Maddie Houlihan hit a grand slam in the sixth inning as the No 20 Gophers rallied to edge host Maryland 6-5 on Friday in their Big Ten softball opener.

Houlihan's homer put Minnesota (20-9) ahead 6-4. The Terrapins scored one run in the bottom of the inning, but Sydney Smith got a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.

U swimmer 4th

Lindsey Kozelsky of the Gophers placed fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (58.09 seconds) in the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin, Texas. Sarah Bacon finished fifth in 3-meter diving (373.65) a day after winning the 1-meter diving title for the second straight year.

The Gophers are in seventh place with 131 points going into the final day of the meet.

Etc.

• Because of cold weather and snow, the Gophers' Big Ten baseball opener vs. Penn State on Friday at State College, Pa., was postponed. The team will play a game at noon Saturday and a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Sunday.

• Senior guards Ryan Bruggeman of Southwest Minnesota State and Gage Davis of St. Cloud State were invited to play in the Reese's NCAA Division II All-Star Game on March 29 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. The game will be played during the NCAA Division II Elite Eight on the day between the semifinals and championship games.

• The Gophers women's tennis team defeated visiting Indiana 4-3. Sophomore Juliet Zhang's 6-4, 6-3 win over Michelle McKamey at No. 5 singles gave Minnesota (10-6, 3-1 Big Ten) a 4-1 lead. The Gophers are 6-0 at home.

• Iowa defeated the host Gophers 4-3 in men's tennis. Josip Krstanovic of Minnesota (12-2, 1-1) defeated Kareen Allaf 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 at No. 1 singles.