The University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team took on the St. Cloud State University Huskies this afternoon in another Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) doubleheader, splitting the day in this dog versus dog rivalry and earning head coach Bob Rients his 400th career win.

Game One: UMD (2) - SCSU (7)

The Huskies would jump out to an early lead in game one with a solo home run out to right center field in the bottom of the first. A quiet second inning for both teams would keep the score at 1-0 in favor of SCSU until another home run, this time a three run shot dead center, would increase the Husky lead to four runs by the end of the third. In the top of the fourth inning, a leadoff double from Oran Hinkle would kick the Bulldog offense into action, setting him up to score from second on a Jack Puder single that would find the outfield grass. Troy Lynch would drive out a double of his own to score Puder before the end of the inning, getting UMD on board and minimizing the deficit to just two runs. However, SCSU would collect three more runs in the sixth inning while UMD would be blanked through the end of the game to close things out 7-2 in favor of the Huskies.

Game Two: UMD (14) - SCSU (13)

A scoreless first inning would mark the start of game two before the Bulldogs would put together the first runs of the game. A leadoff Lynch single would be followed by back to back walks to fill the bases. With a runner occupying each bag and two outs threatening the end, Hinkle would start off a chain of three RBI base hits with himself, Gabe Richardson, and Puder each driving one in to give UMD a 4-0 lead by the end. The Huskies would not let those run go unanswered though as they would collect three runs in the bottom of the second to cut the Bulldog lead to one run.

Lynch would reach on a walk and Trevor Gustafson would reach on an error to kick off the third, both advancing into scoring position on a Garrett Stauffacher sacrifice bunt. Lynch would score on a wild pitch and Gustafson would score on a Tanner Albeck sacrifice fly ball to add another two runs on the board, extending the UMD lead to 6-3. Both teams would each tally one run in the next three half innings to bring the scoreline to 7-5 heading into the fifth inning.

A two run moonshot over the right field wall from Puder would highlight the fifth inning as UMD would hold SCSU to a scoreless inning for the first time since the beginning of the game, and would be followed by a completely blanked sixth for both sides to break up the action. Three walks to fill the bases in the seventh would set up Ethan Cole for a base hit that would score two more and leave Puder on third base, who would steal home on the very next pitch to add a third run and bring the Bulldogs up to a seven run lead. Though a grand slam would jump start an eight run stretch for the Huskies, taking their first lead of the game in the bottom of the eighth. The Bulldogs would recover though to tally one run in the ninth in order to send into extra innings. 

A quick two opening outs would bring the freshman Albeck back up to the dish for the Bulldogs. Albeck would jump on the first pitch of the at bat and send it out of the ballpark to give his team back the lead when they needed it. In the bottom of the tenth, a bases loaded situation would bring Cole onto the bump for UMD who would go on to collect back to back strikeouts and record the save for UMD secure the win and the split on the day.

Looking Ahead

Bulldog baseball will take on the Minot State University Beavers this weekend in another three game NSIC series. The first pitch from Minot is currently scheduled for Saturday, April 20, at 1:30 PM.