Box Score MINNEAPOLIS--Minnesota designated player Sara Groenewegen hit a three-run home run to help lead the 13th-ranked Gophers to an 8-2 win against South Dakota at JSC Stadium Wednesday. The Gophers (34-7) have won four in a row. South Dakota (15-22-1) lost for the first time in five games. The two teams met for the first time since 2011.
Katie Dinning and Katie Cochran hit solo home runs off Minnesota starter Kylie Stober to give the Coyotes an early 2-0 lead. South Dakota has hit at least one homer in 13 of its last 15 games and has 23 bombs in its last six contests.
Groenewegen's ninth homer of the season put Minnesota ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the third. The Gophers added two more runs in the fourth and tacked on three insurance runs in the sixth. Groenewegen pitched the final two innings and allowed one hit to earn her second save of the season.
The Coyotes got five hits off Stober, who improved to 8-1 for her four innings of work. South Dakota starter Madison Frain (8-9) pitched 3 1/3 innings. She allowed five runs on eight hits.
South Dakota shortstop Matley Jones doubled in the first inning and has reached base safely in 23 consecutive games. Dinning hit her ninth home run of the season and Cochran has hit five.
The Coyotes begin a three-game series at home against Omaha at noon Saturday at Nygaard Field.
