The Gophers softball team defeated host Illinois 13-0 and 6-4 in a doubleheader Saturday to complete a sweep of a three-game series.
In the first game, Jess Oakland was 4-for-5 with three home runs and five RBI to pace a six-homer barrage by the Gophers (18-15, 4-2 Big Ten). Oakland hit home runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Taylor Krapf, Kayla Chavez and Sydney Strelow also hit home runs for the Gophers.
In the second game, Krapf hit a solo home run and Gophers starter Bri Enter gave up one run and three hits in six innings. Enter is 11-5 on the season.
Krapf also hit two home runs and drove in seven runs in the Gophers' 16-1 victory Friday.
U baseball falls
Iowa defeated the Gophers baseball team 14-6 in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes (14-11, 3-2 Big Ten) led 4-3 before scoring six runs in the fourth inning to open a 10-3 lead.
Josh Fitzgerald and Brady Jurgella each drove in two runs for the Gophers (11-11, 1-1). Jurgella hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the ninth.
Andy Nelson was 3-for-4 with three RBI for Iowa.
Etc.
• Gophers swimmer Bar Soloveychik broke the school record in the 1,650 freestyle at 14:41.40 on his way to finishing seventh and being chosen an All-America at the NCAA championships in Indianapolis.
• The Gophers women's golf team was in seventh place out of 13 teams after 36 holes of play at the Bruzzy in Ardmore, Okla., at 21 over par, 11 strokes behind leader Arkansas.
• St. Benedict's Fiona Smith recorded the second-fastest outdoor 10K time in Division III history at the Stanford Invitational on Friday night, clocking at 32:57.28. The senior from Saudi Arabia surpassed her own previous best of 33:05.17 by nearly eight seconds.
