The Gophers softball team defeated Army 12-1 and Hampton 8-0 — each in five innings — Saturday in North Carolina-Greensboro Spartan Classic to improve to 11-1, the program's best 12-game start ever.
Senior Sara Moulton tossed a no-hitter against the Pirates in the second game and surpassed the 1,000-strikeout plateau in the first inning with the first of her 11 strikeouts.
Moulton allowed just one baserunner, on an error. It was her fifth-career no-hitter, tying pitching coach Piper Ritter for the most in school history.
Sara Groenewegen singled home Erica Meyer in the first inning to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead. Tyler Walker doubled to score two more in the second inning.
Groenewegen was the winning pitcher against Army and also hit a home run in the first inning.
Swarm's tailspin continues
Toronto edged the visiting Minnesota Swarm 14-12. It was the fourth victory in five home games for the Rock (4-4).
The Swarm (1-7) fell behind 13-4 before rallying for eight goals in the fourth quarter. Toronto goalie Nick Rose made 46 saves. Jordan MacIntosh had five goals, tying a career high, for the Swarm and Logan Schuss a career-high five assists.
Etc.
• Tom Reichelt of Oberwiesenthal, Germany, won the 50K skate race in the American Birkebeiner in Hayward, Wis., in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 29.9 seconds. Three Italians took the next three spots. Simone Paredi of Sormano was second in 2:14.30.4. Caitlin Gregg, of Minneapolis, won the women's title for the second consecutive year. Her time was 2:40:57.4. Her husband, Brian, competed for the U.S. cross-country ski team in the Sochi Olympics.
