University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, April 25
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Pittsburgh
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP/INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers to Host Pitt, North Dakota in Final Non-Conference Games
4/24/2025 9:38:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS -- The 'U' returns home this weekend for its final non-conference games of the regular season as it welcomes in Pitt and North Dakota.
Action at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium starts Friday night as Minnesota takes on Pitt at 6 p.m. Saturday features three games in total as Pitt and North Dakota play at noon, followed by the Gophers against the Panthers at 2:30 p.m. and the Gophers versus the Fighting Hawks at 5 p.m. The weekend closes out for Minnesota Sunday at noon against North Dakota. All Gopher games will be streamed on B1G+.
Entering the Weekend
Entering Wednesday, the North Dakota pitching staff was sporting a 4.08 team ERA with 255 strikeouts and 196 walks in 298.2 innings. Opponents were hitting .274 off Fighting Hawk pitchers. North Dakota has leaned on three pitchers to handle the bulk of its workload with Makela Carr logging a team-high 79.1 innings pitched entering Wednesday, followed by Jackie Albrecht (73.1) and Unity Nelson (65.2). Carr had the most appearances (27) and strikeouts (87), while Nelson was leading the team in ERA (3.30) and Albrecht had made the most starts (13) with the lowest opponent average (.219).
Highlights From Last Weekend
Action at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium starts Friday night as Minnesota takes on Pitt at 6 p.m. Saturday features three games in total as Pitt and North Dakota play at noon, followed by the Gophers against the Panthers at 2:30 p.m. and the Gophers versus the Fighting Hawks at 5 p.m. The weekend closes out for Minnesota Sunday at noon against North Dakota. All Gopher games will be streamed on B1G+.
Entering the Weekend
Minnesota holds a 15-28 record overall, a 4-15 mark in Big Ten play and an 11-13 non-conference record entering this weekend's action.
Monday's 10-4 win at Wisconsin ended a five-game losing streak. It was the fourth time this season the team reached double digits in runs scored and marked the third-highest margin of victory on the year for the Gophers. It was the team's most runs against a Big Ten squad since a 10-7, nine-inning win over Illinois in last year's conference tournament and provided the largest margin of victory over a league foe since a 14-6, six-inning run-rule win over Ohio State on April 6 last season.
Minnesota is 4-1 at home in non-conference games this season, though all took place at U.S. Bank Stadium as it hosted the Gopher Indoor Classic in late February/early March. This weekend marks the only non-conference games at Jane Sage Cowles this year.
Taylor on a Tear
Monday's 10-4 win at Wisconsin ended a five-game losing streak. It was the fourth time this season the team reached double digits in runs scored and marked the third-highest margin of victory on the year for the Gophers. It was the team's most runs against a Big Ten squad since a 10-7, nine-inning win over Illinois in last year's conference tournament and provided the largest margin of victory over a league foe since a 14-6, six-inning run-rule win over Ohio State on April 6 last season.
Minnesota is 4-1 at home in non-conference games this season, though all took place at U.S. Bank Stadium as it hosted the Gopher Indoor Classic in late February/early March. This weekend marks the only non-conference games at Jane Sage Cowles this year.
Taylor on a Tear
Senior Taylor Krapf has provided the power for Minnesota this season, leading the team and ranking ninth in the Big Ten as she's tied a career high with 14 home runs. That number is tied for eighth in program history, equaling the mark she and Jess Oakland reached in 2023. Up to 39 career home runs, Krapf is one away from becoming the seventh Gopher to reach 40 career homers.
In addition to home runs, Krapf also leads the team in runs scored (24), doubles (12), RBI (33), slugging percentage (.792), walks (24), hit by pitch (13) and on-base percentage (.468). Krapf's hit by pitch total ranks third in the Big Ten and 17th nationally.Â
Valuable Valencia
In addition to home runs, Krapf also leads the team in runs scored (24), doubles (12), RBI (33), slugging percentage (.792), walks (24), hit by pitch (13) and on-base percentage (.468). Krapf's hit by pitch total ranks third in the Big Ten and 17th nationally.Â
Valuable Valencia
- Fellow senior Nani Valencia leads the team with a .353 batting average. She's also one of two Gophers to have more walks than strikeouts this season along with Taylor Krapf. In fact, Valencia has nearly as many extra-base hits (13) as punchouts (15).
Schwartz in the Circle
Schwartz in the Circle
Junior Sydney Schwartz has been the team's go-to pitcher this season, appearing in 32 games (fourth in the Big Ten) with 21 starts (seventh in the league) and tallying a team-high 127.0 innings, also good for seventh in the Big Ten.
En route to a 6-14 record, she's got a 3.20 earned run average and 98 strikeouts to 53 walks. Her eight complete games on the year are fifth in the Big Ten.
Facing Pitt
En route to a 6-14 record, she's got a 3.20 earned run average and 98 strikeouts to 53 walks. Her eight complete games on the year are fifth in the Big Ten.
Facing Pitt
Minnesota is 4-4 all-time against Pittsburgh with the first meeting taking place in 2002 and the most recent in 2010. The Panthers have won the last three matchups. This will be Pitt's first visit to Minneapolis to face the Gophers as the previous eight matchups all came in neutral-site tournaments.
Gophers head coach Piper Ritter threw one of her two career perfect games against Pitt on March 9, 2022.
Pitt enters the game with an 18-27 record overall and a 6-15 mark in the ACC. The Panthers have won four of their past five games, including a series win over then-No. 11 Virginia Tech last weekend.
The Gophers and Panthers have four common opponents this year in Tennessee, Long Beach State, Duke and Penn State. Minnesota went 2-3 against those teams, while Pitt was 3-3. Both Minnesota and Pitt beat Long Beach State and lost to Tennessee. In addition, the Gophers split two games with Penn State and lost against Duke. The Panthers defeated Penn State and went 1-2 in their series with the Blue Devils.
