Wisconsin swept the No. 22 Gophers 6-3 and 7-1 on Tuesday at Cowles Field in a Big Ten softball doubleheader to knock the Gophers out of first place in the conference race.
The Badgers (21-16-1, 6-4-1) rallied in the later innings of both games. In the opener, leadoff hitter Kelsey Jenkins went 4-for-4 and, in a five-run fourth inning, Katie Christner hit a three-run homer as Wisconsin took a 5-2 lead.
Sara Groenewegen took the loss, which broke the Gophers' 12-game conference winning streak at home. Groenewegen gave up four earned runs and 10 hits while striking out 11. Sam Macken, the Gophers leadoff hitter, was 3-for-4 and scored twice.
In the second game, the Gophers (27-12, 8-3) took a 1-0 lead on Kayla Wenner's double in the fourth, but the Badgers scored three runs in the fifth inning and four in the sixth.
U wins on small ball
The Gophers baseball team beat South Dakota State 7-3 at Siebert Field for its fifth consecutive victory. Minnesota (19-10) scored three runs on sacrifice flies and two on wild pitches and stole a season-high seven bases.
The home team scored three runs in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead over the Jackrabbits (10-21). Matt Fiedler scored on a wild pitch, Jordan Smith drove in a run with a single and Micah Coffey scored on another wild pitch. Nick Lackney got the win, pitching 3⅓ scoreless innings. He didn't allow a hit and struck out three.
North Dakota drops baseball, men's golf
North Dakota is dropping baseball and men's golf after this spring as part of its overall budget restructuring process. The was reached based upon forecast state revenue shortfalls, conference core sport sponsorship requirements, and Title IX compliance.
With these cuts, UND athletics will see a departmental cost savings of about $720,000 in operating budgets and salaries.
