Damon Gibson, who went from Minnesota Nine-Man football to becoming a star receiver at Minnesota State Moorhead, has signed a free-agent contract with the Green Bay Packers.

The undrafted Gibson, who played quarterback in Nine-Man for Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, caught 54 passes for 649 yards as a 230-pound senior at MSU Moorhead despite missing four games because of injury. He is a projected as a tight end.

Two U redshirts granted

Gophers defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. and wide receiver Demetrius Douglas had their medical redshirt requests approved by the NCAA, meaning both will receive an additional year of eligibility, coach P.J. Fleck said Sunday on WCCO Radio. Winfield will be a third-year sophomore this fall, and Douglas will be a redshirt freshman.

• Ex-Gophers tight end Nate Wozniak signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints.

RANDY JOHNSON

U softball blanks Purdue

Kendyl Lindaman and MaKenna Partain hit back-to-back home runs to start the game, and the Gophers softball team hit five in all in a 7-0 victory over Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.

The other three Gophers home runs came in succession in the fourth, by Sydney Dwyer, Dani Wagner and Danielle Parlich.

Buckeyes' rally sinks Gophers

Ohio State rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and beat the visiting Gophers baseball team 6-5. Luke Pettersen had a two-run triple for the Gophers, who couldn't hang on to a 5-1 lead through 5½ innings.

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