The New York Giants selected John Michael Schmitz Jr. in April with the 57th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The former Gophers center is now undergoing summer workouts with his new team in preparation for his first season of professional football.

Headed into the NFL draft, Schmitz was the highest-ranked Center by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and was the first center off the draft board. He was the highest-drafted Minnesota center since Brian Williams was drafted 18th overall in 1989. Coincidentally, Williams was selected by the New York Giants as well.

One of the biggest transitions a football player has to make is the move from college football to the NFL. Adjusting to the new scheme and the learning curve that comes along with the new system are just a few of the roadblocks that can cause a pile-up in development.

Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck sees it a different way, where the move from high school to college is the largest transition.With the amount of football Schmitz played at Minnesota, Fleck believes he is ready for the NFL.

“He’s gonna be just fine. The benefit of what he has done is that he is an older player, a grown man … Once you get to college, you play against 24-year-old grown men; once you hit the NFL, you’re all grown men, they’re all grown men,” said Fleck on the Official Giants Podcast Network. “He’s played against the Ohio State’s, the Michigan’s, the Auburn’s, the Penn State’s and he’s done it for six years.”

The Minnesota head coach is not the only person who thinks Schmitz is going to be successful at the next level. Former Minnesota Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman talked about his view of Schmitz on CBS.

“He was a high school wrestler coming out and, usually, if they have a wrestling background, that will equate to what they do upfront on the offensive line,” Spielman said. “There’s no question about his run-blocking ability. But what really surprised me is how well he did down in pass protection at the Senior Bowl.”

Not only do the Giants expect Schmitz to get playing time in his rookie season, but he is currently projected to be their starting center.

When asked about Schmitz’s learning curve heading into camp, New York Giants Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson replied in a media scrum. “I think that for [Schmitz], from a mental standpoint, the learning curve is minimal … He is a very intelligent kid. He is a quick study, and he works really hard at it.”

Not only does the style change from the Gophers to the Giants, but the complexity in the NFL is on a whole other level. 

Johnson has helped develop experienced linemen in his career, like Quenton Nelson and Dion Dawkins, who both have been voted multiple times to the Pro Bowl.

The bond between quarterback and center needs to be strong for any football team. Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones and Schmitz seem to have gotten off to a good start in their relationship based on Schmitz’s Instagram post of the two of them sharing the practice field.

Overall, the Minnesota Gophers produced a high-quality center who is primed to help the Giants continue to win games and see post-regular season success, just as he did in Minnesota.

Another season of Gophers baseball wrapped up in May without a playoff appearance. The team finished with an 18-34 record, 10th in the Big Ten. The 2023 season, however, showed promise and hope for the future with underclassmen stepping into significant roles.

Non-conference play was the anchor to the Gophers’ season, with an 8-20 record. Their confidence heading into Big Ten play was nonexistent. However, Minnesota won their first Big Ten series against Ohio State.

The Gophers had a chance to make the Big Ten tournament at the end of the year. However, they needed help from Indiana and Nebraska to sweep the series against Purdue and Michigan State.

Minnesota carried their weight and won two of the last three Big Ten series, but it was not enough to get them into the postseason.

Injuries plagued the roster from opening day to the season’s final game. Catcher Sam Hunt got injured early in the season, limiting Minnesota to two catchers. Pitchers T.J. Egan and Sam Kennedy suffered season-ending injuries, restricting the flexibility the pitching staff had to work with throughout the year.

Fans felt like it was a disappointing season, but the development and improvement have brought growing anticipation for next year.

Junior Brett Bateman became the leader of the squad both on and off the field and improved both offensively and defensively.

The centerfielder’s numbers on offense added game-winning support while his home run robberies limited drastic changes in score and boosted morale.

Bateman posted career-best numbers in batting average (.354), doubles (10), slugging percentage (.407), walks (31), on-base percentage (.450) and tied career high with 67 hits.

When asked about what helped him improve for the 2023 season, Bateman said, “Most of my focus was on my strength prior to the 2023 season; being able to increase my strength gives me stronger abilities at the plate, in the field defensively, and on the basepaths.”

Not only was Bateman great on offense, but his defense was impeccable, registering a perfect season at center field. The junior from Arden Hills, Minnesota did not make a single error all season, while making highlight reel catches every week.

