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By losing the first three games of a four-game series against Michigan, the Gophers saw their chance at the Big Ten softball championship disappear, with the Wolverines clinching the regular-season title Saturday at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
That left the Gophers with two jobs for Sunday s finale: Give the program s five seniors a victory on Senior Day and bolster the team s argument for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
Consider both tasks accomplished.
Behind home runs by MaKenna Partain, Natalie DenHartog and Sydney Strelow in the first two innings, the 23rd-ranked Gophers beat No. 19 Michigan 7-3 in their regular-season home finale. Minnesota (26-10) banged out eight hits and chased Michigan ace Alex Storako, who gave up the three homers among her five runs along with three walks in two-plus innings. Storako (19-3) entered the game with a 0.67 ERA and left with a 0.93 mark as Michigan fell to 32-6.