UMD Softball Splits On Final Day of Florida Spring Games
The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team wrapped up the Spring Games in Florida with a split Sunday, defeating McKendree University 8-0 before dropping a 3-2 eight inning game to Purdue Northwest University.
In game one, the Bulldogs scored in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back, their second straight game holding an opponent scoreless and third time in four games. In the bottom of the first, Kat Burkhardt singled through the left side to score Kendal Jenkins, and followed it up with a Julia Gronholz single up the middle that scored Nicole Schmitt in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Morgan McMillan's single up the middle scored two RBIs in the top of the fifth inning, and then Jenkins homered with the bases loaded to run the game up 8-0 in favor of the Bulldogs – UMD's second-straight game with just five innings played.
Senior pitcher Lauren Dixon got the win for the Bulldogs to improve to 10-2 on the season, and threw nine strikeouts after facing just 17 batters. Two players were 2-of-3 in the game – Gronholz and Jenkins. Jenkins also had a team-high four RBIs, a career best for the sophomore.
Against Purdue Northwest in game two, Jenkins gave UMD the early 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when she singled up the left side to score Kiana Bender. After the Pride equalized in the bottom of the fourth, Jenkins hit her second home run of the day in the top of the fifth to retake the 2-1 lead for the Bulldogs. PNW again tied it up in the bottom of the fifth, and the score stayed locked at 2-2 until the Pride broke through with a single in the bottom of the eighth to break UMD's unbeaten Spring streak at nine games.
Gronholz went 3-of-3 from the plate for the Bulldogs, while Jenkins and Burkhardt both went 2-of-4. Maddy Walsh pitched the first four innings for UMD, while Allison Luoma finished up the game, but was given the loss to bring her record to 1-3 on the season despite three strikeouts.
The Bulldogs return from Florida 19-6 overall, and will head start Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition next Sunday when they travel to Winona State University for a double header that is set to get underway at 1:00 p.m.
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