On how he improved defensively in his junior season, Bateman said a “large focus on the offseason was increasing first-step quickness and speed overall. With this hard work in the winter, I was able to cover even more ground than usual.”

The work Bateman put in during the offseason was on full display during the 2023 season and has him on the MLB teams’ radars as the draft approaches.

Another player, sophomore Jake Perry improved dramatically, earning him the starting third baseman position for Minnesota in his second year.

Perry took advantage of the increase in opportunity and started in 40 more games compared to his freshman season. The Hopkins, Minnesota native is slowly getting recognized as one of the Gopher’s best offensive weapons.

“There weren’t any specific changes that I made over the off-season except spend more time in the weight room and gain strength,” Perry said. “Overall, I think the main contributor to my success was just getting more college reps and gaining confidence as I get older.”

Talking with head coach John Anderson about Perry’s growth during his sophomore year went beyond the statistics. 

“I don’t try to make a decision on someone as a hitter until they get 200 at-bats at the Division I level and I think he’s approaching that now,” said Anderson. “Perry’s batting average does not reflect the number of quality at-bats he had. Jake started to relax as the season went along and started to believe in himself as a player.”

Even though the batting average was not where Perry wanted it to be, his production on offense was influential by knocking in runs or advancing runners. Coach Anderson believes he will take what he learned this year and improve for next season.

These are just a few of the impressive performers for Minnesota in 2023. Additionally, the Gophers received production from two freshmen, Kris Hokenson and Weber Neels, who started in plenty of games for the team.

After wrapping up his 42nd season as head coach at Minnesota, Anderson talked about the importance of Hokenson and Neels to the team in their freshman seasons.

“Both Weber and Kris did a good job of learning, growing and modifying their plan and approach. Learning how to handle good Division I pitching,” Anderson said. “Those two are definitely going to be players in the center of our lineup as they progress through their careers at Minnesota.”

The two underclassmen helped build a foundation for incoming freshmen to have essential roles on the team.

Anderson has since recruited another solid class he hopes will come in and make an impact on the team.

“I think there are a few guys that can help us on the mound,” Anderson said. “Getting two good classes together and keeping them together for three or four years is how you build a team that can have a chance to win a championship.”

The incoming class will provide Minnesota with sufficient depth across the roster to create beneficial competition. Anderson believes in this dynamic and said it will positively impact the squad as early as next season.

After a tough season, Gopher women’s basketball is building for the future with new head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. Former head coach Lindsey Whalen laid a solid foundation for Plitzuweit to build around.

The core three who anchored Minnesota last season were Mara Braun, Amaya Battle and Mallory Heyer. All three are in-state players who committed to Whalen but stayed through the leadership change.

Braun was Minnesota’s leading scorer, Battle led the team in assists and Heyer was second on the team in rebounding. These youthful cornerstones are set to help build the foundation of a new era in Gophers women’s basketball. 

Mara Braun

The Gophers found some much-needed scoring from the former freshman guard. Minnesota lost its six top scorers from the 2021-22 season, but Braun gave them a boost in that category. Braun averaged 15.6 points per game, which led the team and was 12th in the Big Ten.

A highly touted recruit, ranked 28th in the country, chose to stay home and play for Minnesota. Braun originally committed to Whalen. When Whalen stepped down as head coach of Gopher women’s basketball, it left her future with the team hanging in the balance.

However, Gopher fans were relieved when Braun confirmed she was returning to Minnesota.

“We came here to represent the state and turn the program around and I intend to help finish what we started. Coach Whalen and I have talked and she wants this for us as well,” Braun told KFAN. “To shut down any speculation, I am a Gopher and look forward to continuing Coach Whalen’s vision for us and the program.”

Minnesota fans were relaxed knowing Braun was fully committed to the program. In addition, the team is back for summer camp and getting some full team action with Plitzuweit. Braun will look to build on her freshman season and help turn the Gopher basketball program around.

Amaya Battle

Another homegrown Minnesota talent, Battle, flourished in her freshman season. The Hopkins native played in all 30 games during her first year and became a key starter for the Gophers. 

