Gopher Softball 2017

This is the first of 2 weekends that will test the Gophers.

Florida Atlantic & LSU at Baton Rouge on Saturday as part of the LSU Tournament

Then at Washington the next weekend for the Washington Tournament. Two games with the Huskies, one Friday & one Saturday.

Those 4 games should be a meat grinder.
 







Groenewegen with a 0.592 WHIP and ERA of 0.57 after today's game. Gave up 2 hits, no walks, 10 strikeouts, 87 pitches and faced 24 batters because she hit one.
Gophers score a couple with two outs in the fourth inning. Only one run earned.
 

Two undefeated teams left after the Texas A&M loss to Houston on Wednesday. Gophers and Oregon.

Oregon (15-0) pounded on #24 Missouri yesterday 10-4 and also beat Maryland 14-0. They play Missouri again today along with Stephen F Austin. They get Butler tomorrow. Games are in Columbia, Missouri. So far they have played (at the time) #24 Fresno State, #22 Kentucky and #24 Missouri as far as ranked teams. All games have been played on the road. Not sure if it's ironic, but that's where Allister came from, coaching under Michael White for a couple of years.
 

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Finucane tosses a 1 hitter as the Gophers beat Florida Atlantic 4-1. Walked 4 and struck 8.
Lindaman and Partain hit back to back home runs in the 4th. Lindaman a 3 run shot and Partain followed with a solo for all the scoring.
 

Finucane tosses a 1 hitter as the Gophers beat Florida Atlantic 4-1. Walked 4 and struck 8.
Lindaman and Partain hit back to back home runs in the 4th. Lindaman a 3 run shot and Partain followed with a solo for all the scoring.

I mention that I like our freshmen? We already knew this year had the chance to be very special, but with the youth on the team and how good they are, we're going to be good for a long time. Let's beat LSU!
 

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Interesting, Cowger hitting for Groenewegen.

LSU going with Carly Hoover. 38.1 innings, 57 strikeouts, 16 hits, 24 walks and a 1.10 ERA
First 4 hitters for LSU over .400
 






So, was having Cowger in the batting order a bit of a ploy by Allister? Can't believe it was a mistake.
Also, wonder if she was tempted to have Houlihan try and push the runners over in the first inning when Macken and Parlich were sitting on first and second with no outs? Heard her in an interview say she doesn't like to give up outs.
One other little observation, she let Arneson hit in the 6th inning. Thought she might pinch hit for her.
The woman doing the broadcast mentioned Allister has had offers to move to other jobs. Doesn't surprise me, just didn't like hearing it.
Dang, Groenewegen has that other level. The other team, at times, think they are smelling blood and she just ramps it up. And that change up!
Arneson made a fabulous play in one of the first two games. dove for the ball in the hole, got up and threw out the runner. Think it might be on the Twitter feed.
Lindaman is really impressive. She absolutely smashed that ball on a line out to third baseman on an 0-2 count.
Have to give Allister credit, all the position switches seem to be working very well.
(Random thoughts after getting to watch them play on ESPN. Sure wish more of their games were on.)
 

Cowger was a runner for Groenewegen. As the designated player, she could run for Groenewegen multiple times. As a pinch runner, Cowger could only run for her one time.
Allister has had several offers to leave the Gophers. So far, the athletics department has been very supportive of her program, e.g. replacing the grass with turf and the dirt with a mixture that drains better. Let's hope that she continues to get the support needed to keep her here.
Of the seven position players in the lineup, 6 played shortstop in high school. They are all extremely good fielders.
 

Give Allister a raise! Anyone here know how well she is being compensated? And how it compares to the rest of the coaches in the B1G, and probably, more importantly, how it compares to the coaches in the Pac-12 and SEC? We can't lose her. I wouldn't doubt if she'll bring us a National Title before Lucia does, and probably before Pitino and Fleck, too. And She'll probably do it before the VB team wins one as well.
 

Give Allister a raise! Anyone here know how well she is being compensated? And how it compares to the rest of the coaches in the B1G, and probably, more importantly, how it compares to the coaches in the Pac-12 and SEC? We can't lose her. I wouldn't doubt if she'll bring us a National Title before Lucia does, and probably before Pitino and Fleck, too. And She'll probably do it before the VB team wins one as well.

