After rounding out their trip in Florida with three wins, the University of Minnesota Duluth continued their triumphant ways in Missouri with a heavy dose of offense with victories over a pair of Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association foes Northwest Missouri State University and the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The Bulldogs, who notched 21 hits on the day, roughed up the Bearcats 7-1 then downed the Lopers 6-2 to start off the HyVee Classic in St. Joseph, Mo.

It took just seven batters to chase Northwest Missouri State's starter Holly Posegate from the game as the Bulldogs attacked early and often racking up five runs while batting around the order. Eight different batters tallied hits including three from junior second baseman Natalie Wright and two from freshman third baseman Lauren Oberle. Oberle and sophomore outfielder Sammi Sadler added insurance runs to help snap NWMSU's seven-game win streak. Senior pitcher Sam Hartmann held the Bearcats (10-8) at bay, surrendering a lone second-inning run in a complete game four-hitter for her seventh victory of the 2017 campaign.

The Lopers (2-22) struck first taking a 2-0 lead before the Bulldog offensive onslaught started. Sophomore first baseman Kalynn Tilton started the barrage by cashing in on her first collegiate home run. Tilton, the product of Forest Lake H.S., blasted a three-run shot over the center field fence to give a lead the bulldogs would never relinquish. Adding another run an inning before, Wright added the final nail to the coffin looping a two-run double. UMD finished the game 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Sophomore pitcher Valerie Hohol came in relief and cleared UMD out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and pitched the last five and one-third innings to notch her third win. Freshman pitcher Ashley Taipale took the no-decision in her third career start.

The Bulldogs, which improved to 12-7 on the season, look for their seven straight victory and knock off their fourth National Fastpitch Coaches Association top-25 opponent tomorrow with matchups against 18th-ranked Missouri Western State at 12:00 p.m. and Missouri Southern State at 4:00 p.m.