University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, April 24
12:00 PM
University of Minnesota
20-20-1, 6-9
3
vs
4
Maryland
26-19, 12-5
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2
3
4
5
6
7
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H
E
Maryland
0
1
0
0
1
0
2
4
7
0
Minnesota
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
3
7
1
Late Rally Downs Minnesota Sunday
4/24/2022 3:30:00 PM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota softball was unable to hold a late lead Sunday afternoon and dropped the series finale to Maryland, 4-3, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
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The Gophers (20-20-1 overall, 6-9 B1G) built a 3-1 lead through four innings but allowed a run in the fifth and two in the seventh that erased their edge as the visitors claimed the Big Ten Conference series. The home side left seven runners on base in the contest and had the potential winning run at first in the bottom of the seventh.
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A one-out double from Chloe Evans got the offense started in the bottom of the first for Minnesota and Emily Hansen followed with a hard chopper for an infield single. Natalie DenHartog loaded the bases as she reached via a strike-three passed ball before Sara Kinch lifted a sacrifice fly into deep center field for the 1-0 advantage. Maryland evened the score the next half inning getting a runner into scoring position on a single and sacrifice bunt and brought the run home with a two-out single.
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Minnesota added a pair of two-out runs in the second started when Makenna Dowell sent a lead-off single to left center. After the next two batters were retired, Ellee Jensen pushed a single up the middle and Evans added a RBI single to right that put runners on the corners. The sophomore took off for second on the next pitch and forced a rundown allowing Jensen to slide home safely for a 3-1 lead as the Gophers executed the double steal.
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Autumn Pease was in command from the circle retiring the final seven batters she faced, including four via strikeout, and allowed one run on three hits in four innings. Nani Valencia entered in the fifth and was able to get out of a major jam allowing a bases-loaded walk as the Terps pulled within one but shut the door and stranded three on base to keep the Gophers one-run margin.
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DenHartog opened the bottom of the sixth lacing a double to the wall in right stopping a stretch where Maryland retired 10-straight batters. Sydney Strelow was hit by a pitch as Minnesota had a pair of base runners looking to extend its lead. Back-to-back ground ball outs ended the threat as the advantage stayed one heading into the seventh.
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Maryland used a double and a single opening the final frame getting the tying run to third base before the go-ahead run swiped second base. A sac fly to right plated the tying run and the Terps runner at second scored from an error on the play as the visitors took their first lead of the day, 4-3. Ansleigh Hollifield got the Gophers out of the inning thanks to a strikeout looking against the only batter she faced.
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Kayla Chavez led off the bottom of the seventh hitting a single and pinch runner MacKenzie Denson moved into scoring position on Jensen's sac bunt. The winning run reached base after Hansen drew a two-out walk but Minnesota failed to get the final swing it needed dropping the rubber game, 4-3.
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Up Next
The Gophers continue their homestand hosting St. Thomas Tuesday evening at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium with first pitch at 5:30 p.m. It'll be the first meeting between Minnesota and the Tommies as NCAA Division I programs.
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The Gophers (20-20-1 overall, 6-9 B1G) built a 3-1 lead through four innings but allowed a run in the fifth and two in the seventh that erased their edge as the visitors claimed the Big Ten Conference series. The home side left seven runners on base in the contest and had the potential winning run at first in the bottom of the seventh.
Â
A one-out double from Chloe Evans got the offense started in the bottom of the first for Minnesota and Emily Hansen followed with a hard chopper for an infield single. Natalie DenHartog loaded the bases as she reached via a strike-three passed ball before Sara Kinch lifted a sacrifice fly into deep center field for the 1-0 advantage. Maryland evened the score the next half inning getting a runner into scoring position on a single and sacrifice bunt and brought the run home with a two-out single.
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Minnesota added a pair of two-out runs in the second started when Makenna Dowell sent a lead-off single to left center. After the next two batters were retired, Ellee Jensen pushed a single up the middle and Evans added a RBI single to right that put runners on the corners. The sophomore took off for second on the next pitch and forced a rundown allowing Jensen to slide home safely for a 3-1 lead as the Gophers executed the double steal.
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Autumn Pease was in command from the circle retiring the final seven batters she faced, including four via strikeout, and allowed one run on three hits in four innings. Nani Valencia entered in the fifth and was able to get out of a major jam allowing a bases-loaded walk as the Terps pulled within one but shut the door and stranded three on base to keep the Gophers one-run margin.
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DenHartog opened the bottom of the sixth lacing a double to the wall in right stopping a stretch where Maryland retired 10-straight batters. Sydney Strelow was hit by a pitch as Minnesota had a pair of base runners looking to extend its lead. Back-to-back ground ball outs ended the threat as the advantage stayed one heading into the seventh.
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Maryland used a double and a single opening the final frame getting the tying run to third base before the go-ahead run swiped second base. A sac fly to right plated the tying run and the Terps runner at second scored from an error on the play as the visitors took their first lead of the day, 4-3. Ansleigh Hollifield got the Gophers out of the inning thanks to a strikeout looking against the only batter she faced.
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Kayla Chavez led off the bottom of the seventh hitting a single and pinch runner MacKenzie Denson moved into scoring position on Jensen's sac bunt. The winning run reached base after Hansen drew a two-out walk but Minnesota failed to get the final swing it needed dropping the rubber game, 4-3.
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Up Next
The Gophers continue their homestand hosting St. Thomas Tuesday evening at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium with first pitch at 5:30 p.m. It'll be the first meeting between Minnesota and the Tommies as NCAA Division I programs.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wyche, Courtney (12-5)
L: Valencia, Nani (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Goff, Kiley 1
RBI: Dustin, Katie 1 ; Greico, Mackense 1 ; Goff, Kiley 1
SH: Butler, Ruby 1
SF: Dustin, Katie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Michaela 1 ; Goff, Kiley 2 ; Borkowski, Merissa 1
SB: Kerr, Regan 1 ; Borkowski, Merissa 1
Batting:
2B: Evans, Chloe 1 ; DenHartog, Natalie 1
RBI: Evans, Chloe 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1
SH: Jensen, Ellee 1
SF: Kinch, Sara 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jensen, Ellee 1 ; Evans, Chloe 1 ; Dowell, Makenna 1
SB: Jensen, Ellee 1 ; Evans, Chloe 1 ; Hansen, Emily 1
HBP: Strelow, Sydney 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
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