The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team pocketed two important Northern Intercollegiate Sun wins Sunday in Aberdeen, S.D. against Northern State University. The Bulldogs went eight innings in game one to defeat the Wolves 1-0 before scoring six runs on NSU in a 6-4 game two triumph.

Game 1 (1-0, UMD win)

Senior pitcher Lauren Dixon went the distance in the opening game, and despite facing 27 batters, threw six strikeouts and held NSU scoreless. UMD pushed the Wolves to the limit in the seventh inning but left the bases loaded without crossing the plate. After holding NSU hitless in the bottom of the seventh – which included two strikeouts by Dixon – UMD finally got on the board in the top of the eighth. 

Julia Gronholz singled to left field as UMD's second batter in the frame and then stole second. Nicole Schmitt – who already entered Sunday as the Bulldogs RBI leader – singled to right center to score Gronholz in what would end up the game-winning run for UMD.

Schmitt was one of five Bulldogs to get a hit in the game, but the lone UMD player credited with an RBI. 

Game 2 (6-4, UMD win)

The Bulldogs fell behind 2-0 to the Wolves in the bottom of the third, but UMD offensively overwhelmed NSU in top of the fifth in what would prove too much for the Wolves to overcome.

It started with a Schmitt single to right field that scored both Morgan McMillian (who had singled to get on base) and Kiana Bender (who had picked up a walk) that equalized the game at 2-2. Gronholz, who had also gotten on base after taking a walk, scored on a ground out from Elle Potts, to take the lead (3-2), and then Khendal Johnson singled to right field to score Schmitt. Kate Mohr followed that effort with a double of her own, which scored Johnson on an error before Dea Deleon smacked a single through to centerfield to score Mohr and make it a 6-2 UMD advantage.

The Wolves managed four hits and two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Maddy Walsh struckout the final two NSU players in the bottom of the seventh to lock up the series sweep.

Three UMD pitchers contributed to the win – Allison Luoma started the game and pitched 2.1 innings with three strikeouts, while Allyssa Williams, who earned the win (4-4) in three innings from the mound with three strikeouts. Walsh earned the save in 1.2 innings of work, complete with the final two strikeouts of the game.

In all, three Bulldogs had two hits, including Schmitt, who had two RBIs in the game for three on the day and now leads UMD with 41 on the season. Both Johnson and Mohr also had two hits from the plate – Johnson went 2-of-3. 

UMD (35-14, 16-8) returns home this weekend to host Minot State University Saturday and the University of Mary Sunday on Senior Day. Stay tuned to UMDBulldogs.com for field locations and any time changes ahead of the weekend.