After NCAA seed snub, best-ever softball Gophers ousted

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The best season in softball history for Minnesota is over, after a pair of 1-0 losses by the Gophers in the NCAA regionals.

The Gophers beat Louisiana Tech twice over the weekend, but they were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday night with a second defeat by host Alabama to finish with a 56-5 record. That’s seven more victories than the previous program high.

Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Sara Groenewegen held the Crimson Tide to five hits and one first-inning run, but the Gophers twice stranded a runner on third base. Despite winning their first regular season conference title since 1991 and ranking first in the latest national coaches poll, the Gophers didn’t get the top-16 seed they expected for the right to play the regional at home.