Cayli Sadler definitely made her final collegiate home appearance a memorable one.
The University of Minnesota Duluth senior tossed a three-hitter and blanked Northern State University 4-0 Wednesday afternoon at Junction Avenue Field for 59th career victory. That made Sadler the all-time winningest pitcher in Bulldog team history, supplanting All-American Kristin Danielson, who posted 58 triumphs between 2007-2010, for that honor.
The Bulldogs proceeded to put the wraps on their 2016 home schedule by upending the Wolves 3-2 on a walk-off single by senior right fielder
Ashley Schilling to sweep the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader. UMD, which moved up three spots to No. 6 in this week's NCAA Division II Central Region Rankings, went 8-2 in Duluth this spring (7-1 at Junction Avenue Field and 1-1 at James S. Malosky Field).
In the opener, both Sadler and her NSU counterpart, Jamie Fisher, threw two-hit, no-run ball through the first five innings. The Bulldogs then struck for four runs in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore shortstop
Becky Smith knocked in three of those scores with a bases-clearing triple. Sophomore center fielder
Hannah Schmoll went 3-for-3, acounting for half of UMD's hits in the win. Sadler struck out three and walked one while improving to 12-7 on the year.
Rookie catcher
Hannah Bloch put the Bulldogs up 1-0 in the second inning of the nightcap with a double that brough home Smith. The Wolves answered in their next at bats and took a 2-1 lead. Smith, who was the lone Bulldog with two hits, drew UMD even by delivering an RBI single in the fourth. It remained 2-2 until the bottom of the seventh when Schilling, one of five Bulldog seniors making their Junction Avenue Field farewells, came up with the bases loaded and two outs and singled in freshman designated player
Kalynn Tilton.
Sam Hartmann (14-5) continued to roll in the circle, winning her eighth consecutive decision after allowing six hits and fanning three.
UMD (29-12 overall, 18-6 NSIC) will close out the 2016 regular season with twinbills at Minot State University this Saturday (April 23) and the University of Mary the following afternoon. The Bulldogs currently reside in fifth place in the NSIC standings, but are just one game back in the loss column to all four teams ahead of them.
