Gophers & Huskies Fall In Hockey Playoffs In Sat. Sports Recap

MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY:

-- The University of Minnesota was eliminated from the Big 10 Playoffs by Michigan 2-1 on Saturday. The Wolverines got out to a 1-0 lead with the lone score in the 1^st period. Michigan would add to their lead with a 2nd-period goal and take the 2-0 lead into the 3^rd. The 2-0 margin would hold until late in the 3^rd when the Gophers pulled goalie Justen Close which allowed Jimmy Snuggerud to score. The U wasn’t able to get a 2^nd goal even with the extra skater and Michigan held on for the win. The Gophers now have to wait until Selection Sunday on March 24^th to see if they get an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.

--St. Cloud State will have a game 3 against Western Michigan as the Broncos came back to even the series with a 6-1 win on Saturday. After a scoreless 1^st period, St. Cloud would take the lead on a goal by Tyson Gross. Western Michigan would tie it up late in the 2^nd and the game would go into the 3^rd period tied 1-1. The Broncos would turn it on in the 3^rd, scoring two power-play goals to go up 3-1, and then add 3 more goals in the last two and a half minutes (only one of which was an empty netter). The two teams will square off on Sunday to determine who advances to the Frozen Four in St. Paul.

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JUNIOR HOCKEY:

-- The Granite City Lumberjacks are going back to the Fraser Cup after taking down the Rochester Grizzlies 3-1 on Saturday. The Jacks got goals from Jack Louko, Christian Carto, and Eli Tiernan. They swept Rochester in the best of three series to win the Western Division Playoffs. The Fraser Cup is March 20 – 24.

-- The St. Cloud Norsemen fell to the Bismarck Bobcats 6-4 on Saturday. The Norsemen got scores from Jack Christ, Hagen Moe, Hudson Blue, and Rhys Wallin in the loss.

Justyce Porter, St. Cloud State University

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

--St. Cloud State lost both games in their doubleheader against Central Oklahoma in the Crossover Challenge on Saturday. Central Oklahoma shut out the Huskies in game 1 in five innings losing 9-0. Catcher Bethany Weiss went 2-2 in the game and Maggie Fitzgerald was 1-1 with a walk. Things were closer in game 2 but SCSU was still not able to topple Oklahoma losing 9-6. The Bronchos got up 9-0 only to see SCSU score 6 times in their half of the 5^th inning. Grace Frechette and Reese Holzhueter each homered in the inning. Neither team could muster any more offense after the 5^th to finish the game 9-6. St. Cloud has lost three games in a row and play another doubleheader on Sunday in the Crossover Challenge against the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

--The Gophers split their two games on Saturday. Minnesota clobbered North Carolina State 14-4 in game 1. Taylor Krapf had two home runs and Jess Oakland had two doubles and three RBI to lead the U in the win. The offense vanished in game 2 though as the Gophers lost to South Carolina 4-0. Alana Vawter shut Minnesota down throwing a 7-inning complete game shutout, striking out 6 and no walks. The Gophers will take on Northwestern on Sunday.

Graham Miller, St. John's University

COLLEGE BASEBALL

--St. John’s was able to come back late and get the 12-6 win over SAGU-American Indian College. The Johnnies took an early 3-0 lead. The two teams exchanged runs for a 4-2 score before the Warriors got 4 runs in the top of the 4^th inning to take a 6-4 lead. St. John’s would get eight answered runs to power themselves to the win. Joe Becker had 2 RBI, an HR, and a Triple in the win and the Johnnies had 8 extra-base hits overall including 6 doubles.

-- The Gophers had another close game with Elon on Saturday but lost 6-5. Jake Perry had three extra-base hits in the game and Will Semb took the loss. Semb struggled in the game giving up all 6 runs in 4 2/3 innings of work, along with eight hits and 3 walks. The Gophers will try to salvage one game against Elon in the series when the two teams play again on Sunday.

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