Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The University of Minnesota Duluth dropped its final two games of the UAM 8-State Classic on Sunday in Bentonville, Ark., falling 2-0 to Missouri Western State University and 6-5 to Emporia State University. With the setbacks to those two Mid-America Intercollegiate Conference school, the Bulldogs dropped to 1-5 on the season.

Against Missouri Western State (11-3), the Bulldogs stranded seven runners and had a golden scoring opportunity with two outs in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the bases on singles from junior second baseman Natalie Wright and freshman third baseman Lauren Oberle and a walk to sophomore catcher Hannah Bloch. Griffon pitcher Barbara Billingsley got out of the jam with a strikeout, one of her four on the day. She also allowed just five hits as did her UMD counterpart, senior Sam Hartmann, who struck out three and walked two in the complete game loss. One of Missouri Wester State's hits was a solo home run, which came in the third inning and broke a scoreless tie.

UMD jumped out to 1-0 first-inning lead against Emporia State (10-8) thanks to a bases-loaded walk and tacked on two more in the third with a two-run homer run by Oberle. ESU drew even at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth before junior shortstop Becky Smith delivered a solo homer to put UMD up 4-3. Oberle added an insurance run in the top of the sixth by knocking in junior center fielder Hannah Schmoll, but ESU cut the Bulldog lead in half with a run in their half of the inning. Trailing 5-4 heading into the last half of the seventh, the Hornets rallied for two runs, getting the winner on a squeeze play.

UMD and ESU will meet  again this Saturday (Feb. 25) in a 10 a.m. doubleheader at St. Cloud State University's Husky Dome.