Agree on locking up Allister long term. We're a bit spoiled in that we have a host of excellent women's coaches at the U (McCutcheon, Frost, Golan, etc...). But I would love to ink her to a long-term deal. Not sure where her current contract stands, but I get the feeling she's in no hurry to leave Minnesota.

As it stands, it appears Allister is focused on building a legacy at the U, which is great for us. Hopefully Coyle can keep her here indefinitely.
 

Looking at Oregon's upcoming schedule, it could be a while before they lose a single game. But if we get the kind of pitching we've been getting and the kind of hitting we've been getting, it might be awhile before our Gopher's lose a game as well? Good thing I'm not a player or a coach, because I'm looking past some of our upcoming opponents and can't wait til the games vs Washington.
 

Cowger was a runner for Groenewegen. As the designated player, she could run for Groenewegen multiple times. As a pinch runner, Cowger could only run for her one time.
Allister has had several offers to leave the Gophers. So far, the athletics department has been very supportive of her program, e.g. replacing the grass with turf and the dirt with a mixture that drains better. Let's hope that she continues to get the support needed to keep her here.
Of the seven position players in the lineup, 6 played shortstop in high school. They are all extremely good fielders.

Yeah, understood. You're 100% correct. In Groenewegen's 7 starts in the circle, looking through the boxscores, this is the first time Allister handled it in this fashion. Least in my researching. Looks like she has done it with Arneson and Houlihan....I think. (I'm just some dope who finally got to watch them play on ESPN and am making something out of nothing,)
Thinking most good squads across the nation have their fair share of ex shortstops on the roster. Generally the better players in high school are going to handle the shortstop duties and likely at one time or another will go into the circle to give it a try. Arneson appears to be very good defensively and Partain too talented, forced herself into the lineup. Switches have been golden and your point stands, they are good defensively.
Speaking of shortstops, Jessica Merchant was Dr. Longball at Michigan. 49 career home runs while playing that position at Michigan. Read that last week. Impressive.
 

Agree on locking up Allister long term. We're a bit spoiled in that we have a host of excellent women's coaches at the U (McCutcheon, Frost, Golan, etc...). But I would love to ink her to a long-term deal. Not sure where her current contract stands, but I get the feeling she's in no hurry to leave Minnesota.

As it stands, it appears Allister is focused on building a legacy at the U, which is great for us. Hopefully Coyle can keep her here indefinitely.

Allister was signed to an extension with a nice raise in 2015. I don't know when it expires.


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Gophers in a tough one. Right now behind 3-2 starting the top of the 5th.
Minnesota loads the bases with three straight walks. Dwyer hits into a 5-2-3 double play and Groenewegen grounds out to shortstop to end the inning.
Gophers grab a 4-3 lead in the top of the 6th.
Gophers win 7-3 with Brandt throwing the last 4 innings.
 

Allister was signed to an extension with a nice raise in 2015. I don't know when it expires.


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Thanks. Thought I had heard that she had been extended in the past couple of years.

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Washington went through three Big Ten teams over the weekend. Beat Iowa 8-0, beat Indiana 13-1, beat Northwestern 3-0.
They also beat Fresno State 5-1, but fell to #22 Baylor 3-1. The Husky/Gopher contest will be the first home game for Washington.
 

Washington went through three Big Ten teams over the weekend. Beat Iowa 8-0, beat Indiana 13-1, beat Northwestern 3-0.
They also beat Fresno State 5-1, but fell to #22 Baylor 3-1. The Husky/Gopher contest will be the first home game for Washington.

Weather forecast looking awfully dicey for Washington next weekend...
 


Partain, Groenewegen Earn B1G Plaudits

The No. 10/11 University of Minnesota Gophers continue to rack up Big Ten weekly awards. MaKenna Partain earned B1G Freshman of the Week honors for the second time and Sara Groenewegen was named Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season, the conference announced Monday.

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/030617aaa.html
 




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