Battle was lethal when driving to the basket. Her ability to get downhill and attack the defense kept defenders on their heels, helping to open up lanes for teammates to cut into. Battle’s vision led to her leading the team in assists.

Not only was Battle Minnesota’s facilitator, but her 133 assists ranked eighth in the Big Ten. Those 133 assists also broke a 45-year-old program record for most single-season assists by a freshman in Minnesota history.

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The Gopher guard is focused on improving a different aspect of her game this offseason. In an episode of Gold Blooded, a podcast hosted by former Minnesota basketball star Rachel Banham, Battle mentioned she is working on her jump shot.

“Amaya has been working on her shot a lot, and she has been doing really great. She gets lots of shots up every day. It’s looking smooth. [Battle] is feeling more confident,
Banham said.

Battle rarely stepped outside the arc during her freshman season, only attempting 12 three-pointers. But, a refined jump shot could make Battle one of the toughest guards in the Big Ten. 

The addition of a three-point shot would make Battle a true three-level scorer. Overall, Battle and Braun were one of the best freshman backcourts in college basketball.

Mallory Heyer 

The Gophers got great production out of Heyer in her freshman season. The Minnesota frontcourt was menacing, with Alanna Micheaux and Heyer working together on both the offensive and defensive glass.

Numbers do not lie, and they show Minnesota was the best rebounding team in the Big Ten last season after averaging 41.9 rebounds per game. Heyer grabbed 213 rebounds on her own, placing her 12th overall among players in the conference.

The Minnesota forward averaged 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Heyer’s ability to hit the glass and rebound on both ends will fit right into Plitzuweit’s system.

Plitzuweit made it clear in her opening press conference toughness would be the first building block for the program.

“In order for us to be good defensively, you need to finish plays,” Plitzuweit said. “Whether that means tipping a pass and then go get on the floor and finish it, whether that means saving it from [going] out of bounds, whether that means finishing with the rebound. Whatever it looks like, we have to be really good at finishing plays.”

The University of Minnesota’s softball team came into the season with an experienced and battle-tested team. Shortstop Jess Oakland made an instant impact as a freshman, bursting onto the scene and providing another element to the Gopher squad.

Throughout her first season for the Gophers, Oakland received many accolades. Those included Big Ten Freshman of the Week x2, All-Big Ten Freshman Team and All-Big Ten First Team honors.

Oakland’s freshman season concluded on May 20 after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to McNeese State in the Women’s College World Series Regional. After a great season, Oakland and the team are focused on improving themselves for the future.

“For next year, we have to stay consistent in our workload and just have that same trust and same bond that we had towards the end of last season,” Oakland said. “I think we’re going to be successful that way.”

Oakland mentioned consistency as a major point of emphasis over the offseason. On the field this season, she was exceptional on defense at shortstop and at the plate. 

Jess Oakland’s season totals reflect an incredible freshman Big Ten campaign. Minnesota’s shortstop started all 57 games and only committed 11 errors while assisting on 107 plays, which was by far the most on the team.

Oakland had the power to hit home runs and the discipline to draw walks, leading the team with 33 walks and tying Taylor Krapf for the team lead with 14 home runs (5th in the Big Ten).

Reflecting on her impressive freshman numbers, Oakland mentioned by “having confidence and trusting my teammates who have already been through it,” she was able to quickly adjust to the collegiate scene.

The response displays Oakland’s character and shows the culture Minnesota’s head coach Piper Ritter has set for the team. She has kept a calm, humble demeanor throughout all her success in high school and college.

At St. Francis High School, Oakland was a star dominating the state of California. Not only did she produce for her school, but she also put together one of the best high school careers in California’s softball history. 

During her time at St. Francis, she tallied 44 home runs, 159 RBI and 135 runs, ranking her in California’s all-time top 25 softball players.

Ritter and Minnesota knew what they were getting from the moment they began recruiting Jess Oakland.

“We saw Jess play before COVID hit and then we watched her develop while recruiting rules didn’t allow us to watch her in person,” Ritter said. “Jess always impressed us with her composure and her ability to come up with a big hit.”

Clutch hitting was on full display during Oakland’s game in her freshman season. The main examples are two walk-offs against Big Ten opponents and an inside-the-park home run versus Northern Colorado in the NCAA Seattle Regionals.

