It was a good start Tuesday – 2-0 , in fact, for the University of Minnesota Duluth softball team in the Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. The Bulldogs used nine innings to push past Glenville State University in the first game, and then mounted an epic comeback to defeat Trevecca Nazarene University 9-8 in the second game.

In the opening game against Glenville, both sides were scoreless until the Pioneers doubled to center to send home their lone run of the game. The Bulldogs matched Glenville's sixth-inning run with one of their own when Nicole Schmit singled, advanced to second on an error and brought in Kendal Jenkins to equalize at 1-1. After a scoreless additional eighth inning and holding the Pioneers without a run in the top of the ninth, UMD won the game when Tori Wietgrefe scored after Jenkins singled and advanced to second on another Glenville error. 

The Bulldogs had multiple hit games from both Cori Weise (2-of-5) and Wietgrefe (2-of-2), and got nine innings of solid pitching from Lauren Dixon, who blanked 10 Pioneer batters en route to her seventh win of the season (7-2). Dixon has now also thrown 10 or more strikeouts in five games of the nine games she's pitched for UMD.

In game two, Trevecca built up a four run lead in the top of the second inning. The Trojans then added another three runs in the top of the fourth to stretch their lead to 7-0, but the Bulldogs came alive in the fifth inning and scored five runs to cut the deficit to 7-5. It started with a Kiana Bender single through the right side that scored two RBIs, followed by a triple from Kat Burkhardt down the right field line that drove in Bender and Schmitt. Wietgrefe doubled to right to score Burkhardt, and after five innings of play, the Bulldogs had closed the run-gap. 

After the Trojans hit a home run in the top of the seventh to take a 8-5 lead, UMD stormed back in the bottom of the seventh to score four runs for the eventual win. An error with bases loaded scored Jenkins, Kate Mohr singled to left field and advanced to second base on an error to knock in two runs and knot the game at 8-8. The Bulldogs took their first – and final – lead of the game after Dea Deleon singled to center field to get Gronholz across the plate for the game-winning RBI. 

Maddy Walsh pitched all seven innings for UMD for her second win of the season (2-0), posting five shutouts on the day. Four players had a two hit game,including Weise, Jenkins, Wietgrefe and Mohr.

UMD (12-5) will face Notre Dame College and the University of Missouri - St. Louis tomorrow morning at 1:45 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. CT.