Nobody's playing where she was last year with unbeaten Gophers softball team

The Gophers are 18-0 this season. And the amazing part of that record is all the changes coach Jessica Allister has made.

There was a new player at every position last Sunday -- when the Gophers rallied to beat Illinois State 7-3 -- and in almost every game this season.

The only player who trots out to her same position is Sara Groenewegen, when she pitches.

Here's a look at all the changes:

TWO FRESHMAN START

MaKenna Partain of Banks, Oreg., starts at second base. She is hitting a team-high .472 and was named the Big Ten's freshman of the week for a second time this season on Monday. Partain has started all 18 games and has made only three errors. She is third on team with 10 walks and has scored 15 runs.

Kendyl Lindaman of Ankeny, Iowa, starts at catcher. She leads the team in homers with five, has 14 RBI and is hitting .370. She, too, has started every game.

She is tied for second in homers among Big Ten players, and is third in total bases with 39. She also has thrown out six of the 12 players who have tried to steal on her.

THE HOLDOVERS

Sam Macken, a senior from Rochester, Minn., has moved from third base. where she played 56 games last season, to left field. She is hitting .266 with 11 RBI; had two big hits last Sunday vs. Illinois State in late innings. She is the leadoff hitter. Macken leads outfielders with 18 putouts.

Danielle Parlich, a junior from Queen Creek, Ariz., has moved from second base to third base. She is hitting .377 and has 26 hits, tied for second in the Big Ten, and has scored a team high 17 runs, tied for third among conference players. Has only one walk, but has struck out just twice. Made five errors at a tough position. She has at least one hit in every game.

Maddie Houlihan, sophomore from Benilde-St. Margaret's, has moved from first base to right field. She is hitting .375 with 14 RBI. Hasn't shown the power yet she did last season (11 HRs) when she was Big Ten freshman of the year. Has seven doubles, tied for first in the Big Ten, but no homers yet.

Sydney Dwyer, a junior from Bettendorf, Iowa, moved from shortstop/designated player to first base. She is hitting .434 and leads team with 20 RBI.

Dani Wagner, a junior from Hayfield, Minn., has moved from shortstop to center field. She is hitting .360 with three homers and 14 RBI. Last season she played in 44 games, started in 22, all at shortstop. She was often a pinch-runner, succeeding on all six of her steal attempts.

Sara Groenewegen, senior from White Rock, British Columbia, is the one player whose position has not changed when she is in the circle. She starts as designated player when someone else pitches. Groenewegen is 9-0 with a 0.50 ERA and 77 Ks in 56.1 innings.

She has struggled at the plate, hitting only .163 with nine RBI on one double and eight singles. Last season she had 11 HRs and 41 RBI and hit .296.

THE TRANSFERS

Sophomore Allie Arneson transfered from Virginia, where she started 43 of 44 games. She has started all 18 games for the Gophers and is hitting .194. She has some pop in her bat, of her eight hits, two are doubles and two are homers. She had 20 putouts, 33 assists and only three errors. She has been a part of five double plays.

Senior pitcher Tori Finucane is the other key transfer. She came from Missouri. She is 3-0 with a 2.50 ERA. She gives the Gophers another reliable starter.