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Gophers head coach Piper Ritter threw one of her two career perfect games against Pitt on March 9, 2022.
Pitt enters the game with an 18-27 record overall and a 6-15 mark in the ACC. The Panthers have won four of their past five games, including a series win over then-No. 11 Virginia Tech last weekend.
The Gophers and Panthers have four common opponents this year in Tennessee, Long Beach State, Duke and Penn State. Minnesota went 2-3 against those teams, while Pitt was 3-3. Both Minnesota and Pitt beat Long Beach State and lost to Tennessee. In addition, the Gophers split two games with Penn State and lost against Duke. The Panthers defeated Penn State and went 1-2 in their series with the Blue Devils.
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As a team, Pitt is hitting .244 with a .337 on-base percentage and .418 slugging percentage. Kylie Griggs leads the team in batting average (.328) runs (31), hits (43), doubles (14) and on-base percentage (.442). Camryn Murphy has a team-high seven home runs and she's tied with Kaitlyn Brannstrom with a team-best 26 RBI. Shelby Frazier leads the Panthers with a .581 slugging percentage.
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The pitching staff sports a 5.45 team ERA with more walks (176) than strikeouts (143) in 290.1 innings. Opponents are hitting .301 off Pitt pitchers. Kyra Pittman has thrown a team-high 124.2 innings this year with a 4.83 earned run average, while Gwen Sparks' 3.55 ERA in 65.0 innings leads Pitt. Pittman has 44 strikeouts to 46 walks and a .271 average against, while Sparks has 52 punchouts to 36 free passes and a .278 average allowed.
Facing North Dakota
Facing North Dakota
Against North Dakota, Minnesota is 2-0 all-time, though both victories came during the 1978 season.
The Fighting Hawks have two Minnesota natives on the roster in sophomore infielder Raegan Kraft (Shakopee; Shakopee HS) and freshman utility player Maryn Anderson (New Market; New Prague HS).
North Dakota enters the weekend with a 25-22 record overall and a 7-8 mark in The Summit League. A home win Wednesday night over Minnesota Crookston snapped a three-game losing for the Fighting Hawks. Though before that, they had won seven of eight.
The Gophers and Fighting Hawks have three common opponents this year in Oregon, North Dakota State and St. Thomas. Minnesota went 2-4 against those teams, while North Dakota was 2-5. Minnesota went 2-0 over NDSU, was 0-3 versus Oregon and fell against St. Thomas. North Dakota, meanwhile, was 2-1 vs. NDSU, 0-3 versus St. Thomas and lost its matchup against the Ducks.
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The Fighting Hawks have two Minnesota natives on the roster in sophomore infielder Raegan Kraft (Shakopee; Shakopee HS) and freshman utility player Maryn Anderson (New Market; New Prague HS).
North Dakota enters the weekend with a 25-22 record overall and a 7-8 mark in The Summit League. A home win Wednesday night over Minnesota Crookston snapped a three-game losing for the Fighting Hawks. Though before that, they had won seven of eight.
The Gophers and Fighting Hawks have three common opponents this year in Oregon, North Dakota State and St. Thomas. Minnesota went 2-4 against those teams, while North Dakota was 2-5. Minnesota went 2-0 over NDSU, was 0-3 versus Oregon and fell against St. Thomas. North Dakota, meanwhile, was 2-1 vs. NDSU, 0-3 versus St. Thomas and lost its matchup against the Ducks.
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As a team, North Dakota went into Wednesday night's game with a .263 team batting average, .344 on-base percentage and .374 slugging percentage. Callie Honig was leading the team in batting average (.348), doubles (13) and runs batted in (31), while Camryn Lasota had a team-high seven home runs and .568 slugging percentage. Katie Joten had posted a .326 batting average to go with team bests in runs (33), hits (45), walks (23) and on-base percentage (.451).
Entering Wednesday, the North Dakota pitching staff was sporting a 4.08 team ERA with 255 strikeouts and 196 walks in 298.2 innings. Opponents were hitting .274 off Fighting Hawk pitchers. North Dakota has leaned on three pitchers to handle the bulk of its workload with Makela Carr logging a team-high 79.1 innings pitched entering Wednesday, followed by Jackie Albrecht (73.1) and Unity Nelson (65.2). Carr had the most appearances (27) and strikeouts (87), while Nelson was leading the team in ERA (3.30) and Albrecht had made the most starts (13) with the lowest opponent average (.219).
Highlights From Last Weekend
Last weekend the Gophers went 1-2 in a road series at Wisconsin, prevailing in the series finale.
As a team, the Gophers hit .291 with a .404 on-base percentage and .419 slugging percentage, drawing 16 walks compared to 14 strikeouts. Home runs from Breezy Burnett, Taylor Krapf and Sydney Schwartz highlighted the offensive output. Burnett finished with a team-high six RBI in the series, while Schwartz had five and Krapf added four to account for 15 of the team's 19 RBI versus Wisconsin.
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As a team, the Gophers hit .291 with a .404 on-base percentage and .419 slugging percentage, drawing 16 walks compared to 14 strikeouts. Home runs from Breezy Burnett, Taylor Krapf and Sydney Schwartz highlighted the offensive output. Burnett finished with a team-high six RBI in the series, while Schwartz had five and Krapf added four to account for 15 of the team's 19 RBI versus Wisconsin.
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Schwartz threw a team-high 9.1 innings against the Badgers, appearing in two games with one start. She sported a 4.50 ERA and posted eight strikeouts. Presley Hosick started twice in the three-game series, finishing just behind Schwartz with 9.0 innings pitched and a 6.22 ERA.
Minnesota (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