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Gophers Head West for Ranked Road Test at No. 22/19 Washington
4/9/2026 10:00:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota hits the road once again, traveling to Seattle for a three-game series against ranked no. 22/19 Washington. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. CT on Friday, followed by a 7:00 p.m. CT start on Saturday, with the series finale set for 2:00 p.m. CT on Sunday. Friday and Saturday's contest will air live on Big Ten Network while Sunday's contest will stream on B1G+.
GAME ONE
Minnesota (14-24, 6-6 B1G) at Washington (31-9, 12-0 B1G)
Date: Friday, April 10
Time: 9:00 pm CT
Location: Husky Softball Stadium
Stream: B1G Network
GAME TWO
Minnesota (14-24, 6-6 B1G) at Washington (31-9, 12-0 B1G)
Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 7:00 pm CT
Location: Husky Softball Stadium
Stream: B1G Network
GAME THREE
Minnesota (14-24, 6-6 B1G) at Washington (31-9, 12-0 B1G)
Date: Sunday, April 12
Time: 2:00 CT
Location: Husky Softball Stadium
Stream: B1G+
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
No. 14/21 Washington has an overall record of 31-9 on the year and remains undefeated through the first four weekends of B1G play. The Huskies last B1G series was a sweep against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Through the three games, they outscored Iowa 36-13. The Huskies are coming off a 1-3 weekend in non-conference play, falling to Saint Mary's and splitting a pair of games against No. 24 Stanford.
As a team, Washington is hitting .363 through Conference play, ranking the second best offense in the Big Ten. Kaycie Burdick has been a top contributor, batting .452 and slugging .500. MaGiselle Alvaraz (.404, 5 home runs), Ally Hetzel (.400, .700 slugging), and Sophi Mazzola (.400, 8 extra-base hits) have provided consistent production throughout the lineup.
The Huskies' pitching staff has been one of the most respected in the Big Ten, ranking second in the conference in ERA. Morgan Reimer has carried the bulk of the workload, logging 121 innings with 95 strikeouts and a 1.90 ERA. Sophia Ramuno has provided strong support, throwing 71 innings with 83 strikeouts and a 2.96 ERA.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Minnesota has a 1-11 record versus Washington. Their last matchup was at the 2024 Clearwater Invitational where the Gophers took a 4-12 loss versus the Huskies.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota closed the home stretch with a 1-3 record against Ohio State and St. Thomas. Maggie Werner led the Gophers offense, batting .571. Tinley Easton (.385) and Scarlett Kuhn (.364) delivered at the plate as well.
Sydney Schwartz earned her 10th win of the season in Sunday's series finale, pacing the staff with nine innings pitched, nine strikeouts, and a 4.34 ERA. Natalie Susa also contributed 7 innings of work, while Macy Richardson added 6 innings and struck out 7.
GOPHER SEASON LEADERS
At the plate, Maggie Werner leads Minnesota with a .326 batting average, adding five home runs and 14 RBI. Tara Wolocko paces the team in power with six home runs and 19 RBI, while also contributing a .469 slugging percentage. Tinley Easton and Scarlett Kuhn have each added 29 hits this season, helping anchor the Gophers' lineup. In the circle, Schwartz has been the team's ace, leading Minnesota with 10 wins, a 2.52 ERA, 100 strikeouts, and 108.1 innings pitched. Macy Richardson ranks second on the staff with 62 strikeouts, while the Gophers' pitching staff has combined for 200 strikeouts on the season.
SCHWARTZ SHINES IN CIRCLE
Schwartz has been a steady force in the circle for the Gophers, ranking among the Big Ten's top pitchers across multiple categories. She currently sits sixth in the conference in ERA, wins, and strikeouts, while her 108.1 innings pitched rank fifth overall. Schwartz has been especially dominant in the shutout column, leading the Big Ten with five on the season. Her strong start was highlighted early in the year, earning Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Feb. 16.
B1G STANDINGS
Minnesota enters the weekend at 6-6 in Big Ten play, sitting in the middle of a tightly contested conference race. Washington leads the standings with a perfect 12-0 mark, followed by Nebraska (11-1) and UCLA (13-2). Oregon (10-2) rounds out the top tier of the conference. A large group sits just ahead of the Gophers, with Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin all tied at 7-5. Minnesota is tied with Purdue at 6-6, with Northwestern (5-7) close behind.
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 at Indiana. Conference action will include 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.