Minnesota has had success recruiting on the West Coast. The year prior Kayla Chavez, the No. 31 ranked player in the 2021 class by Extra Innings Softball, committed to the Gophers from California.

When asked what made Minnesota stand out and how Ritter influenced her decision, she said, “When I was first getting recruited, I wasn’t too sure about being so far away from home. Coach Ritter and Coach [Carly] Wynn made it seem family-like. They emphasized family orientation as a team.”

Ritter’s culture is one of the main attraction points drawing recruits to Minnesota. The Gophers’ coaching staff has been incredible at recruiting out-of-state talent and helping them reach the next level of their game.

One of the best examples of this is Autumn Pease who was the ace on the Gophers pitching staff. Pease struggled at periods during her long Minnesota career, but was one of the best players in college softball in her final season. Constantly improving in various areas yearly, the Gophers look to continue that and make Oakland one of the best in the country.

An impressive statistic from Oakland’s freshman season was that she started all 57 games. In them, she tallied 57 hits and posted an on-base percentage of .435.

Additionally, she was a tough out due to her keen eye for the plate combined with her hitting power. As a direct result, Oakland posted a profound 1.051 OPS, which is not easy to hit, especially for a freshman. The only other freshman hitter with a higher OPS in the Big Ten was the conference player of the year Taryn Kern sitting at 1.505.

Oakland’s approach to the plate led to most of her success. During the interview, she mentioned hitting something hard and having quality at-bats was the goal each time at the plate.

The answer may be simply wanting to “hit something hard,” but nothing else needs to be said when that leads to 14 HR and a batting average above .300.

On a lighter note, it was Oakland’s first time experiencing a full Minnesota winter and a different climate than the sunny west coast.

“It was something I had to learn how to walk on the ice,” Oakland said. “I kept slipping and falling every single day. It was embarrassing, but then I would look around, and everyone else was slipping and falling too. It was just really cold, but they stocked us up with gear, so I was always warm.”

Minnesota weather is always different for recruits attending Minnesota from out of state. The weather could play a factor in recruits’ decisions to attend Minnesota if not for coach Ritter’s impressive culture.

Gopher softball associate head coach Carly Wynn was one of the people Oakland spoke about during our interview. Oakland mentioned how important she was to her development throughout the season.

When asking coach Wynn about Oakland’s biggest area of growth, she mentioned how it started from within and translated to the field.

“The growth in her game really came from fully understanding her capabilities. She was challenged daily to have better drop steps, more range and to get to more pitches and each time she responded,” Wynn said. “She has always been a very talented athlete, but I think continuing to challenge her to get a little better each day is where we really saw her respond and grow.”

After being swept by Illinois on April 23, Minnesota headed back home to host North Dakota State and St. Thomas on a five-game losing streak last Tuesday and Wednesday .

The Gophers faced off against North Dakota State last Tuesday night in a game they would fall 10-3. Minnesota quickly bounced back on Wednesday night with a 9-4 win over St. Thomas.

Following their win against St. Thomas, the Gophers played a three-game series against Nebraska in Lincoln on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Minnesota won the first game 9-7 but fell to Nebraska in the last two games.

April 25 vs. NDSU

After a road trip over the weekend, the Gophers looked drained heading into the Tuesday game against the Bison.

North Dakota State took full advantage, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Gophers pitcher Sam Malec had a solid start coming back from an injury going 3 innings, only allowing 2 runs on 2 hits.

It was a forgettable day on the mound for Caden Capomaccio, who allowed 5 runs and only recorded two outs. The Bison made it 10-0 in the top of the 8th inning.

Minnesota avoided the shutout by adding 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning. Brady Counsell, with an RBI single, and Ike Mezzenga, with a sacrifice fly, supplied the runs.

Riley Swenson also added to his now team-leading home run total with a solo shot in the 9th, making it 6 homers on the year.

The final score ended up 10-3 in a Bison victory in what was their 38th straight game on the road. North Dakota State has yet to play a home game this season.

April 26 vs. St. Thomas

Minnesota started off the game on the front foot with a 2-run home run off the bat of Counsell.

