University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
28-24
Illinois
21-31
Krapf's Walk Off Homer Advances Minnesota to Big Ten Quarterfinal
5/8/2024 5:55:00 PM | Softball
Krapf hit a three-run homer to hand Minnesota the victory over Illinois
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Minnesota Golden Gophers needed nine innings to get the job done, but secured the 10-7 extra-innings win, walking it off on junior Taylor Krapf's three-run homer off of senior T. McQueen to claim victory over the Illinois Fighting Illini Wednesday.
Freshman Macy Richardson (6-4) got the win out of the bullpen for Minnesota (28-24). The right-hander went four innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on five hits, allowing three walks and striking out two. Senior Jacie Hambrick started the ballgame and went 4.2 innings, surrendering one run on two hits, walking two and striking out two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 1-0, the Gophers first put runs on the board in the second inning.
The Illini then rallied to score five runs and take a 6-3 lead before the Gophers got back on the board in the fourth. Sophomore Breezy Burnett came across to score the lone run of the inning for Minnesota, which brought the score to 6-4 in favor of the Fighting Illini.
Minnesota held the Illini off the scoreboard before rallying to even it up at six in the fifth. The Gophers picked up two runs when a single from senior Maddy Ehlke brought home senior Delanie Cox and senior Morgan DeBord.
The Illini broke up the tie and grabbed the lead heading into the sixth inning, when Minnesota got back on the scoreboard. Freshman Lucy Hooper crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Golden Gophers, tying the score at 7-7.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth, when Minnesota walked it off on Krapf's three-run homer off of McQueen.
GAME NOTES
» Burnett had three base knocks in the game for Minnesota.
» Krapf drove in four runs for Minnesota.
» Every Minnesota starter reached base safely in the win.
» Minnesota's highest scoring inning was the ninth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Four Golden Gophers had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Golden Gophers out-hit the Fighting Illini at a 14-9 clip.
» Minnesota went 5-for-16 (.313) with runners in scoring position.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 44 Illinois hitters in the game, allowing 13 ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out four.
» The Golden Gophers drew seven walks from Illinois pitching.
» Krapf led the Golden Gophers at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBI.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Richardson, Macy (6-4)
L: McQueen, T. (12-16)
Batting:
2B: Ryono, K. 1 ; Ward, M. 1
RBI: Ryono, K. 2 ; Ward, M. 3 ; Caryl, A. 1 ; Ryniec, A. 1
SH: Debevec, G 1
SF: Caryl, A. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ryono, K. 1 ; Meade, S. 2 ; Berkmeyer, P 1 ; Howard, Z. 1 ; Debevec, G 1 ; Starks, S. 1
HBP: Ryono, K. 1 ; Meade, S. 1 ; Ryniec, A. 1
Batting:
2B: Leschber, Addison 1 ; Valencia, Nani 1
HR: Krapf, Taylor 1
RBI: Krapf, Taylor 4 ; Strelow, Sydney 1 ; Leschber, Addison 1 ; Ehlke, Maddy 2 ; Burnett, Breezy 1
SH: Chavez, Kayla 1 ; Cox, Delanie 1 ; Leschber, Addison 1
SF: Krapf, Taylor 1 ; Strelow, Sydney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Oakland, Jess 1 ; Krapf, Taylor 1 ; Hooper, Lucy 1 ; Cox, Delanie 2 ; DeBord, Morgan 2 ; Leschber, Addison 1 ; Burnett, Breezy 2
HBP: Krapf, Taylor 2
