The Gophers softball team extended its school-record winning streak to 13 games with a 3-2 victory over Illinois on Sunday that completed a three-game sweep of the Big Ten-opening series in Champaign, Ill.
The 15th-ranked Gophers (26-4) scored three runs in the second inning on a Danielle Parlich RBI single and an Illini error that plated two runs. Nikki Anderson pitched 2 ⅓ innings of relief to get the win.
Jess Perkins and Ruby Rivera hit solo homers for Illinois (8-19).
Maryland sweeps U baseball team
Maryland finished a three-game sweep of the Gophers in the opening series of the Big Ten baseball season, rallying for a 7-3 victory in Sunday's finale in College Park, Md. Brandon Lowe went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Terrapins (17-4), who trailed 3-0 before taking control. Tyler Stiles pitched three shutout innings to get the win for Maryland.
Jordan Smith hit a two-run homer for the Gophers (7-13). Toby Hansen went 2-for-4 and drove in the Gophers' other run. Minnesota starter Tim Shannon took the loss, giving up five runs (four earned) and five hits over 4 ⅓ innings.
U tennis teams split Big Ten matches
The No. 25 Gophers tennis team ran its Big Ten record to 3-0 with a 5-2 victory over Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb. Leandro Toledo, Mati Spec, Felix Corwin and Mathieu Froment earned singles victories for Minnesota (12-5). Froment and Jack Hamburg, and Spec and Eric Frueh won their matches to earn the doubles point.
• The Gophers women's tennis team's six-match winning streak ended with a 7-0 loss at No. 13 Michigan (12-3, 3-0 Big Ten). Minnesota fell to 11-5 and 1-1 in the Big Ten.
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• Two St. Thomas swimmers placed in the top five in five events last week at the NCAA Division III meet in Shenandoah, Texas. Sophomore Emma Paulson was third in the 100 backstroke, fourth in the 200 backstroke and fifth in the 50 freestyle. Junior Mike Lanz was third in both the 100 and 200 butterflies. The Tommies finished 15th in the women's meet, 25th in the men's.
