Saturday morning, the University of Minnesota Duluth did something that only one other Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference club had done this spring -- defeat Augustana College. UMD kicked off its NSIC road doubleheader by shading the No. 9-ranked Vikings 2-1 -- head coach Jen Banford's 300th victory with the Bulldogs -- before dropping a 9-0 decision in five innings in the rematch.

In the 2-1 triumph, the Bulldogs (27-18 overall; 11-11 NSIC) got one hit each from five different players, including junior right fielder Ashley Schilling, who drove in the eventual game-winning run with a double in the top off the second inning. Junior third baseman Sami Schnyder accounted for the other Bulldog run, coming home on a Viking error in first. Jordan Schaffer's solo homer in the bottom of the second was one of the five hits UMD junior pitcher Cayli Sadler gave up on her way to improving to 15-9 on the year.

Augustana (39-7; 20-2) generated seven runs off of three homers and limited the Bulldogs to just two hits (singles from senior first baseman Jordan Rice and junior catcher Ashley Lewis) in game two. Sophomore Sam Hartmann (12-9) took the loss, surrendering six hits and all nine runs before being relieved in the fourth inning by rookie Sadie Knudson, who faced four batters. Hartmann and Knudson wound up throwing 111 pitches while their two counterparts (starter Carly Pickett and Karlee Koopman) finished with just 59.

Banford, in her 10th season at the UMD helm, is now 300-192 with the Bulldogs, who will stay on the road Sunday (April 19) for a pair of NSIC clashes with Wayne State College.