Gophers softball stuns No. 10 Clemson in extra innings

Minnesota wound up splitting the doubleheader in Clemson, South Carolina.

An early-season upset of the No. 10 team in the country has put the Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-9) softball team on the map. 

It happened Thursday night when they went to Clemson (12-5) and split a doubleheader with the 10th-ranked Tigers – and the Gophers did it in dramatic fashion. 

Trailing 3-2 in the seventh inning, Minnesota forced extra innings on an RBI single from junior Taylor Krapf to tie the game at 3-3. Then in the ninth inning, Minnesota scored twice on RBI singles from Maddy Ehlke and Breezy Burnett for the 5-3 lead. 

Top 7⃣ | WE'RE TIED! (again!)#Gophers 3, Tigers 3 pic.twitter.com/uiilKiLX4V

— Minnesota Softball (@GopherSoftball) March 7, 2024

In the bottom of the ninth the Gophers held on for the win, with senior right-hander Bri Enter striking out the final batter to end the game and secure the upset. 

THE GOPHERS STUN THE TIGERS

Minnesota gets the upset win defeating No. 11 Clemson, 5-3!#NCAASoftball x 🎥 ACCNX / @GopherSoftball pic.twitter.com/iHKzHlKBI6

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) March 8, 2024

Clemson would win the second game of the doubleheader 3-1. 

Minnesota is participating in the Tiger Invitational, which is hosted by Clemson in South Carolina. The Gophers wrap up the invitational on Friday against Longwood University. 

Photo by Connor Cunningham, University of Minnesota