University of Minnesota Athletics
2022 Softball Roster
Espalin, Lauren
Jersey Number 24
Lauren Espalin
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Height:
- 5-6
- High School:
- Orange Lutheran HS
- Hometown:
- San Dimas, Calif.
- Prev School:
- California
Bio
2022 | GRADUATE SENIOR
NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Third Team
• Appeared in all 54 games in her lone season with the Gophers and started 53 contests, 48 times as the designated player and five times in the outfield
• Matched a Minnesota single-game record totaling seven RBI in a road win at Rutgers (Mar. 26) hitting a grand slam and a three-run home run in consecutive innings
• Finished the season second on the team with a .340 batting average and was third registering a .531 slugging percentage
• Paced the team behind a .437 on-base percentage aided by 25 walks and was hit-by-pitch three times
• Was the only everyday starter to log more walks (25) than strikeouts (20) recording a season-high three walks at Rutgers (Mar. 27)
• Went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate against Nicholls (Mar. 11) totaling eight bases
• Led the Gophers with 18 multi-hit performances, six of which came in the first 12 games of the season, and had six games of multiple RBI
• Scored 38 total runs and had a season-best three, three times to go with 25 total RBI
• Tallied two of her team-leading 13 doubles for the year against DePaul (Mar. 5)
• Posted a nine-game streak of reaching base safely between Apr. 26 and May 8
• Hit in the lead-off spot for 44 games and registered a .440 batting average (37-for-84) when starting an inning
• Topped the team behind a .348 batting average and a .606 slugging percentage in Big Ten Conference play
• Stole her only base of the season opening weekend against Georgia (Feb. 12)
2021 | SENIOR (at Cal)
• Started in 28 of 33 games played
• Posted a .318 batting average that ranked third on the team, while adding a .402 on-base percentage and a .447 slugging percentage
• Tallied seven extra-base hits with five doubles and two home runs
• Launched both home runs for the season in a 2-for-2 effort against UC Davis Mar. 13
• Ranked third on the team scoring 12 runs and had eight RBI
• Registered nine outings with multiple hits
• Drew nine walks and was hit by a pitch three times
2020 | JUNIOR (at Cal)
• Appeared in all 24 games with 23 starts
• Ranked tied for third on the team in runs (13), and one of the two Bears to notch a triple in 2020
• Posted a season-best, three-hit game against Michigan State along with a season-high two RBI
• Enjoyed an eight-game hitting streak
• Posted three multi-hit games
• Homered against Grand Canyon
• Scored twice in both games against Siena
2019 | SOPHMORE (at Cal)
• Came up clutch in her second year with the Bears with the highest batting average in her class and the second-highest batting average on the team at .346
• Ranked 22nd in the Pac-12 for hits, 18th for doubles and 18th for batting average
• Appeared in 53 games with 52 starts rotating in the four hole as DH and catcher with a .977 fielding percentage
• Finished the season second on the team with 10 doubles
• Garnered 21 runs, two home runs and 28 RBI
• On Feb. 14, posted one of the three hits against No. 10 Texas
• Went 3-for-3 against Bowling Green
• Hit a two-run home run against SIU and a three-run home run against Fairleigh Dickinson during the Bears’ 11 game win streak
• Recorded two runs, two hits and two RBI against Stanford on March 24
• Singled against No. 6 Washington in April
• Went 2-for-3 in Cal’s victory against Oregon
• Her biggest moment of the year came against No. 5 Arizona, securing the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the ninth to snap the Wildcat’s 21-game win streak
2018 | FRESHMAN (at Cal)
• Made a mark right away for the Bears, earning the roll of starting catcher
• Appeared in 44 games with 33 starts and a .184 batting average
• Placed fourth on the team in RBI with 23
• Knocked a critical RBI single with two outs in extra innings, for the go-ahead run, during the Bears 3-2 victory over UC Davis in April
• Tallied two RBI during the Bears sweep of rival Stanford in April
• Recorded a hit against No. 1 UCLA in May
• Contributed RBI during the Bears run-rule victory of Harvard in the NCAA Georgia Regional
HIGH SCHOOL
• Three-time Trinity All-League selection
• High school finished 2nd at California state meet in 2016 with 30-4 record
• 2016 Orange Lutheran offensive team MVP
• Named as Cali-Hi All-State Underclassmen
• Honored on All-County team by OC Register
• Member of National Honor's Society and California Honor's Federation for academic achievements
• Member of Southern California Athletics club team
• 18U team finished fifth at PGF Nationals in 2015
• Won Boulder IDT in 2015
• Qualified for the PGF National Championships in 2014
