Minnesota 2015 SOFTBALL GAME NOTES 2015 Schedule Diamond Devil Invitational (Tempe, Ariz.)• Feb. 20-22, 2015 Date Opponent Time/Result Sportco Kick Off Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.) New Mexico State Aggies (5-5) 11/13 Fri., Feb. 20 • 10:00 a.m. CT 2/6 Washington W 8-0 (5) Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium • Tempe, Ariz. 2/6 Bakersfield W 9-1 (5) 2/7 UC Davis W 15-6 (6) Live Coverage: z.umn.edu/15sblive10 NR/RV 2/7 Louisville W 4-2 Boise State Broncos (4-6) 2/8 at UNLV W 14-3 (5) Fri., Feb. 20 • 2:30 p.m. CT 2/13 at Stetson W 3-0 2/13 at Stetson W 16-7 (5) Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium • Tempe, Ariz. 2/15 UMass Lowell* W 8-0 (6) Live Coverage: z.umn.edu/15sblive11 2/15 Central Florida*RV/RV L 0-4 Diamond Devil Invitational (Tempe, Ariz.) Boise State Broncos (4-6) 2/20 New Mexico State 10:00 AM Sat., Feb. 21 • 4:45 p.m. CT 2/20 Boise State 2:30 PM Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium • Tempe, Ariz. 2/21 Boise State 4:45 PM Live Coverage: z.umn.edu/15sblive12 2/21 at Arizona State19/21 7:00 PM 2/22 Colorado State 12:00 PM No. 19/21 Arizona State Sun Devils (8-4) Citrus Classic (Orlando, Fla.) Sat., Feb. 21 • 7:00 p.m. CT 2/27 Mississippi State 12:15 PM Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium • Tempe, Ariz. 2/27 James Madison 2:30 PM Live Coverage: z.umn.edu/15sblive13 2/28 Missouri 12:15 PM 2/28 Omaha 2:30 PM Colorado State Rams (4-6) 3/1 Fordham 9:00 AM Sun., Feb. 22 • 12:00 p.m. CT Louisville Slugger Classic (Palo Alto, Calif.) Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium • Tempe, Ariz. 3/6 at Stanford 8:00 PM Live Coverage: z.umn.edu/15sblive14 3/7 Santa Clara 3:30 PM 3/7 at Stanford 6:00 PM LAST TIME OUT Wheaton, Ill. native has hit for a .520 3/8 at Stanford 12:00 PM The Minnesota softball team moved to batting average with a team-best .840 Fresno State Classic (Fresno, Calif.) 8-1 on the season last weekend after slugging percentage. She enters the 3/13 South Dakota 11:00 AM sweeping a doubleheader at Stetson weekend with a season-opening nine- 3/13 Pacific 1:15 PM with 3-0 and 16-7 wins. The Gophers game hitting streak. She chipped in her 3/14 at Fresno State 8:00 PM closed out the weekend in Clermont, first two home runs of the season last 3/15 Montana 11:00 AM Fla. with an 8-0 win over UMass Lowell weekend, as well. and a 4-0 loss to Central Florida. 3/15 Cal Poly 2:00 PM GETTING ON BASE 3/18 at California 6:00 PM MILESTONE WIN Minnesota’s offense has aided greatly 3/20 at Illinois 5:30 PM The Gophers’ victory over UMass Low- in its 8-1 start. The Gophers have five 3/21 at Illinois 1:00 PM ell was fifth-year head coach Jessica players--Sam Macken, Tyler Walker, 3/22 at Illinois 12:00 PM Allister’s 150th win at Minnesota. Her Hannah Granger, Sara Groenewegen 3/27 at Nebraska 5:30 PM current record with the Maroon and and Kaitlyn Richardson--who have 3/28 at Nebraska 1:00 PM Gold is 150-78, good for a .658 winning reached base in all nine games. The 3/29 at Nebraska 12:00 PM percentage. team has hit for a .399 average and has 4/3 Michigan 6:00 PM accrued a .483 on-base percentage 4/4 Michigan 1:00 PM ANOTHER HOT START 4/5 Michigan 12:00 PM At 8-1, the Gophers have matched their RUN RULE WINS 4/10 Northwestern 6:00 PM best start in program history. Minnesota The Gophers have piled up six run-rule 4/11 Northwestern 1:00 PM was also 8-1 after its first two weekends wins in their first nine games. Last year, 4/12 Northwestern 12:00 PM a year ago. 11 of the Gophers’ 44 wins were by run- rule decision. 4/15 South Dakota 6:00 PM AN IMPRESSIVE FIELD 4/17 at Michigan State 3:00 PM The Gophers will be facing tough com- STRIKING THEM OUT 4/18 at Michigan State 12:00 PM petition this weekend at the Diamond Sara Groenewegen, who led the nation 4/19 at Michigan State 12:00 PM Devil Invitational. The four teams on with 11.6 strikeouts per seven innings 4/22 North Dakota State 2:00 PM Minnesota’s slate had a combined re- last season, has kept fanning hitters in 4/22 North Dakota State 4:00 PM cord of 139-74-1 (.652 winning percent- 2015. The reigning Big Ten Pitcher of 4/24 Iowa 6:00 PM age) last season. the Year has 51 strikeouts in 29 innings 4/25 Iowa 1:00 PM pitched so far. 4/26 Iowa 12:00 PM GOPHERS IN THE DESERT 4/29 at Wisconsin 4:30 PM In 90 all-time games in the state of DRIVING THEM IN 4/29 at Wisconsin 6:30 PM Arizona, Minnesota is 39-50-1. Before Through nine games, five Gophers 5/1 Purdue 6:00 PM head coach Jessica Allister arrived, the have 10 RBI: Danielle Parlich, Tyler 5/2 Purdue 1:00 PM Gophers were 26-44-1, but they have Walker, Hannah Granger, Sara Groene- 5/3 Purdue 12:00 PM gone 13-6 since, including a 3-1 trip to wegen and Kaitlyn Richardson Tempe last season. Big Ten Tournament (Columbus, Ohio): 5/7 to 5/9 IN THE RANKINGS NCAA Regionals: 5/15 to 517 GRANGER