For a second time this week, the University of Minnesota Duluth softball team served up a Northern Sun Intercollegiate doubleheader sweep inside James S. Malosky Stadium in Duluth, Minn.

Saturday afternoon, UMD took down the University of Sioux Falls 12-4 in the opening contest in just five innings before defeating the Cougars 7-1 in game two, With the pair of wins, the Bulldogs improved to 29-12 on the season and 10-6 in the NSIC.

"Just like earlier this week, we came out ready and had all three facets of the game working today with hitting, pitching and defense," said UMD head coach Lynn Anderson. "Our team is gaining some confidence in these outings and taking care of the controllables and we like that. Dixie (Lauren Dixon)  found her groove in game one and we had some great team hitting game one. Nicole Schmitt was seeing the ball really well at the plate and that really ignited a lot offensively." 

"And game two, we kept the offense going throughout the lineup and manufactured additional runs. Defensively our team made great plays and Allyssa Williams and Allison Luoma both looked really strong again. Our entire pitching staff and team is prepared for tomorrow, and we're ready and going to handle the controllables well just like today."

Game 1 (12-4, UMD win)

Dixon more than found her groove in game one, she completed a UMD program-record 73rd career game to improve to 15-5 on the season behind an 11 strikeout effort. After a week in which Dixon picked up two new career records and the first no-hitter of her career, the senior pitcher allowed the Cougars just three hits despite allowing the second most walks of her season (6).

But it was the Bulldog bats that stole the show Saturday, and it all started with a perfect game from the plate from junior Nicole Schmitt. Schmitt went 4-of-4 in the first game and hit a whopping eight RBIs for UMD behind two home runs, a double and a single. Schmitt's RBI total was the highest of her career, and it catapulted the Bulldogs past the Cougars, ending the game early in just five innings after she popped her second homer of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.

After an umpire review confirmed the Cougars just beat the tag, USF stole home to get on the board first in the opening half of the first inning. But UMD didn't take trailing lightly, and both Morgan McMillan and Kiana Bender took walks and advanced to second and third when Julia Gronholz grounded to third base to start the day. Enter Schmitt, who homered dead over center – her fourth of the season – to hand the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead.

Schmitt hit for another RBI in the bottom of the second, a double to deep center field that hit in Gronholz, who had gotten on base a walk to stretch UMD lead to 4-1. Schmitt's double was her team-best 14th of the season, already the most in a single season for the junior over her three-year career.

Dea Deleon led off the bottom of the fourth with a single between the shortstop and third baseman, followed one batter later by singles from Bender and then Gronholz.  Schmitt singled over the third baseman to hit home Deleon for her fifth RBI of the game and 5-4 score. Elle Potts then hit a banger into center field for a two-RBI single to make it a 7-4 Bulldog lead. Kat Burkhardt added a single to center that scored Schmitt and Emma Ambroz, who had pinch run for Potts and stole second, and UMD had a 9-4 advantage after four innings played.

The Bulldogs would only play one more inning, and it started with McMillan – on base with a walk – who then advanced on a wild pitch. Bender then walked again, which after one out, set up Schmitt. Schmitt homered to right center, a three-run blast that gave her the eighth RBI of the day and ended the game officially at 12-4 after just five innings.

Game 2 (7-1, UMD win)

The Bulldogs piled on seven runs in the opening two innings, and it started with a single from McMillan up the middle to get on first. Bender smashed it to right center, UMD's third home run on the day for the early 2-0 lead. Both Gronholz and Schmitt then singled, and Gronholz eventually scored when Khendal Johnson singled to right field to make it 3-0 UMD.

In the bottom of the second, the Bulldogs picked their scoring right up and after Deleon bunted to get on, McMillan hit a double, advanced on the throw and scored Deleon to take the 4-0 lead. After Bender walked, the senior stole second, which allowed McMillan to score on the steal home to make it 5-0. Gronholz picked up another walk, and after Schmitt advanced Bender and Groholz, Potts got on base with a fielder's choice that scored Bender to stretch UMD's run total to 6-0. Johnson flew out to center field and earned an RBI when Groholz crossed home, completing the Bulldogs run total for the game - 7-0 - in its opening two innings. 

From there, UMD relied on its defense and its pitching, and it got plenty of both. Williams improved to 5-2 on the season with five innings pitched and seven strikeouts thrown – a new career best for the sophomore. Luoma pitched two innings with one strikeout, and between them, USF managed just a single run in the series sweep over the Cougars. 

McMillan led from the plate in game two with three hits on three at bats, while Tori Wietgrefe went 2-of-2 in both her plate appearances.