However, the Tommies immediately responded with 3 runs of their own in the next half-inning. Ben Shepard made his 6th start of the season and began a little shaky, but ended up having a solid start pitching 6 innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits.

The Minnesota bats came to life, scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the second. Counsell continued his incredible day at the plate with a 2-run double. Jake Perry added a 2-run double of his own that made it 8-3 Gophers.

Both teams would tack on another run in a game that would end 9-4. Minnesota stopped its five-game losing streak and extended the Tommies losing streak to four games.

April 28-30 vs. Nebraska

An important conference series for the Gophers Big Ten tournament aspirations started with a bang. Minnesota jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first two innings with a solo home run from Kyle Bork, his first of the season.

The Cornhuskers responded with 4 unanswered runs, holding a 5-4 lead going into the final frame.

A one hopper to the shortstop from Mezzenga was bobbled and bounced into the outfield, allowing Brett Bateman to tie the game.

With the bases loaded, Jake Perry walked, putting Minnesota ahead 6-5. Freshman Kris Hokenson stepped into the box with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the 9th inning.

Hokenson delivered a bases-clearing double to put the Gophers on top 9-5 and secured Game 1 for Minnesota. Nebraska added two more runs in the bottom of the 9th, but Minnesota held on for a 9-7 victory.

The second game was one to forget for Minnesota fans as Nebraska posted a dominant 18-0 win. Pitching was not the only issue for the Gophers; the offense only produced 5 hits all game.

Three of Minnesota’s hits came off the bat of Boston Merila who went a perfect 3/3 at the plate.

It was an offensive explosion from the Cornhuskers, who were led by Max Anderson, who went 4/6 with 2 HRs and 4 RBIs.

In Game 3, it immediately felt like deja vu after Nebraska posted 9 unanswered runs in the first four innings. Another rough game for Minnesota was headlined by Hokenson, who launched his first career home run to make it 9-3 in the 6th inning.

The Gophers dropped the third game of the series though, falling 11-5 to Nebraska. A series loss to the Cornhuskers means Minnesota falls to 12-30 on the season and 5-10 in the Big Ten.

Next on the schedule is a series against the Michigan Wolverines at home starting Friday. The Gophers may have caught the Wolverines at the perfect time; Michigan is on a three-game losing streak ahead of their midweek game against Kent State.

As the regular season winds down, the Gophers’ softball team is making a late-season push. Minnesota is now 14-6 in the conference after dropping the first three games to Northwestern.

The Gophers took all three games against Iowa last week and two against Wisconsin. The team also took all three games against Ohio State on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, not allowing Ohio any runs in Sunday’s game.

Pitcher Autumn Pease has been one of the major reasons for the team’s success. Pease has pitched in several of Minnesota’s latest games. The Gophers ace has not allowed a run in six of her latest appearances.

Minnesota sweeps Iowa at home

After a quick road trip to East Lansing, where the Gophers took two out of three games from Michigan State, Minnesota was back at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, ready for a rivalry series with the Hawkeyes.

The fifth-year senior Pease pitched in all three matchups, tossing two complete game shutouts. In Game 1, Natalie DenHartog broke the deadlock with a 2-run home run to open the scoring. Minnesota added 4 more runs in the 6th inning and cruised to a 6-0 win over Iowa.

The following day was a similar story; Pease started in the circle once again. Amani Bradley tripled for her 100th career hit in the first inning. Jess Oakland brought her in to score on an RBI single, making it 1-0. Bradley plated two more runs on a single in the fifth inning.

Pease tossed another complete game shutout in the second game, throwing 235 pitches in two days. Pease struck out 12 batters in Game 2 to go along with the 10 strikeouts from the first game. Minnesota would win Game 2 by a final score of 3-0.

The final game of the series was the closest game of the three. It went into extra innings after both teams scored in the seventh inning to open the scoring. Kayla Chavez hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-1. In the ninth inning, the freshman Jess Oakland hit a fly ball into center field that scored Chavez, and the Gophers walked it off.

Minnesota completed their sweep of the Hawkeyes with a 2-1 victory in Game 3. On top of the great performance by the team, Pease was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on Monday.

