open conference play in a three-game series at Rutgers Mar. 25-27. Watch all the action streaming live on B1G+ from the Rutgers Softball Complex.
WEEKEND QUICK HITS
RECORDS MADE TO BE BROKEN
After hitting eight home runs over the last 10 games played, Natalie DenHartog is now tied with Jordanne Nygren (1999-2003) for the program's all-time home run record hitting 51. She matched Nygren on a solo shot against Drake Mar. 12 capping an incredible stretch where she belted eight home runs in a span of 28 at-bats. A senior from Hopkins, Minn., DenHartog is currently averaging one home run every seven trips to the plate this year and has added 157 RBI across 153 career games played, needing just 13 RBI to crack the program's top five.
OFFENSIVE RHYTHM
Over its spring break trip to Oklahoma and Texas, the Minnesota offense found its rhythm totaling a .292 batting average in 10 games. The Gophers tallied 31 extra-base hits, including 16 doubles and 15 home runs, of their 74 total hits on the way to a .534 slugging percentage for the extended road stretch. Three different players posted double-digit hits during the trip led by 17 from DenHartog and 11 from both Lauren Espalin and Chloe Evans. The same three also scored double-figure runs helping the team to an average of 6.0 runs per game.
MARCH BELONGS TO DENHARTOG
The senior outfielder has collected a hit in eight of the 10 games played in March, including six games with multiple hits. She has raised her batting average 60 points since the start of the month going 17-for-36 with nine extra-base hits, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored. DenHartog now ranks 16th in the NCAA registering 72 total bases.
LEADING OFF
Minnesota has recorded a .402 batting average (66-for-164) when leading off an inning. DenHartog is hitting .643 as the lead-off batter (9-for-14), while Dowell is .615 (8-for-13). Espalin has a team-best 19 hits in that position and a .543 average giving the Gophers offense early chances with runners on base.
RECOMMEND A DINGER (OR MORE) A DAY
Minnesota has launched 32 home runs in 25 games this season to sit 24th in the NCAA in home runs per game. Nine different players have hit a long ball, led by 12 from DenHartog and five by Evans, helping the Gophers to a 12-5-1 record when hitting at least one home run.
MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME
It was a memorable finish to the weekend in Austin, Texas, for a pair of Gopher freshmen as both Nani Valencia and Kayla Chavez hit their first collegiate home runs against the Longhorns. Valencia's came in pinch-hit fashion Mar. 12 during her first at-bat for the Maroon and Gold, while Chavez launched a three-run blast the next day helping Minnesota to a 10-4 lead on the road.
HANDLE THE WORKLOAD
The pitching duo of Autumn Pease and Emily Leavitt has combined to throw 158.1 of Minnesota's 162.2 innings in 2022 and struck out 148 opposing batters. They are responsible for all win-loss decisions this season and pitched 10 complete games as each has tossed five, including one shutout.
BATTLING THE BEST
Minnesota's schedule, one of the toughest in the nation, includes matchups with 12 different teams that made the 2021 NCAA Tournament and three teams that made the 2021 Women's College World Series, including opening-day opponent Georgia. Eight teams on the docket were ranked inside the top 25 of the 2022 USA Today/NFCA Coaches' Preseason Poll and three more received votes, along with the Gophers.
UP NEXT
For the first time this season, the Gophers have the chance to play in front of their home crowd at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium when they host Illinois for a Big Ten series April 1-3.
WEEKEND QUICK HITS
RECORDS MADE TO BE BROKEN
After hitting eight home runs over the last 10 games played, Natalie DenHartog is now tied with Jordanne Nygren (1999-2003) for the program's all-time home run record hitting 51. She matched Nygren on a solo shot against Drake Mar. 12 capping an incredible stretch where she belted eight home runs in a span of 28 at-bats. A senior from Hopkins, Minn., DenHartog is currently averaging one home run every seven trips to the plate this year and has added 157 RBI across 153 career games played, needing just 13 RBI to crack the program's top five.
OFFENSIVE RHYTHM
Over its spring break trip to Oklahoma and Texas, the Minnesota offense found its rhythm totaling a .292 batting average in 10 games. The Gophers tallied 31 extra-base hits, including 16 doubles and 15 home runs, of their 74 total hits on the way to a .534 slugging percentage for the extended road stretch. Three different players posted double-digit hits during the trip led by 17 from DenHartog and 11 from both Lauren Espalin and Chloe Evans. The same three also scored double-figure runs helping the team to an average of 6.0 runs per game.
MARCH BELONGS TO DENHARTOG
The senior outfielder has collected a hit in eight of the 10 games played in March, including six games with multiple hits. She has raised her batting average 60 points since the start of the month going 17-for-36 with nine extra-base hits, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored. DenHartog now ranks 16th in the NCAA registering 72 total bases.
LEADING OFF
Minnesota has recorded a .402 batting average (66-for-164) when leading off an inning. DenHartog is hitting .643 as the lead-off batter (9-for-14), while Dowell is .615 (8-for-13). Espalin has a team-best 19 hits in that position and a .543 average giving the Gophers offense early chances with runners on base.
RECOMMEND A DINGER (OR MORE) A DAY
Minnesota has launched 32 home runs in 25 games this season to sit 24th in the NCAA in home runs per game. Nine different players have hit a long ball, led by 12 from DenHartog and five by Evans, helping the Gophers to a 12-5-1 record when hitting at least one home run.
MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME
It was a memorable finish to the weekend in Austin, Texas, for a pair of Gopher freshmen as both Nani Valencia and Kayla Chavez hit their first collegiate home runs against the Longhorns. Valencia's came in pinch-hit fashion Mar. 12 during her first at-bat for the Maroon and Gold, while Chavez launched a three-run blast the next day helping Minnesota to a 10-4 lead on the road.
HANDLE THE WORKLOAD
The pitching duo of Autumn Pease and Emily Leavitt has combined to throw 158.1 of Minnesota's 162.2 innings in 2022 and struck out 148 opposing batters. They are responsible for all win-loss decisions this season and pitched 10 complete games as each has tossed five, including one shutout.
BATTLING THE BEST
Minnesota's schedule, one of the toughest in the nation, includes matchups with 12 different teams that made the 2021 NCAA Tournament and three teams that made the 2021 Women's College World Series, including opening-day opponent Georgia. Eight teams on the docket were ranked inside the top 25 of the 2022 USA Today/NFCA Coaches' Preseason Poll and three more received votes, along with the Gophers.
UP NEXT
For the first time this season, the Gophers have the chance to play in front of their home crowd at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium when they host Illinois for a Big Ten series April 1-3.
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