Strelow's Walk-Off Homer Completes Minnesota's Comeback Win

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MINNEAPOLIS - Sydney Strelow's walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth completed a come-from-behind victory for Minnesota softball, 9-8, over South Dakota State in extra innings from Jane Sage Cowles Stadium Wednesday afternoon.

The Gophers erased a five-run deficit scoring the final six runs of the contest to pick up their third-straight win. The comeback earned freshman Nani Valencia her first collegiate victory as she tossed a scoreless top of the eighth thanks to a line-drive double play started by Strelow, who then delivered the late-game heroics on the third pitch she saw opening the bottom half of the frame.

SDSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first taking advantage of a one-out walk that came around to score on a double. Walks to Minnesota's Lauren Espalin and Natalie DenHartog in the bottom of the first gave the home side a chance to pull even but could not convert the opportunity. The Jacks extended their lead on a grand slam in the second making it a 5-0 score.

WALK. IT. OFF. SYD!!!!! 💪@sydstrelow #Gophers pic.twitter.com/wflrD0DCG2
— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) April 13, 2022

The Gophers clawed back in the bottom half of the second scoring twice without getting a hit as Espalin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Strelow drew a walk to plate another run closing the gap to 5-2. Minnesota had a chance to cut the margin even further before leaving the bases full as the rally was stopped. SDSU led off the third on its second long ball, pushing back to a four-run advantage.

A lead-off triple by Chloe Evans opened the third for the Gophers and the sophomore scored on a RBI groundout from Megan Dray. Autumn Pease entered the circle in the fourth and promptly retired the first five batters she faced until back-to-back hits put two more runs on the board for the Jacks as the deficit grew to 8-3.

The margin did not deter the Minnesota lineup as it chipped away scoring four times during the fifth as nine players went to the plate in a four-hit frame. A DenHartog single followed by an Evans walk got the inning started and Sara Kinch brought one home hitting a ground-rule double to center. Makenna Dowell and pinch-hitter Emily Hansen each delivered RBI singles before a Jensen RBI groundout made it a one-run game, 8-7.

DenHartog laced a lead-off triple in the sixth as the potential tying run. Evans walked again and moved to second with a stolen base setting up Kinch at the plate. The sophomore dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt allowing DenHartog to slide home safely and even the score, 8-8. Valencia and the defense worked around a single by the Jacks setting up Strelow for the winner coming via the Gophers second walk-off home run of the season.

Dowell reached base all four trips to the batter's box with a hit, three walks and two runs scored, while Espalin, DenHartog and Evans got on safely three times as Minnesota took advantage of 11 free bases.

Up Next
The Gophers continue their road swing Apr. 15-17 heading to Lincoln, Neb., for a three-game series against Big Ten Conference-leading Nebraska looking to snap the Huskers' 15-game win streak.

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