Natalie DenHartog hits four homers as Gophers softball edges DePaul 7-6, Tulsa 5-4

Senior center fielder Natalie DenHartog hit four home runs — two in each game to double her season total — as the Gophers beat DePaul 7-6 and host Tulsa 5-4 on Saturday in the Tulsa/Oklahoma State Invitational.

With her four homers, DenHartog moved into sole possession of second on Minnesota's list of softball players with the most career home runs — she is four behind the leader, Jordanne Nygren (1999-2003).

Against DePaul, she also had what proved to be the game-winning RBI single in the sixth inning. So in that first game, DenHartog was 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored. Chloe Evans had a two-run double for Minnesota and reliever Autumn Pease got the win, retiring all seven batters she faced.

In the second game, DenHartog went deep in the first and fifth innings. Teammate Sydney Strelow also had a homer for the Gophers (12-6).

U's Steveson in final

Heavyweight Gable Steveson was the only Gophers wrestler to advance to Sunday's championship matches in the Big Ten tournament in Lincoln, Neb.

Steveson, a senior and the top seed, had beat Ohio State's Tate Orndorff on a technical fall in the second period in the quarterfinals and Michigan's Mason Parris 14-6 on a major decision in the semifinals. He is 13-0.

Jake Bergeland, a senior seeded No. 5, won his first two matches but lost in the semifinals on a technical fall in the third period to defending NCAA champion Nick Lee of Penn State.

Two other high seeds lost early. Patrick McKee, the eighth seed at 125, lost in the first round; Bailee O'Reilly, the sixth seed at 174, lost by injury default in the second round.

U loses second reserve

Sophomore forward Erin Hedman has decided to leave the Gophers women's basketball team and enter the NCAA transfer portal.

The 6-3 Hedman, from New Berlin, Wis., appeared in 15 games in two seasons with the Gophers. This season she scored eight points in 17 minutes.

Junior post Klarke Sconiers announced she was leaving the team Thursday.

Kent Youngblood

Oles shock Auggies

The No. 7-seeded St. Olaf upset No. 1 seed Augsburg — the host team ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division III — 5-2 in the title game of the MIAC men's hockey tournament. Jonathan Young had two goals for the Oles, who took a 4-0 lead, and Lukas Haugen stopped 25 shots for the victory.

Whalen loses another player

Sophomore forward Erin Hedman has decided to leave the Gophers women's basketball team and enter the NCAA transfer portal.

The 6-3 Hedman, from New Berlin, Wis., has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Hedman appeared in 15 games with two starts in two seasons with the Gophers. She averaged 0.6 points and 1.3 rebounds as a freshman. This season she appeared in eight games, scoring eight points in 17 minutes of playing time.

Hedman is the second player to leave the team in the last week, following junior post Klarke Sconiers, who announced her decision Thursday.

Hedman is the third player in total to enter the transfer portal this season. The first, point guard Jasmine Powell — who made her decision midseason and this past week landed at Tennessee — was the only one of the three to receive regular playing time.

Kent Youngblood

U tennis loses

The Gophers tennis team lost 6-1 to Nebraska in Lincoln in their Big Ten opener. Rachel Hanford got the only point for Minnesota (11-3), winning 6-2, 6-3 over Isabel A. Gallego at No. 2 singles. The Gophers lost three-set matches to the Cornhuskers (6-4) at No. 1, 5 and 6 singles.

Oles shock Auggies

The No. 7-seeded St. Olaf upset No. 1 seed Augsburg — the host team ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division III — 5-2 in the title game of the MIAC men's hockey tournament. Jonathan Young had two goals for the Oles, who took a 4-0 lead, and Lukas Haugen stopped 25 shots for the victory.

Gusties win title

Six different players scored and Katie McCoy made 10 saves as No. 6 Gustavus Adolphus beat Hamline 6-1 in St. Peter, Minn., in the MIAC women's hockey championship game.

Goals by Kailey Holland and Hannah Gray 64 seconds apart early in the first period put the Gusties (22-3-2) ahead 2-0. Sophie Rausch scored for the Pipers at 6:40 of the second but two minutes later Brooke Power restored the three-goal lead for the home team.

McKenna Hulslander had 37 saves for the Pipers (15-10), who split two games with the Gusties in the regular season. This was the 13th MIAC tournament title for Gustavus.

Etc.

The Gophers men's golf team will resume spring play on Monday at the Colleton River Collegiate tournament in Bluffton, S.C. Michigan State will host the 15-team, two-day, 54-hole event.

The Gophers beat Kansas 8-1 in baseball in the Cambria College Classic at U.S. Bank Stadium. Senior righthander J.P. Massey pitched a career-high 6⅔ innings, striking out eight for the win. He allowed just five hits. Jack Kelly went 3-for-4 with a home run, a two-run double and an RBI single.

 Haley Mack and Lexie Lang scored goals and two goalies combined for 31 saves for the Minnesota Whitecaps in their 4-2 home loss to the Connecticut Whale in the Premier Hockey Federation game. Two goalies for the Whitecaps, who fell behind 3-0 midway through the second, combined for 31 stops.