Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 With an abundance of snow still blanketing the Twin Ports, the University of Minnesota Duluth opened both its "home" and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedules Sunday night at St. Cloud State University's Husky Dome and wound up splitting a doubleheader with Upper Iowa University. The Bulldogs held on to take the opener 3-2 before the Peacocks bounced back with a 8-2 victory.

Junior first baseman Jordan Rice went 2-for-3 in UMD win and drove in the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the third inning with her eighth double of the year. That put the Bulldog up 3-0 -- a lead that stood up until the top of the sixth inning when Upper Iowa scored twice on three hits. Rookie pitcher Cayli Sadler allowed just five hits (one being a two-run homer)and  struck out four Peacocks while improving to 11-6 on the year. UMD mustered just five hits of its own, including a double by senior left fielder Megan Mullen in the third inning.

In the rematch, Upper Iowa held a 4-2 advantage through six innings then iced the triumph with a four-run, five-hit seventh. Sophomore shortstop Dalyce Gustafson doubled once and added a pair of singles in three at bats and Sadler had two of the remaining five hits for the Bulldogs. Sadler, making her 14th start of the season, took the loss after giving up five earned runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.

The Bulldogs (15-12 overall) will remain on the road for a pair of NSIC assignments against Northern State University this Thursday (April 3). That doubleheader was originally scheduled for Tuesday in Duluth.