The University of Minnesota Duluth gained a split in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader action at Bulldog Park Saturday, scoring 14 unanswered runs to take game one from Southwest Minnesota State University 14-4 before falling to the Mustangs 6-1 in game two.

Joe Korneta batted .571 (4-for-7) on the day including a grand slam in addition to a solo home run to lead the Bulldogs at the plate. Alex Johnson went 5-for-9 (.556) with a double and a pair of RBI while Mike Hanson was 3-for-6 (.500) with a walk, a double and two RBI.

Down 4-0 after the first two and a half innings, the Bulldogs cut the deficit in half scoring two runs in the bottom of the third. Greg Aker led off the inning with a walk and was advance to second when Johnson single through the left side. Tim Battaglia moved the runners over on a groundout to the short stop. Adam Keeler lit the Bulldogs' side of the scoreboard when Aker scored on his groundout to third base. When Tim Garceau singled up the middle Johnson scored to shrink the Mustang lead to two runs (4-2).

Despite loading the bases in its half of the fourth, SMSU would not be able to add to its lead as UMD's Justin Kunferman worked out of a jam getting the final out of the inning by way of a ground ball to first base. In the bottom of the inning the Bulldogs would make them pay, scoring four runs to take their first lead of the game 6-4.

Korneta led the inning off with a solo shot to left-center field. Aker again drew a walk from the SMSU hurler and stole his team-leading fourth base of the year to advance to second. Johnson would drive him home (4-3) on the next pitch with a seeing-eye single down the right field line. Next, Battaglia advanced Johnson to second with his first hit of the game. The SMSU third baseman then made a fielding error allowing Keeler to reach safely, moving both runners up a base. The Mustang third baseman committed his second error of the inning on the next play allowing Garceau to reach safely and both Battaglia and Johnson to score (6-4).

In the sixth the Bulldogs' bats exploded again posting eight runs in the inning. Johnson led off with a double and after Battaglia walked SMSU made a pitching change. Adam Keeler would work a hit off the new pitcher laying a bunt down on the third base line and beating the throw to first. With the bases loaded, Garceau would get walked as Johnson scored to put UMD up 7-4. The catcher Hanson then doubled to deep right-center field to score both Keeler and Battaglia (9-4). After Nate Cermak was hit by a pitch to again load the bases, SMSU would make their second pitching change of the inning. Korneta would greet the new man on the mound by belting his second home run of the game, clearing the bases and putting UMD up 13-4. Nathan Taran, Johnson and Keeler would each single late in the inning with Taran crossing the plate on Keeler's hit to give the Bulldogs a ten-run lead (14-4).

Adam Templin would hold the Mustangs scoreless in the seventh to collect his second save of 2004. Justin Kunferman was credited with the win (2-4) as he pitched two innings of one-hit relief for the starter Shawn Tremaine.

In game two the Bulldogs would again start in a hole giving up four runs in the top of the first inning. SMSU would add a pair of runs to its total in the fourth (6-0) before the Bulldogs would put a run across the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Korneta reached on a single through the left side. Aker would advance the runner to second on his only hit of the game. When Johnson singled up the middle, Korneta would score to get the Bulldogs on the board (6-1). But that was all the offense UMD was able to put together as the SMSU duet of Ryan Morse and Matt Gardner held the Bulldogs to just six hits in the game.

UMD's Adam Baker was on the hill in game two allowing eight hits and six runs while walking two and striking out a pair in seven innings of work. The loss evens his 2004 record at 2-2.

The split brings the Bulldogs' overall record to 16-13 while the team is now 9-8 in NSIC play.

UMD will be back in action Sunday (April 25) when the same two teams take to Bulldog Park for doubleheader action begining at 12:00 p.m.