Gophers sweep Badgers in Madison

After dominating a border battle at home, the Gophers went on the road to take on Wisconsin. Even though Minnesota was on the road, it felt like home as they cruised to a sweep, outscoring the Badgers 16-0 in two games.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Minnesota jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second and never looked back. Sydney Schwartz made a rare start at first base and faced off against her sister, Maddie Schwartz, the starting pitcher for Wisconsin. Sydney reached base on the only at-bat she had against Maddie.

In addition to facing her sister, Sydney Schwartz hit her first career home run. The offensive explosion from Minnesota led to a 9-0 victory in just five innings.

The second game of the doubleheader went the same as the first. Bradley continued her strong week at the plate, hitting a solo home run in the first inning. Minnesota’s offense would continue to add runs throughout the game, but one would have been enough.

Pease went six innings, striking out 9 hitters, and did not allow a run. Bri Enter closed out the win for the Gophers in what was a 7-0 rout of the Wisconsin Badgers.

Up next for the Gophers is the final road series of the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Following that series, Minnesota will host Michigan to wrap up the 2023 regular season.

Minnesota softball was back in action on Friday and Saturday, taking on Michigan State for a three-game series in East Lansing. Following their impressive series win against Indiana, the Gophers dropped a game to the Spartans, who sit dead last in the Big Ten.

Natalie DenHartog had an amazing weekend going 6/11 at the plate with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs. Those 2 homers place her alone as the Big Ten’s second all-time home runs leader with 67 in her career.

April 14

The Gophers dominated in Game 1 of the series against the Spartans. The scoring began in the second inning when Minnesota put up 7 runs.

DenHartog hit the record-securing home run in the second inning, number 66 in her career. This homer put her ahead of Rachel Lewis (NU 2018-22), who had 65.

Jess Oakland produced a solid day at the plate, going 3/5, scoring twice and getting an RBI. However, Oakland was outshined by DenHartog, who went an incredible 4/5 at the dish with 2 HRs and 3 RBIs.

Bri Enter posted an impressive relief performance going five innings, striking out five and only allowing 1 run on three hits.

After adding 5 more runs in the top of the seventh inning, Minnesota cruised past Michigan State in Game 1. The first game of the series finished 13-1.

April 15

The final two games were played on Saturday in a doubleheader at Secchia Stadium.

In the first game, the Gophers were dominant from the beginning once again. Sydney Strelow started it off with an RBI double that scored Kayla Chavez. It was followed by a single into center field by DenHartog that scored Strelow, making it 2-0 in the top of the first.

Autumn Pease had another great outing in the circle going six innings, allowing no runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Enter closed it out in the seventh inning, combining with Pease to toss a shutout.

Minnesota added 3 insurance runs in the fifth, extending their lead to 5-0. Thanks to the great pitching from the Gopher staff, Minnesota took Game 2 to win the series.

The final game of the series saw the Gophers again jump out to an early lead. This time it was Chavez opening the scoreline with a solo home run on the game’s second pitch.

The Gophers scored twice in the first inning, but that would be all the offense they could muster.

Michigan State answered with 2 runs in the third inning on a 2-run double from Brooke Snyder.

Trouble fielding the ball ultimately cost Minnesota the game in the bottom of the seventh. A ball hit on the ground off the bat of Anna Fox bounced off Strelow’s glove and gave the Spartans a walk-off win.

Michigan State won it 3-2 and took the final game of the series. Minnesota still won the series, but dropping a game to a subpar team like Michigan State does not help their postseason aspirations.

Next for Minnesota is a midweek doubleheader in Madison, Wisconsin, against the Badgers. The Border Battle will take place on Wednesday, starting at 3:00 p.m. CST at the Goodman Softball Complex.

After winning their first Big Ten series against Penn State, the Gophers beat Indiana, who came into the weekend on top of the Big Ten without a conference loss.

Entering the weekend on a 22-game win streak, Indiana was supremely confident in facing Minnesota. The Hoosiers took Game 1 of the series, but the Gophers grabbed the next two, winning the series and posting a 4-2 record in their six-game homestand.

Autumn Pease struck out her 500th batter as a member of the Minnesota Gophers in Game 3 of the series. This is an incredible feat for the Gopher right-hander, who has been instrumental in Minnesota’s success this season.

