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Minnesota Welcomes Illinois for First Series at Jane Sage Cowles
3/26/2026 9:58:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – The Gophers will play their first games of the season at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium this weekend for a three-game series versus the Fighting Illini. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT Friday evening, followed by a 1:00 p.m. CT start on Saturday, and will finish the series off at 12:00 p.m. CT Sunday. All the action will stream live on B1G+.
GAME ONE
Minnesota (11-20, 3-3 B1G) vs. Illinois (8-23, 0-6 B1G)
Date: Friday, March 27
Time: 5:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jane Sage Cowles
Stream: B1G+
GAME TWO
Minnesota (11-20, 3-3 B1G) vs. Illinois (8-23, 0-6 B1G)
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jane Sage Cowles
Stream: B1G+
GAME THREE
Minnesota (11-20, 3-3 B1G) vs. Illinois (8-23, 0-6 B1G)
Date: Sunday, March 29
Time: 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Jane Sage Cowles
Stream: B1G+
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING ILLINI
Illinois enters play at 8-23 overall and remains winless in Big Ten action at 0-6 through the opening weeks of conference play. The Illini are currently on an 11-game losing streak after being swept by Northwestern and Iowa.
There are a handful of key contributors in the Fighting Illini lineup. Adiysn Caryl leads the way with a .363 average, totaling 33 hits and 22 RBIs on the season. Skylar Brennan follows closely behind, batting .372 and ranking tied for 15th in doubles with eight, while Ellie Haggard provides power with a team-leading seven home runs and a .622 slugging percentage.
The Illinois pitching staff holds a 5.15 ERA over 165 innings of work this season. The Illini are led in the circle by Abby Sabalaskey and Karley Yergler. Sabalaskey has logged 67 innings with a 4.05 ERA and a team-best 40 strikeouts, while Yergler follows with 56 innings pitched, posting a team-best 3.75 ERA and adding 35 strikeouts.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Minnesota enters the matchup with a 26-20 all-time record against Illinois and carries a four-game winning streak in the series. Over the last 10 meetings, the Gophers hold a 7-3 advantage.
The most recent matchup came in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament in Iowa City, where Minnesota secured a 9-inning walk-off victory over the Illini, highlighted by a three-run home run from Taylor Krapf.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota secured its first conference series victory of the season over Iowa, highlighted by delivering the Hawkeyes their first two shutouts of the year.
The Gopher offense was led by Jae Cosgriff, who hit .444 on the weekend, with half of her hits going for extra bases, including her third home run of the season. Cassie Johnson followed with a strong showing in her home state, batting .429 along with a .600 On Base percentage.
The Minnesota pitching staff dominated in Iowa City, anchored by Sydney Schwartz, who appeared in all three games and went 2-1. She delivered a 0.45 ERA in 15 innings, striking out 10 while tossing two complete-game shutouts. Macy Richardson added to the effort with six innings of work and a 1.17 ERA. The pair combined to limit Iowa's strong offense to a .195 batting average.
GOPHER STAT LEADERS
Scarlett Kuhn leads Minnesota at the plate with a .309 average and a team-high 25 hits, adding five doubles and two home runs. Maggie Werner has also made an impact, batting .268 with four home runs, while Tara Wolocko remains the Gophers' top power threat with a team-best six home runs, five doubles, and 17 RBIs.
In the circle, Sydney Schwartz has paced the Minnesota pitching staff, going 7-8 with a 2.56 ERA over 84 innings. She leads the team with 84 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .209 batting average. Macy Richardson has also been a key contributor, recording 54 strikeouts over 72 innings with a 3.89 ERA.
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).
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
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, Washington, 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.