The Gopher softball team was faced with a formidable field and a weekend of challenging weather, but ultimately surged past Georgia 8-1 on Monday at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium to win the NCAA Minneapolis Regional tournament.
Minnesota, now 44-12, will host a best-of-three super regional next weekend against LSU, with the winner advancing to the College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The Gophers finished the regional with a 3-0 record and posted wins against North Dakota State and Georgia twice. Minnesota advances to a super regional for the first time since 2014 and for only the second time in school history.
"The one thing we have been all year was balanced," head coach Jamie Trachsel said. "I think this weekend showed the balance of this team and that we can win in different ways. For our offense to come out and put up runs on the board and have two blow-up innings was huge."
The Gophers scored three runs in the top of the first and another four runs in the third inning to take control of the game. Amber Fiser went the distance for the third straight game in the tournament, allowing five hits and striking out seven. Over the three games and 22 innings of the regional, she allowed only 10 hits and struck out 27.
Minnesota will be hosting a super regional for the first time in school history when the No. 7-seed Gophers take on No. 10-seed LSU starting on Friday. Minnesota has played LSU twice in the last 10 years and won both games on the road. The Gophers beat the Tigers 3-0 in 2017 and 1-0 in 2014.
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