University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, April 30
Ann Arbor, MI
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
22-21-1, 7-10
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Michigan
30-15, 10-8
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Strand 10 in One-Run Loss at Michigan
4/30/2022 7:15:00 PM | Softball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Golden Gophers put runners on base in six of the seven innings played but could not find a clutch hit falling 1-0 at No. 22 Michigan Saturday at Alumni Field.
Minnesota (22-21-1 overall, 7-10 B1G) went 1-for-10 at the plate with runners in scoring position as the conference series evened at one game apiece. Lauren Espalin and Ellee Jensen each posted a 2-for-4 effort offensively, while pitchers Autumn Pease and Emily Leavitt held the Wolverines to five hits in the one-run loss.
Three-straight singles started the game for Minnesota as Espalin and Jensen dropped down bunts and a single to right for Chloe Evans loaded the bases with nobody out. The Wolverines were able to escape the threat unscathed as the Gophers stranded all three. Pease allowed a two-out double before shutting down the home side retiring eight of the first nine batters she faced.
Jensen slapped a one-out single in the third and promptly swiped second base in front of Michigan electing to intentionally walk Natalie DenHartog with two outs. The move paid off as a long fly ball ended the opportunity and Minnesota left two more runners on base. The Gophers earned a pair of walks during the top of the fourth as Makenna Dowell and Megan Dray reached, but again the visitors were unable to convert their chances leaving both on the base paths.
Michigan broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth taking advantage of a lead-off walk that moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. The runner scored behind a one-out double off the wall in left as the Wolverines claimed a 1-0 lead. Minnesota looked to answer back in the fifth as Evans reached for the second time getting hit-by-pitch with one out and stole second base as the potential tying run. She was left in scoring position as the Wolverines got the next two batters out.
Leavitt came in and limited Michigan to two hits over the final two frames giving the offense a chance to deliver late facing one over the minimum thanks to a Sydney Strelow double play. After Espalin singled off the pitcher opening the seventh, pinch runner MacKenzie Denson raced to second on a deep fly to the warning track in center. The sophomore sprinted to third on the play as she caught the Wolverines defense not paying attention putting the tying run 60 feet from home plate. A fly ball into left ended the game as the Gophers left 10 runners on base in the 1-0 setback.
Up Next
The series finale for Minnesota and Michigan is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT) Sunday morning with live coverage available nationally on BTN. It'll be the last road game of the regular season for the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota (22-21-1 overall, 7-10 B1G) went 1-for-10 at the plate with runners in scoring position as the conference series evened at one game apiece. Lauren Espalin and Ellee Jensen each posted a 2-for-4 effort offensively, while pitchers Autumn Pease and Emily Leavitt held the Wolverines to five hits in the one-run loss.
😱 @NCAASoftball #SCTop10 #D1Top10@sydstrelow #Gophers pic.twitter.com/AKa692dEfG
— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) April 30, 2022
Three-straight singles started the game for Minnesota as Espalin and Jensen dropped down bunts and a single to right for Chloe Evans loaded the bases with nobody out. The Wolverines were able to escape the threat unscathed as the Gophers stranded all three. Pease allowed a two-out double before shutting down the home side retiring eight of the first nine batters she faced.
Jensen slapped a one-out single in the third and promptly swiped second base in front of Michigan electing to intentionally walk Natalie DenHartog with two outs. The move paid off as a long fly ball ended the opportunity and Minnesota left two more runners on base. The Gophers earned a pair of walks during the top of the fourth as Makenna Dowell and Megan Dray reached, but again the visitors were unable to convert their chances leaving both on the base paths.
Michigan broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth taking advantage of a lead-off walk that moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. The runner scored behind a one-out double off the wall in left as the Wolverines claimed a 1-0 lead. Minnesota looked to answer back in the fifth as Evans reached for the second time getting hit-by-pitch with one out and stole second base as the potential tying run. She was left in scoring position as the Wolverines got the next two batters out.
Leavitt came in and limited Michigan to two hits over the final two frames giving the offense a chance to deliver late facing one over the minimum thanks to a Sydney Strelow double play. After Espalin singled off the pitcher opening the seventh, pinch runner MacKenzie Denson raced to second on a deep fly to the warning track in center. The sophomore sprinted to third on the play as she caught the Wolverines defense not paying attention putting the tying run 60 feet from home plate. A fly ball into left ended the game as the Gophers left 10 runners on base in the 1-0 setback.
Up Next
The series finale for Minnesota and Michigan is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT) Sunday morning with live coverage available nationally on BTN. It'll be the last road game of the regular season for the Golden Gophers.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Storako, Alex (20-7)
L: Pease, Autumn (10-11)
Base Running:
SB: Denson, MacKenzie 1 ; Jensen, Ellee 1 ; Evans, Chloe 1
HBP: Evans, Chloe 1
Batting:
2B: Burkhardt, Kristina 1 ; Blair, Lexie 1 ; Livingston, Melina 1
RBI: Livingston, Melina 1
SH: Bump, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blair, Lexie 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
0
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
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