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Minnesota Travels to Columbia, Mo. for Weekend Slate
3/12/2026 10:57:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – The Golden Gophers head to Columbia, Mo., this weekend for a three-game slate. Minnesota opens play Friday with a 12:00 p.m. CT matchup against Iowa State before facing host Missouri at 5:00 p.m. CT. The contest against the Tigers will stream live on SECN+. The Gophers wrap up the weekend Saturday with an 11:00 a.m. CT matchup against South Dakota.
GAME ONE
Minnesota (9-16, 1-2 B1G) vs Iowa State (13-9, 0-3 Big 12)
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Columbia, Mo.
GAME TWO
Minnesota (9-16, 1-2 B1G) at Missouri (8-16, 0-3 SEC)
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 5:00 p.m. CT
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Stream: SECN+
GAME THREE
Minnesota (9-16, 1-2 B1G) vs South Dakota (7-17-1, 0-0 SL)
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 11:00 a.m. CT
Location: Columbia, Mo.
SCOUTING THE CYCLONES
Iowa State enters the weekend with a 13-9 overall record. The Cyclones opened Big 12 play last weekend, dropping three games to Baylor. ISU features a balanced lineup with seven players batting above .300, led by Reagan Bartholomew's .420 average. Tatum Johnson paces the Cyclones in power numbers with five home runs and 26 RBIs.
In the circle, Lauren Schurman leads the pitching staff with 51.1 innings pitched, 35 strikeouts, and a 5-2 record across 16 appearances. Ava Mullen has also logged significant time, throwing 40.1 innings with a 3.99 ERA and a 2-3 mark.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri enters the weekend following a three-game SEC opening series against No. 5/8 Florida. Despite three competitive games, including an 11-inning contest, the Tigers were swept by the Gators.
Abby Hay leads the Missouri offense with a .370 batting average, collecting 27 hits and 19 RBIs. Sidney Forrester, Stefania Abruscato, and Sophie Smith also enter the weekend batting above .300.
In the circle, Cierra Harrison and Marissa McCann lead the Tigers' pitching staff. Harrison has thrown 47.1 innings and leads the team with four wins, while McCann has logged 54.0 innings and a team-best 49 strikeouts.
SCOUTING THE COYOTES
South Dakota holds a 7-17-1 record entering the weekend and most recently posted a 14-0 win over Mount Marty on Tuesday. Brooke Carey leads the Coyotes offensively with a .430 batting average, while four additional players are hitting above .300. Sara Iburg leads the team in power with four home runs.
Madison Evans has carried the majority of the pitching workload, throwing 76.0 innings this season. She holds a 5-7 record with a 3.96 ERA and 71 strikeouts.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Minnesota is 35-30 all-time against Iowa State. The teams met earlier this season during the U.S. Bank Series in Minneapolis, where the Cyclones defeated the Gophers 5-2 on Feb. 20.
Missouri holds a 10-8 advantage in the all-time series with Minnesota. The teams last met Feb. 21, 2025, when the Gophers earned a 3-1 victory.
Minnesota is 5-0 all-time against South Dakota. The most recent meeting was a 12-0 Gopher win on April 4, 2017.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota split a pair of midweek games earlier this week against Ohio Valley Conference opponents. The Gophers opened the trip with a 5-0 victory over SIUE on Tuesday, powered by home runs from Jae Cosgriff and Scarlett Kuhn while Macy Richardson and Natalie Susa combined for the shutout. Minnesota closed the trip Wednesday with a 3-0 loss to Lindenwood.
GOPHER LEADERS
Scarlett Kuhn leads Minnesota at the plate with a .377 batting average, collecting 23 hits and five doubles through 20 games. Maggie Werner has also been a key contributor offensively, hitting .308 with three home runs and eight RBIs while posting a .429 on-base percentage. Tara Wolocko has provided the most power in the lineup, leading the Gophers with six home runs and 16 RBIs while batting .280 with a .561 slugging percentage.
In the circle, Sydney Schwartz has carried the bulk of the innings for Minnesota, going 5-6 with a 3.12 ERA and a team-high 67 strikeouts across 60.2 innings pitched. Macy Richardson has also been a key option in the rotation, posting a 4.07 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 53.1 innings. As a staff, Minnesota pitchers have recorded 147 strikeouts in 146.0 innings this season.
A TRADITION OF GOPHER SOFTBALL
The 2026 season marks the 52nd year of Minnesota softball. Piper Ritter enters her sixth season as head coach and 19th overall with the program. Bailey Oetting (fourth season) and Roya St. Clair (second season) return as assistant coaches, while Stephanie Lombardo joins the staff after serving as a development coach with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates).
Minnesota's 2026 schedule features 51 games, including 27 non-conference matchups and 24 Big Ten contests. The Gophers will face 10 teams that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament, including Top 25 foes Oklahoma, GCU, Nebraska and Arizona. The season opened with a road-heavy early slate that included trips to California, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Minnesota hosted its first games at the Gopher Indoor Classic (Feb. 20–22) at U.S. Bank Stadium before Big Ten play began last weekend at Indiana. Conference action includes home series against Illinois, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin, with road trips to Iowa, Washington and Northwestern. The 2026 Big Ten Tournament is set for May 6–9 in College Park, Md.