Gophers softball loses to McNeese State in 13 innings in NCAA regional opener

The Gophers softball team lost Friday to McNeese State 5-4 in 13 innings on the first day of the NCAA softball regional in Seattle.

Minnesota (37-18), the second seed, took a 2-1 lead in the third inning on Kayla Chavez's solo homer. The Cowgirls (45-14) went ahead 3-2 in the fourth on Rylie Bouvier's two-run homer.

The Gophers got a run in the sixth to tie it at 3 on Taylor Krapf's RBI single up the middle.

McNeese State, the third seed in the regional, had a runner thrown out at home in the seventh by left fielder Amani Bradley for the third out.

The Cowgirls of Lake Charles, La., scored twice in the 13th on Mariana Torres' RBI double and Bouvier's RBI single. Bouvier was 3-for-6 with three RBI.

Freshman Sydney Schwartz (2-2) took the loss. The righthander went six innings, giving up two runs, both earned, on five hits, striking out three and walking two.

Junior Jacie Hambrick, who relieved starter Autumn Pease, threw three shutout innings while allowing three hits.

Pease, the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, gave up three earned runs and six hits the first four innings. She struck out five, walked two.

Natalie DenHartog led off the bottom of the 13th with a homer for the Gophers to make it a one-run game.

Maddy Ehlke, who was 4-for-6, followed with her second double and a teammate walked but both runners were stranded when Breezy Burnett flied out. Minnesota left 10 runners on base.

The Gophers will play Northern Colorado, which lost to Washington 10-2 in six innings, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, with the loser being eliminated in the four-team regional.

If the Gophers win, they will play a second elimination game 30 minutes later. Both games will be on ESPN+.