Gophers

Minnesota Scene: Gophers rout No. 11 Washington in softball opener

February 7, 2015 at 5:34AM

The No. 15-rated Gophers softball team opened its season in dominant fashion.

Minnesota routed No. 11 Washington 8-0 Friday afternoon in five innings in the Sportco Kickoff Classic in Las Vegas. Sophomore righthander Sara Groenewegen threw a four-hitter and struck out nine. Her eighth strikeout, coming against the Huskies' first batter in the bottom of the fifth, was the 200th of her career.

Danielle Parlich, a freshman second baseman, had three hits, including a two-run triple, and four RBI.

Washington (1-1) had beaten UC-Bakersfield 11-2 in five innings earlier Friday.

The Gophers played Cal State-Bakersfield late Friday night in their second game of the six-team, round-robin tournament.

U wrestlers fall to OSU

The Gophers wrestling team, coming off its first loss of the season a week ago to Iowa, lost again Friday night. No. 5 Ohio State defeated the No. 2 Gophers 22-13 in Columbus, Ohio.

The Buckeyes (12-3, 8-1 Big Ten) opened up a 10-0 lead when Logan Stieber, ranked No. 1, edged No. 4 Nick Dardanes of the Gophers 10-8 at 141 pounds in the third match.

Jake Short got Minnesota's first decision with a 3-1 win over Randy Languis in overtime; Short got a takedown on a re-shot for the winning points. The Gophers (10-2, 6-2) cut Ohio State's lead to 10-6 before the intermission when unbeaten and No. 1 Dylan Ness beat Josh Demas 5-2 at 157 pounds on a quick escape and late takedown in the third period.

A Buckeyes pin at 165 gave the home team a big lead again at 16-6. The Gophers won two more matches, Logan Storley 3-0 at 174 and Michael Kroells 15-7 at heavyweight.

But in between, OSU stayed comfortably ahead with a 3-2 win at 184 and a match-clinching 3-1 win at 197.

Jones to NC A&T

After getting dismissed from the Gophers football team in late December, wide receiver Donovahn Jones has signed at North Carolina A&T. The school announced Jones' arrival this week when it unveiled its 2015 recruiting class. North Carolina A&T is a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) school, so Jones will be eligible to play immediately and will be a junior this fall.

Jones started nine games for the Gophers last year, making 11 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns. The Gophers dismissed him from the team in Orlando, Fla., before the Citrus Bowl, for an unspecified violation of team rules.

JOE CHRISTENSEN

• Three former Gophers — running back David Cobb, tight end Maxx Williams and linebacker Damien Wilson — were invited to attend the NFL scouting combine from Feb. 17-23 in Indianapolis.

Etc.

• The Lynx re-signed 5-7 guard Nadirah McKenith. She was originally signed by the WNBA team last June and appeared in six games as a reserve, averaging 0.7 in points and rebounds.

• Senior Devin Stanford of the Gophers won the women's weight throw in the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. Her best toss was 63 feet, 9¾ inches.