The Minnesota Gophers softball team opens the 2023 season on Friday looking to relive the glory days of just a few years ago. Their 2019 run to the College World Series is only four season ago, but between COVID and a subpar 2022 season it feels like an eternity. Minnesota still had a few of the anchors from that tournament run on the roster, and have recruited new talent both from the high school ranks and in the transfer portal to hopefully fill the holes in the lineup and especially in the pitching rotation that were glaring in 2022.