The University of Minnesota Duluth plated a single run in the bottom of the first inning, and it was all the Bulldogs would need as junior left-hander Bo Hellquist tossed a complete game shutout of Wayne State (Neb.) College in game one of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/U.S. Bank Baseball Tournament on Wednesday morning in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

UMD (33-14), the fourth seed, advances with the 2-0 victory to take on top-seed No. 2 St. Cloud State University in the second round of the double elimination style tournament. Wayne State (27-23), will have to fight its way through the other side of the bracket with a meeting against Northern State University, which St. Cloud defeated 7-5 in round one, later tonight.

Hellquist allowed just four baserunners: two hits, a walk, and a late error that added a bit of excitement to the ninth inning, after junior first baseman Alex Wojciechowski launched his 12th home run of the season in the eighth inning to give the southpaw a bit of room to breathe.  Hellquist allowed a seeing-eye single up the middle in the first inning and cruised much of the rest of the way. After junior outfielder Josh Denisen lifted a double to left center in the bottom of the inning, Wojciechowski moved him over with a groundball single up the middle, and junior third baseman Kyle Comer brought him home with a line drive hit to right field.

The nine-inning game finished up in just 1:54, as Hellquist picked up six strikeouts on the day, dueling with Wildcat junior right-hander Eric Browning, who on Wednesday was named to the All-NSIC Second Team. Browning struck out eight Bulldogs while giving up six hits, three walks, and the pair of earned runs.

UP NEXT
UMD will get a chance for some regular season payback when the Bulldogs meet St. Cloud State tomorrow afternoon at Sioux Falls Stadium, the same site as today's game. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.