Sometimes, a steady diet of wins doesnâĂ„Ă´t necessarily end with a full stomach. For the fourth time in 11 days, the Gophers softball team won the first game of a Big Ten series before dropping the second. This time it was Purdue who forced the split in the second game, beating Minnesota 3-2, after the Gophers won the first game by the same score. Although theyâĂ„Ă´ve beaten five of the six conference opponents theyâĂ„Ă´ve played this year âĂ„Ă® swept only by Ohio State âĂ„Ă® the Gophers are stuck with a 5-7 Big Ten record and sit in a tie with Penn State for sixth place. âĂ„ĂşWhen you look at the fact that this team had two conference wins last year, I donâĂ„Ă´t think itâĂ„Ă´s frustrating to have a 5-7 record at all,âĂ„Ăą head coach Jessica Allister said. âĂ„ĂşInstead of looking at it as another series where we win the first one and drop the second, I think itâĂ„Ă´s another series where we took a game from a very strong team.âĂ„Ăą The same isnâĂ„Ă´t necessarily true for the players. Senior Malisa Barnes âĂ„Ă® who went 4-for-6 on the weekend âĂ„Ă® is a bit irritated with the trend. âĂ„ĂşItâĂ„Ă´s very frustrating,âĂ„Ăą she said the day after the Purdue games. âĂ„ĂşWeâĂ„Ă´re beating ourselves. WeâĂ„Ă´re not being outplayed.âĂ„Ăą Minnesota was able to take the first game from Purdue after capturing a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning on a two-run homer by senior Natalie Neal. It was NealâĂ„Ă´s fifth career home run and first since 2009. âĂ„ĂşIt was a great feeling,âĂ„Ăą Neal said, âĂ„Ăşa fist-pumping feeling.âĂ„Ăą Freshman Sara Moulton allowed two unearned runs in her 24th win of the season, which was good for a share of the Big Ten lead. While her four strikeouts were below her season average, she walked just two batters. The second game was a disappointing one for Minnesota. The Gophers erased a two-run first inning deficit only to give it up in the bottom of the sixth. PurdueâĂ„Ă´s Ashley Courtney hit a game-winning RBI double that drove in Aimee Gingsrich, who reached on a walk to start the inning. The Gophers werenâĂ„Ă´t able to score in the top of the seventh and dropped a one-run game for just the second time since March 17. Part of the reason for the inconsistency may be the teamâĂ„Ă´s recent defensive troubles. Minnesota has committed seven errors in its last three games and have at least one in six of the last eight contests. âĂ„ĂşItâĂ„Ă´s just a matter of quick plays getting away from us,âĂ„Ăą Barnes said. ItâĂ„Ă´s an odd trend considering the team committed one or zero errors in the 18 games before the recent woes. Allister doesnâĂ„Ă´t think her team is too far away from regaining their early-season form, saying that the miscues are âĂ„Ăşdefinitely not a lack of concentration.âĂ„Ăą The Gophers have proven that they can play with every Big Ten team theyâĂ„Ă´ve faced so far. But to climb at all in the standings, theyâĂ„Ă´ll have to be able to limit the miscues. Barnes put it a bit more bluntly. âĂ„ĂşIf we take our physical mistakes out of the equation, these teams donâĂ„Ă´t beat us,âĂ„Ăą she said.
Another series, another Big Ten split
The Gophers have yet to sweep a conference foe this season and are 5-7 in the Big Ten after a win and loss against Purdue.
![Another series, another Big Ten split](https://mndaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/p1sb0425sara.jpg)
Image by Daily File Photo
Published April 25, 2011
More to Discover