The University of Minnesota Duluth got its 10-game, six-day trip to Clermont, Fla., off to a rousing start Sunday (March 6) by posting back-to-back victories over Slippery Rock University and Holy Family University.

The Bulldogs, who had been idle since Feb. 23, opened the day by rallying past Slippery Rock, 3-2. UMD trailed 2-1 heading to the top of the fifth, but a run-scoring single by sophomore shortstop Becky Smith evened the score before senior first baseman Abbey Nelson's sacrifice fly to center field brought home Smith and put the Bulldogs up for good. Senior pitcher Cayli Smith held Slippery Rock to just two hits and no runs the rest of the away en route to improving to 2-3 on the year (she wound up allowing seven hits with four strikeouts while going the distance). UMD got one hit each from five different players, including senior right fielder Ashley Schilling, who drove in the other UMD run with a second-inning single.

In the nightcap with Holy Family, Sam Hartmann (2-2) tossed six-hitter and fanned four Tigers in the complete-game triumph. The junior southpaw got all the run support she would need in the the second inning when Schilling was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Sophomore second baseman Natalie Wright and senior designated hitter Ashley Lewis accounted for the two Bulldog hits.

UMD will face Wilmington University (Del.) at 5 p.m. (ET) and Grand Valley State University at 7 p.m. Monday in Clermont.