Gophers

Gophers baseball edges Rutgers

Minnesota scored four runs in the first inning on four RBI singles and held on to beat the Scarlet Knights 5-3 at Siebert Field.

By Star Tribune staff

May 19, 2023 at 3:40AM

Gophers pitcher Tucker Novotny, above vs. Hawaii early this season, got the victory as Minnesota beat Rutgers 5-3 on Thursday. (Andy Clayton-King, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Tucker Novotny gave up only one run and six hits in the first 5⅔ innings as the Gophers baseball team beat Rutgers 5-3 on Thursday night at Siebert Field.

Minnesota (17-33, 9-13 Big Ten) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning on RBI singles by Weber Neels, Brady Counsell, Kyle Bork and Kris Hokenson.

Bethel's shutout streak goes on

The No. 11-ranked Bethel softball team won 2-0 over Wisconsin-La Crosse in the opening round of an NCAA Division III regional Thursday afternoon in Pella, Iowa. Kayla Simacek threw a three-hitter, struck out nine and walked one in her fifth straight shutout.

Ninth-year coach Penny Foore got her 200th career win while the Royals (34-3) captured a program-record 24th straight victory.

Next Bethel will play host Central Dutch, which beat Grinnell 3-2, at 11 a.m. Friday.

Izzy Wilhelm and Sidney Bartels each went 2-for-3 with Bartels scoring the Royals' first run in the fifth inning on a double and an overthrow.

Johnnies golfers in fourth

St. John's is fourth going into the final day of the NCAA Division III men's golf tournament in Nicholasville, Ky. The Johnnies shot a 294 the third round for a 7-over 871 — seven shots back of defending champion and leader Methodist University.

Sam Berger of St. John's dropped from co-leader to a tie for 11th after a 5-over 77 for a 217. Jonathan Miller of St. Thomas was tied for 18th after a 75 for a 218.

Mavericks win

Jackson Hauge had a solo homer and an RBI double as Minnesota State Mankato beat Southern Arkansas 8-4 on the first day of the NCAA Division II Central Regional in Warrensburg, Mo. The Mavericks are 40-15.

Augustana also won its opener, beating Ouachita Baptist 5-3 as Drey Dirksen and Spencer Marenco each hit two-run homers.

But St. Cloud State lost 7-6 to Central Missouri after taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning on homers by Sawyer Smith and Ethan Navratil.

Etc.

Chad Slyter has resigned as Concordia (Moorhead) softball coach after seven seasons. His teams won 74 games, 21 in the MIAC. The Cobbers made their first conference playoffs appearance in 2021 and finished 22-21, tying the school record for victories in one season.
The Augustana women's golf team finished 16th with a 66-over 930 in the NCAA Division II tournament in Eureka, Mo.
Birgen Nelson of Gustavus was named the MIAC Women's Track Athlete of the Year, Journey Amundson of Macalester the Field Athlete of the Year and the Gusties' Aaron Lund the Coach of the Year.
St. John's Kevin Arthur was selected MIAC Men's Track Athlete of the Year, St. Olaf's Lucas Kramarczuk Field Athlete of the Year and the Johnnies' Jeremy Karger-Gatzow Coach of the Year.