University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, May 8
3:30 PM
University of Minnesota
26-23-1, 11-12
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Northwestern
39-9, 19-4
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Northwestern
3
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Minnesota
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Late Rally Falls Short as Gophers Drop Regular Season Finale
5/8/2022 6:15:00 PM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS - The Golden Gophers softball team could not finish off the series sweep of No. 6 Northwestern falling 3-1 Sunday in their regular season finale from Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
Three first inning runs by the visitors proved to be too much to overcome after Minnesota (26-23-1 overall, 11-12 B1G) claimed shutout wins in the first two games of the weekend set. The Gophers rallied late loading the bases with two outs, as the potential tying run got into scoring position, before Northwestern tallied the final out.
The Wildcats struck first capitalizing on back-to-back walks opening the game and got the benefit of a call stealing second and third. A sacrifice fly into left plated the visitor's first run of the series and a two-run home run followed as Northwestern took a 3-0 lead.
After the offense went down in order during the first two innings, the Gophers defense helped try and turn the momentum in the top of the third. Chloe Evans charged a single and fired home to Sara Kinch, who made the tag and cut down the runner at the plate ending the frame. The defense made quick work of the Wildcats in the fourth before Minnesota's bats finally broke through.
Natalie DenHartog obliterated a two-out solo home run off the top of the light pole in left center getting the Gophers on the scoreboard. Evans followed by ripping a double off the wall and Megan Dray drew a walk, but the visitors were able to limit the damage to just one run. Northwestern got a lead-off double the next inning only to see new pitcher Emily Leavitt snag a liner and double-up the runner as she faced the minimum in the fifth.
Sydney Strelow started the bottom of the fifth getting hit-by-pitch for the third-straight game and made it to third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout. Lauren Espalin fought back for a walk putting runners on the corners, but the Gophers failed to convert on the opportunity as the deficit remained 3-1. Leavitt and the defense continued to shine and held the Wildcats scoreless to the finish as the freshman allowed three hits in three shutout frames.
A one-out single from Strelow sparked the Gophers in the bottom of the seventh and Kinch followed by pulling a double down the line in left putting two in scoring position. The visitors forced a pop up to get the second out before Espalin battled drawing an eight-pitch walk that loaded the bases. A grounder back to the Northwestern pitcher closed out the loss for Minnesota, 3-1, as it left seven runners on base Sunday.
Up Next
Minnesota closed the regular season with a 26-23-1 record and an 11-12 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The team will be the No. 9 seed as it heads to East Lansing, Mich., for the B1G Tournament May 11-14 and will open the postseason Wednesday against No. 8 Wisconsin at 3:30 p.m. (CT) on BTN.
Three first inning runs by the visitors proved to be too much to overcome after Minnesota (26-23-1 overall, 11-12 B1G) claimed shutout wins in the first two games of the weekend set. The Gophers rallied late loading the bases with two outs, as the potential tying run got into scoring position, before Northwestern tallied the final out.
The Wildcats struck first capitalizing on back-to-back walks opening the game and got the benefit of a call stealing second and third. A sacrifice fly into left plated the visitor's first run of the series and a two-run home run followed as Northwestern took a 3-0 lead.
After the offense went down in order during the first two innings, the Gophers defense helped try and turn the momentum in the top of the third. Chloe Evans charged a single and fired home to Sara Kinch, who made the tag and cut down the runner at the plate ending the frame. The defense made quick work of the Wildcats in the fourth before Minnesota's bats finally broke through.
Natalie DenHartog obliterated a two-out solo home run off the top of the light pole in left center getting the Gophers on the scoreboard. Evans followed by ripping a double off the wall and Megan Dray drew a walk, but the visitors were able to limit the damage to just one run. Northwestern got a lead-off double the next inning only to see new pitcher Emily Leavitt snag a liner and double-up the runner as she faced the minimum in the fifth.
Sydney Strelow started the bottom of the fifth getting hit-by-pitch for the third-straight game and made it to third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout. Lauren Espalin fought back for a walk putting runners on the corners, but the Gophers failed to convert on the opportunity as the deficit remained 3-1. Leavitt and the defense continued to shine and held the Wildcats scoreless to the finish as the freshman allowed three hits in three shutout frames.
A one-out single from Strelow sparked the Gophers in the bottom of the seventh and Kinch followed by pulling a double down the line in left putting two in scoring position. The visitors forced a pop up to get the second out before Espalin battled drawing an eight-pitch walk that loaded the bases. A grounder back to the Northwestern pitcher closed out the loss for Minnesota, 3-1, as it left seven runners on base Sunday.
Up Next
Minnesota closed the regular season with a 26-23-1 record and an 11-12 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The team will be the No. 9 seed as it heads to East Lansing, Mich., for the B1G Tournament May 11-14 and will open the postseason Wednesday against No. 8 Wisconsin at 3:30 p.m. (CT) on BTN.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Williams, Danielle (25-4)
L: Pease, Autumn (10-13)
Batting:
2B: Nelson, Maeve 1 ; Nieto, Grace 2
HR: Nelson, Maeve 1
RBI: Rudd, Jordyn 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 2
SF: Rudd, Jordyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shellmyer, Skyler 1 ; Lewis, Rachel 1 ; Nelson, Maeve 1
SB: Shellmyer, Skyler 1 ; Lewis, Rachel 1
Batting:
2B: Evans, Chloe 1 ; Kinch, Sara 1
HR: DenHartog, Natalie 1
RBI: DenHartog, Natalie 1
SH: Kinch, Sara 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DenHartog, Natalie 1
HBP: Strelow, Sydney 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballMinnesota (4) - Michigan (0) Highlights
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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