Hannah Cady's first-pitch, opposite-field homer to left field gave No. 21 Northwestern an 8-7 victory over the visiting Gophers in the Big Ten softball opener for both teams.

Breezy Burnett hit a grand slam for the Gophers (19-11) in the second inning and Taylor Krapf a three-run homer in the fifth. Krapf's homer was her team-high 10th of the season.

The Wildcats (15-8) have won five straight games.

U baseball loses

The Gophers baseball team lost 5-2 to Creighton in a nonconference baseball game in Omaha, Neb. This weekend's series against the Blue Jays was moved there because of poor field conditions at Siebert Field.

Creighton (9-7) scored four runs in the sixth on four hits and a walk off 6-5 sophomore lefthander Tucker Novotny. He gave up five runs and seven hits in 5 â…” innings. He struck out four, walked one.

Minnesota (4-19) scored its runs on Jake Perry's RBI single and a wild pitch in the seventh.

U track update

Gophers sophomore Devin Augustine set a school record in the 200-meter dash (20.49 seconds) at the Clyde Hart Classic in Waco, Texas.

In field events, junior Kostas Zaltos won the hammer throw with a toss of 240 feet, 8 inches — 15th best in the world this season — and senior Jake Kubiatowicz took first in the discus (183-6).

On Friday, graduate student Matthew Wilkinson of the Gophers set a meet and facility record with a time of 8:29.35 in the Raleigh (N.C.) Relays in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Competing in his first outdoor meet this spring, he was the top college runner in the steeplechase.

Etc.

  • The No. 18-ranked Gophers gymnastics team — led by Mya Hooten, a first team All-America on floor exercise — will hold an open practice at Peik Gym at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The team is preparing for an NCAA regional next Friday and April 2 at Magness Arena in Denver.
  • Five MIAC men's players were named to American Hockey Coaches Association's All-America. St. Scholastica junior forward Arkhip Ledenkov and Filimon Ledenkov were named to the West Region's first team while St. Scholastica junior goaltender Jack Bostedt, Concordia junior defenseman Liam Haslam, and Augsburg senior defenseman Mason Palmer were named to the second team.
  • Goalkeeper Taylor Kane, who transferred to Iowa this past offseason, has re-signed with the Minnesota Aurora, a women's soccer club which plays in the USL W League.