The No. 4 Gophers clinched at least a share of their first Big Ten softball title since 1991 with an 11-1 victory over Penn State in six innings on Friday in State College. Senior righthander Sara Groenenwegen pitched a one-hitter and struck out 12 to improve to 26-2. She had a perfect game until the sixth.
With its latest victory, Minnesota (49-3, 20-1 Big Ten) set a program record for most wins in a row with 20 and tied the program record for most wins in a season, set in 2015.
Maddie Houlihan and Kendyl Lindaman each had three RBI. Houlihan drove in the Gophers' first run with a double in the first inning, had an RBI single in the second and hit a solo homer in the sixth. Lindaman had a sacrifice fly in the second and hit a two-run homer, her 19th of the season, in the sixth.
Lindaman now had 67 RBI, three behind the 70 for teammate Sydney Dwyer, who had after an RBI double. The team single-season RBI record is 74, by Shannon Beeler in 1998.
• Groenewegen and Dwyer were named to the College Sports Information Directors of America's academic All-District 6 softball team.
Etc.
• Senior defender Tori Burnett and junior midfielder Emily Heslin were recently named cocaptains of the Gophers women's soccer team.
• Gophers outside hitter Alice Zeimann, a freshman from Christchurch, New Zealand, will competing for her country in the Asian Women's U23 Championship from May 13-21 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
• Senior golfer Emie Peronnin of the Gophers will play in the NCAA Columbus Regional beginning Monday. The native of Frejus, France, placed third in the recent Big Ten meet.
