Gophers' Natalie DenHartog hits 50th career homer in rout over Nicholls State

Senior center fielder Natalie DenHartog hit a three-run homer — her 11th of this season and 50th of her career — as the Gophers outslugged Nicholls State 17-9 in six innings on Friday in the Bevo Classic in Austin, Texas.

DenHartog, who has seven homers in her past seven games, is only one off the program record for career homers.

Emily Hanson was 4-for-4 with five RBI and Chloe Evans 3-for-4 with four RBI for Minnesota (12-10), whose second game of the day against Texas was postponed because of cold weather. The Colonials of Thiboaux, La., dropped to 7-15.

University of Minnesota Regents on Friday approved Lindsay Whalen's one-year extension, keeping her under contract through the 2024-25 season.

The Gophers women's basketball team has gone 59-55 under Whalen over the past four years.

Whalen is set to make $547,000 in base salary next season, $575,000 in 2023-24, and $600,000 in 2024-25.

Concordia (St. Paul) senior Arika Robinson, a St. Paul native, won the high jump in the NCAA Division II indoor track & field meet at Pittsburg (Kan.) State.

She cleared 5 feet, 11½ inches on her third and final attempt — that's 1½ higher than her previous best.

• Despite a strong start from junior righthander Sam Ireland, the Gophers baseball team lost 8-7 to Air Force at U.S. Bank Stadium. Ireland gave up one earned run and three hits in 5⅓ innings and struck out nine. Jack Kelly went 2-for-2 with two RBI for Minnesota (4-11).

• The Augsburg wrestling team was in second place after the first day of the NCAA Division III meet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with 45 points — 13 points behind leader Wartburg — and had three wrestlers advance to the semifinals: Tyler Shilson (157), Solomon Nielsen (174) and Tyler Kim (heavyweight).