By: Nickalas Tabbert

The Gophers softball team went 3-2 on the weekend at the Stanford Louisville Slugger Classic in Palo Alto, Calif.

Minnesota (13-9) won a pair of games over Pacific University but lost a pair to host Stanford. Minnesota beat Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday afternoon to close the weekend.

Junior Sara Moulton (13-5) was the winning pitcher in all three victories. She allowed one earned run and struck out 23 batters in 24.1 innings during the weekend.

Senior catcher Kari Dorle provided all the offense Minnesota needed Sunday with a 3-run homer in the fifth inning.

Sophomore Tyler Walker finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.

The Gophers’ two games against Stanford played out much differently.

Stanford edged the Gophers 2-1 in eight innings Friday. In the top of the eighth inning, sophomore second baseman Erika Smyth tripled in freshman Hannah Skallman to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the frame, Minnesota couldn’t close it out, committing two errors that allowed Stanford to score twice.

Stanford jumped ahead 9-0 after the first inning Saturday. Minnesota trimmed the lead to 9-7 by the fourth inning but drew no closer.

Minnesota will play next weekend at the Florida State Sunshine Classic in Tallahassee, Fla.