April 7

The first three innings of Game 1 were an old-fashioned pitching duel between two of the best pitchers in the Big Ten. Pease and Brianna Copeland both held no-hitters going into the fourth inning.

The scoring started on a solo home run from Copeland. Minnesota responded the following half inning when Maddie Ehlke reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Sydney Strelow.

Over the next three innings, the Hoosiers put up 8 runs off Pease and Jacie Hambrick. The Gophers did not produce enough offense to stay in the game. Natalie DenHartog was the only offense for the Gophers in the late innings, with a 2 RBI single.

Copeland tossed a complete game, allowing 3 earned runs and improving to 14-0 on the season. The Hoosiers won Game 1 of the series 9-3, extending their win streak to 23 games.

April 8

The series’ second game started with a Jess Oakland solo home run in the second inning, her 8th of the year. Hambrick started in the circle for Minnesota and went two scoreless innings.

The Indiana offense exploded in the fourth inning, scoring 5 runs off of Gopher reliever Bri Enter. Taryn Kern had a 2 RBI double, adding to her freshman season. Kern ranks first in the Big Ten in slugging percentage, OBP, OPS, RBIs and HRs.

However, Oakland hit her second home run of the game, a 2-run shot to deep center field. The Gophers tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI fielder’s choice from Delaine Cox.

Oakland stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh in a tied game. Oakland walked it off with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Kayla Chavez.

Minnesota won Game 2 of the series in style with a walk-off 6-5, evening the series at one apiece.

April 9

Going into the final game of the series tied, both Indiana and Minnesota used their aces, Copeland and Pease. Minnesota’s Game 2 win snapped the 23-game win streak and broke the Hoosiers’ undefeated 9-0 conference record.

Chavez wasted no time hitting a solo shot off Copeland in the first inning to give the Gophers an early lead. However, Indiana responded with another huge inning, scoring three times and taking a 3-1 lead.

The Gophers immediately evened the game at 3 after some defensive mistakes by the Hoosiers, who tallied three errors in the game. Indiana’s offense produced once again. This time it was Taylor Minnick who hit a 2-run home run.

Minnesota quickly responded again with an RBI single from Taylor Krapf and Ehlke’s fielder’s choice, which plated another run.

Pease reentered the game in the fifth after Enter and Sydney Schwartz went two innings in relief. In the top of the sixth inning, Pease struck out her 500th batter with a high fastball blown past Brooke Benson.

In the bottom of the 6th inning, the game was tied 5-5. A single by Nani Valencia and two walks loaded the bases for Ehlke. With two out in the inning, Ehlke tripled into right-center field, clearing the bases and giving Minnesota an 8-5 lead.

Pease retired the side in the seventh inning, giving Minnesota the series win against the Indiana Hoosiers. She added to her Big Ten leading 174 strikeouts on the season, which is 27 more than any other pitcher.

The Gophers will be back in action in East Lansing for a three-game series against the Michigan State Spartans Friday. Minnesota will be looking for their third straight Big Ten series win.

Over the weekend, the Gophers hosted Penn State for a three-game series. This was
Minnesota’s first time playing at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium all year.

The two Gophers stars, Autumn Pease and Kayla Chavez, were instrumental in winning the series. All three games featured great pitching in the circle; none had more than four runs total.

March 31

In Game 1 of the series, Pease was in the circle for the Gophers. She pitched a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts.

There was no offense for the first 6 ½ innings in a strong performance by Penn State ace Bailey Parshall. The Nittany Lions right-hander went without giving up a run until the bottom of the seventh inning.

Chavez won the game for Minnesota with one swing of the bat. The Gophers’ third baseman swung at the first pitch she saw and lifted it over the left field fence.

It was an incredible performance from Chavez, who tallied three extra-base hits on the day, going 3/4 at the plate.

The Gophers won the game 2-0, and Pease earned her 13th win of the season.

April 2

After a snowstorm covered the ground in Minneapolis on Saturday, there was no chance for the Gophers to play Game 2. Instead, they rescheduled the game to make Sunday a doubleheader.

The second game started differently than game one with Minnesota getting onto the scoreboard in the first inning.

Minnesota’s first run came off Taylor Karpf’s bat, who knocked in Chavez, giving the Gophers a 1-0 lead.

