On a day the University of Minnesota Duluth softball honored its seniors, it was the seniors that shone the brightest in a doubleheader sweep of the University of Mary inside James S. Malosky Stadium in the Bulldogs final regular season Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games of 2024.

With a five inning, 11-0 shutout win behind nine Lauren Dixon strikeouts and 11 UMD hits and a 4-1 triumph in game two, the Bulldogs stayed unbeaten in their last six games – four of which have been shutouts. UMD also rolled up another team record and a massive milestone – the Bulldog pitchers bypassed the single season strikeout record of 339 set just two seasons ago, and Dixon, who is piling up records at this point in any appearance she makes, threw her 800th career strikeout in the game one.

Game 1 (11-0, UMD win)

Dixon was dominant in game two and the Bulldogs bats were fired up, propelling UMD to an early lead against the Marauders in game one. Dixon entered the game needing just five to reach 800 and got two in the top of the first. The Bulldogs then let their bats do the talking in the bottom of the inning, compiling four runs on four hits, the first of which was a home run from Nicole Schmitt, her sixth of the season. Julia Gronzholz then walked, and a double by Elle Potts scored Gronholz to make it a 2-0 Bulldog lead. Kelly Swank singled to left to advance Potts to third, and then Potts scored on an error. Kat Burkhardt's single to right field scored Swank, and just like that, UMD was up 4-0 to open the first inning.

Dixon added to more strikeouts in the top of the second, and the rest of the Bulldogs added three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Kiana Bender led off the frame with a walk and then stole second, followed by Schmitt taking a walk. Bender scored on a fly out from Gronholz, and the following batter, Potts, smacked her fourth home run of the season to make it a 7-0 Bulldog lead.

With a strikeout to open the third inning, Dixon reached the 800 strikeout mark. Already fifth in the NCAA in career strikeouts among all active pitchers, Dixon threw another strikeout to close the third inning and finished the game with a total of nine in just five innings pitched.

The Bulldogs tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Gronholz knocking a single to left field and Swank's single past second that moved Gronholz ahead a base. Corrie Weise singled to left field to score Gronholz from second, and then Kate Mohr drilled a home run to left center to pick up three RBIs and give UMD the 11-0 lead that would eventually end the game early after five innings.

 In the game, three players logged two hits – Potts, Swank and Burkhardt, and seven of the eight seniors that went to the plate recorded hits in the blowout.

Game 2 (4-1, UMD win)

UMD's first run in game two started with a triple from Bender, who then scored on a passed ball. The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead when Mohr reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the second and then was subsequently hit home by Burkhardt with a double to left center. 

In the bottom of the third, UMD made it 3-0 after Bender singled to right field and again stole second – her second stolen base of the day. Schmitt then singled to left center and scored Bender, her second RBI of the day. 

Maddy Walsh secured the Bulldog pitching group with the single season record of 340 with her third strikeout of the game in the top of the fourth inning – a record that UMD had just set in 2022 (339). The Bulldogs then expanded their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth when Sierra Thomas singled to shortstop and then later scored when Morgan McMillian singled to right center. Despite Mary finally getting on the board in the top of the seventh to break UMD's three-plus game shutout streak, the Bulldogs held the Marauders off from there for the 4-1 win.

Walsh picked up the win to improve to 9-1, while Allyssa Williams wrapped up the final two innings for the Bulldogs in her 17th appearance this season. Bender and Schmitt led the way with two hits apiece.

UMD 39-14 and 20-8 in NSIC play will wait for the league dust to settle this weekend to find out what their seeding will be ahead of the NSIC Tournament, which starts next Wednesday in Sioux Falls, S.D.

BULLDOG NOTES: After reaching her 800th strikeout (and already at 804), Lauren Dixon's next record looming is all-time career appearances … the senior pitcher is sitting at 639.2, just shy of the record of 646.0, set by Cayli Sadler over the 2013-16 seasons …  Dixon is also nearing the single season shutout record with nine – she set the record of 11 last season and already owns the career record of 30 .. head coach Lynn Anderson is also inching closer to her 150th career win … the third-year Bulldog bench boss has now accumulated 146 career coaching wins.