University of Minnesota Athletics
Tuesday, April 26
5:30 PM
University of Minnesota
21-20-1
9
vs
3
St. Thomas
12-30
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4
5
6
7
R
H
E
St. Thomas
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
3
8
1
Minnesota
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2
2
0
2
2
X
9
7
0
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Minnesota Launches Four Home Runs to Down Tommies
4/26/2022 8:45:00 PM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota's offense scored in five of its six innings on the field and hit four solo home runs during a 9-3 win over St. Thomas Tuesday evening from Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
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The first four hits of the day for the Gophers (21-20-1 overall) all cleared the outfield fence building a 5-0 advantage through three innings. Emily Hansen reached base four times going 2-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, while the home side capitalized on eight free passes.
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Minnesota took advantage of four free bases in the bottom of the first as Lauren Espalin and Natalie DenHartog drew walks before Hansen was hit by a pitch loading the bases with one out. Sara Kinch brought the first run home on a RBI groundout but the home side left the bases full.
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The Gophers turned to the long ball in the second inning as Megan Dray launched a homer opening the frame and Chloe Evans added a two-out solo shot for a 3-0 advantage. The power did not stop there as Hansen and Kinch crushed back-to-back home runs beginning the bottom of the third as the margin stretched to five.
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Emily Leavitt faced the minimum through three innings thanks to a perfect throw from Kinch to Sydney Strelow catching a Tommies runner attempting to steal that ended the third. That play erased a lead-off single by St. Thomas but the offense for the visitors found a rhythm in the fourth getting a double to start the inning followed by a home run that cut the margin to 5-2. A walk and two more singles plated the Tommies third run of the day.
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Minnesota responded with DenHartog and Hansen singles as the bats got going in the bottom of the fifth and Delanie Cox entered as a pinch runner. After both moved into scoring position, a Strelow sacrifice fly followed by a RBI single from Makenna Dowell pushed the lead to 7-3. Ali Lindner was hit-by-pitch opening the sixth and the senior sprinted home via a wild pitch, while the Gophers added an unearned run before the inning closed and held on for the 9-3 win.
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Autumn Pease shut the door on the Tommies allowing three hits down the stretch and struck out six in a three-inning save. Leavitt reached double-digit wins for the year as the freshman tossed four innings and gave up three runs on five hits for her 10th victory.
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Up Next
Minnesota hits the road for its final road series of the regular season against nationally-ranked Michigan April 29-May 1. All three games in Ann Arbor, Mich., will be available on national TV live on BTN.
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The first four hits of the day for the Gophers (21-20-1 overall) all cleared the outfield fence building a 5-0 advantage through three innings. Emily Hansen reached base four times going 2-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, while the home side capitalized on eight free passes.
Â
Minnesota took advantage of four free bases in the bottom of the first as Lauren Espalin and Natalie DenHartog drew walks before Hansen was hit by a pitch loading the bases with one out. Sara Kinch brought the first run home on a RBI groundout but the home side left the bases full.
Â
The Gophers turned to the long ball in the second inning as Megan Dray launched a homer opening the frame and Chloe Evans added a two-out solo shot for a 3-0 advantage. The power did not stop there as Hansen and Kinch crushed back-to-back home runs beginning the bottom of the third as the margin stretched to five.
Â
Emily Leavitt faced the minimum through three innings thanks to a perfect throw from Kinch to Sydney Strelow catching a Tommies runner attempting to steal that ended the third. That play erased a lead-off single by St. Thomas but the offense for the visitors found a rhythm in the fourth getting a double to start the inning followed by a home run that cut the margin to 5-2. A walk and two more singles plated the Tommies third run of the day.
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Minnesota responded with DenHartog and Hansen singles as the bats got going in the bottom of the fifth and Delanie Cox entered as a pinch runner. After both moved into scoring position, a Strelow sacrifice fly followed by a RBI single from Makenna Dowell pushed the lead to 7-3. Ali Lindner was hit-by-pitch opening the sixth and the senior sprinted home via a wild pitch, while the Gophers added an unearned run before the inning closed and held on for the 9-3 win.
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Autumn Pease shut the door on the Tommies allowing three hits down the stretch and struck out six in a three-inning save. Leavitt reached double-digit wins for the year as the freshman tossed four innings and gave up three runs on five hits for her 10th victory.
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Up Next
Minnesota hits the road for its final road series of the regular season against nationally-ranked Michigan April 29-May 1. All three games in Ann Arbor, Mich., will be available on national TV live on BTN.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Leavitt, Emily (10-9)
L: Crawford, Christina (6-9)
S: Pease, Autumn (3)
Batting:
2B: Raymond, Kaitlyn 1
HR: Carby, Cassidy 1
RBI: Carby, Cassidy 2 ; Jacobson, Coryn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Raymond, Kaitlyn 1 ; Carby, Cassidy 1 ; Hudson, Sarah 1
CS: Betson, Brooke 1
Batting:
HR: Evans, Chloe 1 ; Hansen, Emily 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1 ; Dray, Megan 1
RBI: Evans, Chloe 1 ; Hansen, Emily 1 ; Kinch, Sara 2 ; Strelow, Sydney 1 ; Dowell, Makenna 1 ; Dray, Megan 1
SF: Strelow, Sydney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Espalin, Lauren 1 ; Lindner, Ali 1 ; Evans, Chloe 2 ; DenHartog, Natalie 1 ; Hansen, Emily 1 ; Cox, Delanie 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1 ; Dray, Megan 1
SB: Cox, Delanie 1
HBP: Lindner, Ali 1 ; Hansen, Emily 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
lf/rf
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
UT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballMinnesota (4) - Michigan (0) Highlights
Friday, May 02
Sydney Schwartz Throws No-Hitter
Tuesday, April 29
Gophers (8) - North Dakota (0) Highlights
Sunday, April 27
Gophers (5) - North Dakota (3) Highlights
Saturday, April 26