Minnesota won its Big Ten women’s tennis opener, defeating Iowa 4-3 at the 98th Street Racquet Club in Bloomington.
Nora Sauska and Alice Rangsithienchai led the Gophers’ charge, winning at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively, and teaming to win at No. 1 doubles. Helen Wang had the other singles win for Minnesota, a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win at the No. 6 position.
Softball
The Gophers women’s softball team extended its winning streak to nine games and won the Triangle Classic for the second consecutive year Sunday.
Wendy Logue fired a two-hitter in Minnesota’s 9-0 win over Georgia and Steph Klaviter threw a one-hitter in a 6-0 win over Eastern Kentucky. Catcher Erin Brophy homered in both games, the first two of her career.
The Gophers (12-3) won the championship by forfeit over Illinois-Chicago.
Minnesota reached Sunday’s championship play with wins over Maryland-Baltimore County and Youngstown State on Saturday.
Rayny Camacho went the distance in the first game against Maryland-Baltimore County as the Gophers’ Angel Braden broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning with a run-scoring single.
In the 2-1 victory, Camacho allowed five hits, walked none and struck out 11 as she continues to impress in the early part of the season.
Leading the way for the offense were Laura Peters, Shannon Beeler and Amber Hegland, who had two hits a piece.
On Saturday afternoon, the Gophers improved their tournament record to 4-0 with a 5-3 victory of Youngstown State. Camacho entered the game in the fourth inning with the Gophers trailing 2-0.
She went the rest of they way striking out five as the Gophers rallied with a run in the fifth and two each in the sixth and seventh.
The offensive highlight of the day was provided by Beeler, who hit a towering 275-foot home run. The homer was her third in the last six games.
— Michael Dougherty
Men’s tennis
The Gophers men’s tennis team lost three tough singles matches en route to dropping a 4-3 decision to Iowa on Saturday in Iowa City.
Minnesota (3-2, 1-1 in the Big Ten) won the doubles point to take an early lead, and also got wins from Adam Selkirk (No. 2 singles) and Jon Svensson (No. 6).
But in the Nos. 3-5 matches, Iowa (4-1, 1-0) had a pair of three-set wins and a 7-6, 7-6 victory to clinch the match.
Gophers freshman Jon Svensson remained undefeated in dual matches with his 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles.
Baseball
The Gophers baseball team improved to 5-0, its best start since 1968, with a pair of wins at the San Diego Classic over the weekend.
Sunday’s games against New Mexico and Oregon State were cancelled because of rain.
Minnesota on Saturday rallied for three runs in the ninth inning and three more in the 10th in a 10-7 win over San Diego State.
Mark Groebner keyed the extra-inning win with a two-run single.
Minnesota defeated No. 12 Waskington on Friday, pounding out 16 hits on the way to a 15-9 win.
The Gophers opened an early lead and took advantage of a staggering nine Huskies’ errors in the victory. Ben Birk pitched six innings to earn his first college win, while Craig Selander and Matt Scanlon had three RBIs apiece to lead the offense.
Golf
The Gophers women’s golf team finished took second place at the nine-school Midwest Classic in Surprise, Ariz., over the weekend.
Minnesota fired a team score of 601 to finish one stroke behind tournament winner Northwestern. Other Big Ten schools that finished below the Gophers were Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan.
Keri Sawvell paced Minnesota with a two-round score of 148, one stroke behind individual winner Laura Hammond of Penn State.

— Michael Rand