Due to the addition of a rest day between games, Pease was able to pitch again in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

It was another masterful performance from the Gophers ace going 7 innings, only allowing one run on 2 hits and striking out 11 batters. Besides the eye-popping box score though, Pease was also efficient, only throwing 84 pitches, which is just 12 pitches per inning.

The Gophers would tack on some insurance runs in the fifth inning on a 2-run home run from Chavez.

Once again, Chavez was crushing the ball, adding two more extra-base hits to her total on the weekend. After just two games in the series, Chavez had accumulated 5 extra-base hits.

The Nittany Lions denied Pease her second shutout of the weekend on an RBI single from Emily Maddock.

The Maddock single would be the last of the offense in Game 2. The final score was 3-1 in favor of the Gophers.

In Game 3, Penn State found some offense in the early innings in the series’ finale. Bri Enter made her first start of the year in the doubleheader’s second game Sunday.

The Nittany Lions scored in each of the first two innings off RBI singles from Lexie Black and Cassie Lindmark.

Parshall stepped into the circle for the second time against Minnesota and was even better than the first. Parshall tossed a three-hit, complete game shutout ending the Gophers’ chances at a Big Ten sweep in their home opener.

The two runs in the first two innings would be all the offense either team could muster. Sydney Schwartz and Jacie Hambrick shut down the Penn State offense in the final five innings but did not get any run support.

On the back of Parshall, Penn State won Game 3 2-0, avoiding the sweep and getting their 20th win of the season.

Minnesota will be back in action at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium on Friday, Saturday and Sunday against the best team in the Big Ten, Indiana. The Hoosiers have now won 21 consecutive games, and with a win midweek against Western Kentucky, they could be riding into Minneapolis on a 22-game win streak.

Heading into the matchup against #21/24 Northwestern, the Gophers had won eight of their last nine games. This includes two wins versus ranked opponents on the road against #23 Wichita State and #22 Arizona State.

The Gophers now sit at the bottom of the Big Ten, tied with Maryland and Purdue. Northwestern was a formidable opponent and dominated the Gophers in the doubleheader Sunday.

March 24, Game 1

The three-game series started with a bang, going nine innings and ending in a walk-off home run by the Wildcats. Hannah Cady swung at the first pitch and hit a no-doubter to left field off of Jacie Hambrick.

The entire Minnesota offense consisted of two homers. Breezy Burnett hit a grand slam, which started scoring for both teams. Taylor Krapf followed that up with a three-run bomb to put the Gophers ahead 7-6 in the fifth inning.

That would be the last scoring for Minnesota as Northwestern would tie it in the sixth on a single from Skyler Shellmyer. There was nothing going right for either side in the seventh inning, so the series’ first game went to extras.

The final walk-off from Cady was a heartbreaker for the Gophers, who lost 8-7 after having fought back from six unanswered runs from the Wildcats.

March 25, Game 2

In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader featured on Big Ten Network, the Gophers never found their offense. The opposite was true for Northwestern, who would post nine runs in five innings.

Hambrick started in the circle after a rough relief performance in the first game. Game 2 was more of the same from the Wildcat offense against Hambrick, who would only last two innings, allowing six earned runs.

The Gophers’ only run came on an attempted suicide squeeze from Delanie Cox. After Cox failed to bunt the ball, Wildcat catcher Jordyn Rudd tried to back-pick Amani Bradley at third, who promptly turned home and scored.

That would be all the offense the Gophers could muster, falling 9-1 in the first game of the doubleheader.

It was a shocking dismantling of the Gophers’ offense, which did not produce a single RBI against Lauren Boyd, who pitched all five innings in the circle.

March 25, Game 3

A quick turnaround allowed Minnesota to display a short memory, but it was more of the same in the third game of the series.

Minnesota had the dream start to the game on a home run by Jess Oakland in the first inning. However, Northwestern’s Cami Henry shut down the Gophers after that, going seven innings with only four hits and that one run.

Northwestern beat Minnesota 5-1.

Autumn Pease may have struggled in the game, but Minnesota’s defense did not help her. On the day, Minnesota finished with three errors that accounted for 3 of the 5 runs.

Next up, Minnesota heads home for a three-game series against Penn State on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.