For the first time in nearly two and a half weeks the University of Minnesota Duluth will play on the road after spending some quality time at James S. Malosky Stadium on the UMD campus playing a few ball games in Duluth since 2012. The Bulldogs, who had their most recent home stint against the University of Minnesota Crookston canceled, will travel across state lines into North Dakota to embark in a pair of double headers versus Minot State University and the University of Mary over the weekend. UMD stands in with an 18-16 overall record and is 4-5 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, good for ninth place.

Last week, the Bulldogs went 1-2 in their home debut but captured an 4-1 upset over then-No 13 Augustana College. UMD trailed 1-0 after the second pitch of the ball game but took charge after freshman Angel Dahl, sophomore Ashley Lewis and sophomore Cayli Sadler drove in runs in third and fourth innings. Pitching ace Sadler tossed a complete game, giving up a mere three hits while fanning eight. In the rematch, the Bulldogs were unable to cap the sweep of the Viking, dropping a 9-2 decision. The following day Wayne State baffled UMD in their lone contest blanking the Dogs 3-0. 

Scouting Report on Minot State
The Beavers (24-12, 11-7 NSIC) lost three of their four games last weekend on the road, getting swept by Minnesota State University Mankato and splitting with Concordia University St. Paul. Minot State, in similar fashion, had their Tuesday double header versus Minnesota State University Moorhead called. The Beavers, who hold a 7-3 record at home this season, are led by reigning NSIC Player of the Year Jen Dixon. Dixon, who has also spent time in the circle hosting a 6-4 mark, has been a nightmare again for opposing pitchers hitting .364 and comes into the double header riding a six-game hitting streak and leads the conference with 11 home runs. Mindy Lorimor has been the staff ace donning a 17-6 record. On the year, Lorimor has pitched 144 innings allowing 63 runs (43 earned) for a 2.09 ERA. As a club, the Beavers are hitting .310 and have outscored the opponents 199-124.

Scouting Report on U. Mary
The Marauders (24-16, 9-7 NSIC) are riding a four-game winning streak after sweeping Concordia-St. Paul and Northern State University. Mary previously defeated UMD in their only appearance earlier this spring in the UMD Invitational scoring seven times in the seventh to outlast the Bulldogs 10-3. Mary's offense has put up 33 runs in the past six games and has been aggressive on the basepaths swiping 117 bases in 40 games. Allison Brown paces the Marauders in average (.429), hits and RBIs (35) average and has 19 extra base hits on 58 total hits. Cherlyn Trujillo and Erin Keen have been providing the 1-2 punch on the rubber. Each pitcher has racked up over 100 innings pitched and surpassed the century-mark in strikeouts. Trujillo has been one of the league's best, thus far, pasting a 1.97 ERA.

The opening pitch Friday in Minot, N.D. will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday's start time in Bismarck, N.D. is at noon.