Minnesota Scene: Gophers rally for three run in seventh to improve to 27-2 in softball

The No. 8-ranked Gophers softball team scored three runs with two out in the top of the seventh to edge Nebraska 5-4 on Saturday in a Big Ten game in Lincoln.

Danielle Parlich, who had two RBI earlier on a sacrifice fly and a single, doubled to drive in the first of those runs in the seventh. Freshmen Kendyl Lindaman and MaKenna Partain followed with RBI singles.

"Up and down the lineup we knew we could rely on everyone," Parlich said, "so we were just having fun and making sure our energy stayed high."

Minnesota, which beat the Cornhuskers 16-0 in five innings Friday in its conference opener, is 27-2 overall and 2-0 in the conference.

Reliever Carlie Brandt, a freshman from Le Sueur, Minn., got the victory to improve to 6-0 with a 0.75 ERA. She gave up six hits but pitched fiver scoreless innings.

The Gophers swept Ohio State 15-5 and 6-5 in a Big Ten baseball doubleheader in Columbus.

In the first game, Cole McDevitt and Jordan Smith hit three-run homers and the Gophers scored seven runs in the eighth. In that big inning, Toby Hanson had a two-run double and Jordan Kozicky a two-run triple. Minnesota had 17 hits in the game.

Alex Boxwell had a sacrifice fly and a solo homer for Minnesota in a 13-hit attack in the second game.

The Gophers (14-8, 3-0 Big Ten) built a 6-3 lead through 5½ innings and held on.

The Gophers men's gymnastics team posted the third highest score in the nation — and best in the Big Ten — in beating host Nebraska 426.950 to 425.550.

Sophomore Justin Karstadt won the all-around for No. 5-ranked Minnesota with a personal best 87.050 at Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The Gophers also scored a season high 71.600 on high bar. The Cornhuskers are No. 6.

• Senior Matt Barnard of the Gophers made the platform finals on Saturday night in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis.

• Five MIAC players were named to the American Hockey Coaches Association's West All-America team. Augsburg senior defenseman Rory Vesel made the first team while four made the second team: senior forward Thomas Williams and sophomore goalie Benjamin Myers of St. Thomas, junior defenseman Mitch Hall of Hamline, and junior forward Nate Flynn of Augsburg.

• The Gophers women's tennis team edged Nebraska 4-3 at the Baseline Tennis Center. With the score tied 3-all, Maja Vujic won 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 over Jeannie Lozowski at No. 4 singles.

• Madeline Strandemo of the Gophers placed third in the 800 with a career best time of 2:08.57 at the Raleigh (N.C.) Relays while Minnesota's 4x800 relay of Paige Peschel, Abby Lange, Samantha Prouty and Tess Wasowicz also took third in 9:01.41.

• Central Lakes College's Kaye Smude, a freshman catcher/outfielder from Brainerd, Minn., was named the NJCAA Division III national player of the week. On the Raiders spring trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., she hit .360, with two triples and four RBI.