The University of Minnesota Duluth played their first home games of the season today as they took on Minnesota State University-Moorhead in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader. Continuing to show their strength both on the mound and at the plate, the Bulldogs took the opener, 4-2, before dropping a 5-4 decision in the rematch.

In the first of the two-game series, the Bulldogs (16-9 overall; 5-3 NSIC) did what they've done so well lately and that's getting on the board early. Sophomore second baseman Natalie Wright started things off with a two-run double in the first inning. In the second, it was Wright once again with an RBI single. Senior pitcher Cayli Sadler (9-4) took care of business against the Dragons, allowing only two runs in a while striking out a pair en route posting her seventh consecutive victory. Sophomore center fielder Hannah Schmoll, senior right fielder Ashley Schilling and Wright combined for six of UMD's nine hits.

In a battle of the pitchers, it would till the sixth inning before Dragon shortstop Taylor Roddie doubled in the first run of the game. The Dragons would get three runs off of four hits in that inning to take a late 3-0 lead. The sixth inning proved to be good to both teams as the Bulldogs came right back, scoring three runs of their own. Heading into the final inning with a nearly identical scorecard, Moorhead's first baseman Lauren Meeker crushed a two-run home run that proved to be the game-winner as the Dragons would take game two 5-4, despite a Bulldogs comeback attempt that fell short in the bottom of the seventh after leaving two runners stranded on base with no outs. Senior first baseman Ashley Lewis was the bright spot for the Bulldogs offense in game two, reaching base in all four of her at-bats, going 3-3 with a walk and a run. 

UMD will host Upper Iowa University this Saturday (April 2) in a pair of league bouts on Strike Out Cancer day. The first pitch is set for 1:00p.m.