ST. CHARLES, MO. - The Lindenwood Softball team (11-11, 2-1 OVC) took down the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers on Wednesday night at Lou Brock Sports Complex by a final score of 3-0. The victory over Minnesota marks the first win for the Lions over a Power Four opponent in the Division I Era. Ava Risum (3.2 IP) and Avery Wapp (3.1 IP)  combined for a shutout to help Lindenwood win their fifth game out of their last six tries.

Risum allowed zero runs on three hits and added three strikeouts in the contest with the Gophers tonight. Minnesota had runners in scoring position in both the top of the first and second innings, but the Freshman from Brodhead, WI was able to get out of both innings cleanly as she struck out a Gopher with two outs and runners on second and third in the first, and ended the top of the second by forcing a groundout with a runner on second base with two outs in the inning. Lindenwood got their first base runner of the game in the bottom of the second after Kylee Crowder drew a two-out walk, but the Lions were unable to bring her home as the score remained tied after two innings of play. 

After a quick 1-2-3 inning from Risum in the top of the third, Dallis Darnell led off the bottom of the third with an infield single to collect the Lions first hit of the game. Izzy Wilcox followed Darnell by putting down a sacrifice bunt to advance Darnell to second, but Minnesota denied the scoring chance as the next two Lindenwood batters were unable to drive in the first run of the game. The Gophers threatened to score once again in the top of the fourth with two outs and runners on first and third, but Senior pitcher Avery Wapp was able to keep them off the scoreboard by getting a fly out to right field to end the top half of the fourth. Later in the contest with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Wapp recorded her 400th career strikeout in a big spot to once again deny Minnesota a run. Wapp became the third Lion since 2012 to reach the 400 strikeout mark for her Lindenwood career, joining Amanda Weyh (2020-24, 556 K's) and Kendall Ryndak (2012-15, 466 K's). 

Lindenwood was able to break the deadlock in the bottom of the fifth inning by scoring three runs on an RBI single from Anna Sanders and an RBI groundout from Tori Hatton. Minnesota committed two errors in the inning as well, allowing the third Lindenwood run to score on a throwing error by the Gopher catcher. Wapp would then close out the game by retiring the side in the top of the sixth and picked up two more strikeouts in the top of the seventh inning to seal the win for the Lions. Overall, Wapp pitched the final 3.1 innings to record the win and allowed zero hits on four strikeouts. 

Lindenwood will now return to OVC play this weekend as they will travel to Charleston, Ill for a three game series with the Eastern Illinois Panthers beginning on Friday night at 5 p.m. CT. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.