Gophers sophomore Gable Steveson, the nation's No. 1-ranked heavyweight wrestler, defeated No. 3 Tony Gassioppi of Iowa 7-5 on Saturday night in a Big Ten dual meet in Iowa City. But despite his win, the No. 1 Hawkeyes easily won the match 35-6 over No. 7 Minnesota to clinch the conference regular-season title. Iowa is 12-0 overall, 9-0 in the conference.
Ahead by only one point in his match, Steveson charged his opponent and got a takedown with 27 seconds left to take a 7-4 lead. He is 11-0 this season, Cassioppi 15-2.
Owen Webster had the only other win for Minnesota (9-7, 4-4), beating Cash Wilcke 3-2 at 184 pounds.
Two Gophers, Mitch McKee at 141 pounds and Ryan Thomas at 157, lost in overtime, and Brayton Lee at 149 by one point.
U baseball rally falls short
The Gophers baseball team scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning but lost 8-6 to Pepperdine on Saturday afternoon in the Angels College Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Freshman Drew Stahl had a two-run single for Minnesota (1-1) in the ninth. The other runs came home on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch. Justin Lutes was 4-for-4 for Pepperdine (2-0), with two RBI and three runs.
U diver Bacon takes silver
Gophers diver Sarah Bacon finished in second place in the women's 3-meter springboard on Friday at the FINA Grand Prix in Madrid with a score of 297.60. She finished behind synchronized diving teammate Kassidy Cook (308.10).
Gophers lose in softball
Virginia Tech edged the No. 14 Gophers softball team 2-1 on the second day of the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational in Florida. Senior righthander Amber Fiser took the loss. She gave up eight hits, struck out 11 and walked two in six innings.
Minnesota (4-4) scored its run in the sixth inning on Natalie DenHartog's double and Emily Hansen's single.