• Won with 18U team at the 2014 PGF Nationals in the Platinum Division
PERSONAL
• Parents are James and Deidre Espalin
• Has three siblings Tank, Steven and Jackson
NFCA Great Lakes All-Region Third Team
• Appeared in all 54 games in her lone season with the Gophers and started 53 contests, 48 times as the designated player and five times in the outfield
• Matched a Minnesota single-game record totaling seven RBI in a road win at Rutgers (Mar. 26) hitting a grand slam and a three-run home run in consecutive innings
• Finished the season second on the team with a .340 batting average and was third registering a .531 slugging percentage
• Paced the team behind a .437 on-base percentage aided by 25 walks and was hit-by-pitch three times
• Was the only everyday starter to log more walks (25) than strikeouts (20) recording a season-high three walks at Rutgers (Mar. 27)
• Went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate against Nicholls (Mar. 11) totaling eight bases
• Led the Gophers with 18 multi-hit performances, six of which came in the first 12 games of the season, and had six games of multiple RBI
• Scored 38 total runs and had a season-best three, three times to go with 25 total RBI
• Tallied two of her team-leading 13 doubles for the year against DePaul (Mar. 5)
• Posted a nine-game streak of reaching base safely between Apr. 26 and May 8
• Hit in the lead-off spot for 44 games and registered a .440 batting average (37-for-84) when starting an inning
• Topped the team behind a .348 batting average and a .606 slugging percentage in Big Ten Conference play
• Stole her only base of the season opening weekend against Georgia (Feb. 12)
2021 | SENIOR (at Cal)
• Started in 28 of 33 games played
• Posted a .318 batting average that ranked third on the team, while adding a .402 on-base percentage and a .447 slugging percentage
• Tallied seven extra-base hits with five doubles and two home runs
• Launched both home runs for the season in a 2-for-2 effort against UC Davis Mar. 13
• Ranked third on the team scoring 12 runs and had eight RBI
• Registered nine outings with multiple hits
• Drew nine walks and was hit by a pitch three times
2020 | JUNIOR (at Cal)
• Appeared in all 24 games with 23 starts
• Ranked tied for third on the team in runs (13), and one of the two Bears to notch a triple in 2020
• Posted a season-best, three-hit game against Michigan State along with a season-high two RBI
• Enjoyed an eight-game hitting streak
• Posted three multi-hit games
• Homered against Grand Canyon
• Scored twice in both games against Siena
2019 | SOPHMORE (at Cal)
• Came up clutch in her second year with the Bears with the highest batting average in her class and the second-highest batting average on the team at .346
• Ranked 22nd in the Pac-12 for hits, 18th for doubles and 18th for batting average
• Appeared in 53 games with 52 starts rotating in the four hole as DH and catcher with a .977 fielding percentage
• Finished the season second on the team with 10 doubles
• Garnered 21 runs, two home runs and 28 RBI
• On Feb. 14, posted one of the three hits against No. 10 Texas
• Went 3-for-3 against Bowling Green
• Hit a two-run home run against SIU and a three-run home run against Fairleigh Dickinson during the Bears’ 11 game win streak
• Recorded two runs, two hits and two RBI against Stanford on March 24
• Singled against No. 6 Washington in April
• Went 2-for-3 in Cal’s victory against Oregon
• Her biggest moment of the year came against No. 5 Arizona, securing the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the ninth to snap the Wildcat’s 21-game win streak
2018 | FRESHMAN (at Cal)
• Made a mark right away for the Bears, earning the roll of starting catcher
• Appeared in 44 games with 33 starts and a .184 batting average
• Placed fourth on the team in RBI with 23
• Knocked a critical RBI single with two outs in extra innings, for the go-ahead run, during the Bears 3-2 victory over UC Davis in April
• Tallied two RBI during the Bears sweep of rival Stanford in April
• Recorded a hit against No. 1 UCLA in May
• Contributed RBI during the Bears run-rule victory of Harvard in the NCAA Georgia Regional
HIGH SCHOOL
• Three-time Trinity All-League selection
• High school finished 2nd at California state meet in 2016 with 30-4 record
• 2016 Orange Lutheran offensive team MVP
• Named as Cali-Hi All-State Underclassmen
• Honored on All-County team by OC Register
• Member of National Honor's Society and California Honor's Federation for academic achievements
• Member of Southern California Athletics club team
• 18U team finished fifth at PGF Nationals in 2015
• Won Boulder IDT in 2015
• Qualified for the PGF National Championships in 2014
• Won with 18U team at the 2014 PGF Nationals in the Platinum Division
PERSONAL
• Parents are James and Deidre Espalin
• Has three siblings Tank, Steven and Jackson
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
