Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 For the second consecutive day, the University of Minnesota Duluth settled for a split in day two of the University of Arkansas-Monticello 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Ark. In a pair of one-run decisions, Pittsburg State University defeated UMD 4-3, and then flipped roles while downing the University of Nebraska-Kearney 5-4.

Pittsburg State jumped up an early 2-0 after the second but senior captain Megan Mullen tied the game with her two-out double and a RBI single by junior infielder Jordan Rice gave the Bulldogs the lead. The Gorillas tied it at three in the fourth and eventually won the game off a solo home run in the fifth by Jordan Bradshaw. Sophomore pitcher Cayli Sadler got the nod on the mound for the third straight game and went five and one-third innings giving up four runs on four hits.

Rookie hurler Sam Hartmann took the circle in game two chucking five and one-third innings in her first collegiate start. Hartmann, the product of Orono, Minn., allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks in the no-decision. Sadler, the native of Brooklyn Park, Minn., came in relief to stall the Lopers and picked up the victory. 

Sophomore Ashley Schilling gave the Bulldogs the biggest hit of the afternoon trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Schilling looped a double into the left center to shoot UMD ahead 5-4. The Bulldogs tallied 10 hits from eight different players. Rice smashed her second home run in the first inning against the Lopers.

"Schilling had a clutch hit to force another split today," head coach Jen Banford said. "Sadler bounced back and closed a solid performance from Hartmann."

UMD (2-2) will play Southwestern Oklahoma State at 9:30 a.m. and Central Oklahoma at 11:30 a.m. in another pair of games on Sunday.

"We must generate more runs with the two opponents we have tomorrow," added Banford. "Overall we need to learn to keep things simple and take advantage of opportunities."