DANGER After starting the season with its highest NCAA Super Regionals: 5/22 to 5/24 After quietly leading the Gophers with preseason ranking in program history NCAA Women’s College World Series: 5/28 to 6/3 a .415 conference batting average in at No. 15, Minnesota now sits at No. 2014, senior Hannah Granger is picking 15/14 following a 3-1 visit to the state of *Played in Clermont, Fla.; All times Central up where she left off as a junior. The Florida last weekend. Quick Facts National Rankings University Information ESPN.com/USA Softball Rankings Location .................................................................................... Minneapolis, Minn. Rank Team Record Previous Founded ......................................................................................................... 1851 1 Florida 11-0 1 Enrollment ................................................................................................... 48,308 2 Oregon 6-0 2 Affiliation ........................................................................................NCAA Division I 3 Oklahoma 9-1 3 Conference ................................................................................................. Big Ten 4 Michigan 8-1 7 Nickname......................................................................................Golden Gophers 5 Alabama 11-1 4 Colors ..........................................................................................Maroon and Gold 6 Louisiana-Lafayette 9-0 8 Facility (Capacity) ...........................................Jane Sage Cowles Stadium (1,000) 7 Georgia 10-0 9 President ................................................................. Eric W. Kaler (Cal Tech 1978) 8 Florida State 7-3 5 Athletics Director ......................................Norwood Teague (North Carolina 1988) 9 Kentucky 6-2 6 Staff Information 10 Arizona 9-0 t12 Head Coach...........................................................Jessica Allister (Stanford 2004) 11 Baylor 9-0 11 Email ..................................................................................... [email protected] 12 UCLA 9-2 10 Softball Office Phone...................................................................612-626-5594 13 Tennessee 9-0 14 Career Record ........................................................... 150-78 (.658)/5th season 14 Minnesota 8-1 t12 Record at Minnesota ................................................. 150-78 (.658)/5th season 15 LSU 10-0 16 Career B1G Record........................................................................49-37 (.570) 16 Washington 8-2 15 Head Coach......................................................Jessica Merchant (Michigan 2005) 17 Auburn 12-0 17 Email .................................................................................merchant@umn.edu 18 Missouri 4-1 18 Pitching Coach ........................................................ Piper Ritter (Minnesota 2004) 19 UCF 8-0 NR Email ................................................................................ [email protected] 20 California 9-0 23 Volunteer Assistant Coach...................... Macy Merchant (Central Michigan 2013) 21 Arizona State 8-4 21 Director of Operations ........................................................ Michael Kyllo-Kittleson 22 Texas A&M 7-3 22 Email .................................................................................. [email protected] t23 Notre Dame 5-4 19 Phone ..........................................................................................612-625-5574 t23 South Alabama 7-2 25 Communications Director ....................................................................... Jake Ford 25 Tulsa 7-3 24 Email ................................................................................. [email protected] Others receiving votes: Stanford, Texas, Virgin- Phone ..........................................................................................413-218-9064 ia Tech, Cal State Fullerton, Kansas, Mississippi Program Information State, San Diego State, South Carolina, Nebras- ka, NC State, Ohio State, James Madison, Cal 2015 Record ............................................................................................8-1 (.889) State Northridge, Fresno State, North Dakota 2015 B1G Record .............................................................................................. 0-0 State 2014 Record ........................................................................................44-12 (.786) 2014 B1G Record ..................................................................................16-6 (.727) USA Today/NFCA Rankings 2014 B1G Finish ............................................3rd Regular Season/1st Tournament Rank Team Record Previous Letterwinners Returning/Lost..........................................................................