The University of Minnesota Duluth ended its recent losing skid on Friday evening with a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference series split against Augustana University by scores of 1-6 and 8-6.

After a 9-1 start to their 2017 NSIC campaign, the Bulldogs (34-18; 18-10 NSIC) have since gone 9-9.
 
A solo shot in the first inning put Augustana out to an early 1-0 lead. Freshman designated player/pitcher Ashley Taipale knotted things up with a double to center field, scoring sophomore right fielder Sammi Sadler in the top of the second. But the Vikings would take control after that. A four-hit, four-run third inning that was highlighted by a three-run home run propelled the Vikings to a 5-1 lead. Augustana would add one more in the fifth before taking game one 6-1. Sophomore pitcher Valerie Hohol (L, 13-4) has lost back-to-back decisions for the first time all season (23 appearances). Taipale, along with her RBI double, would add 3.0 innings of relief, allowing just one run while picking up a pair of strikeouts. 

The Bulldogs'  bats came alive in the rematch. After collecting just four hits for one run in game one, UMD would connect on 12 hits for eight runs in game two. Sophomore first baseman Kalynn Tilton got things started for the Bulldogs with a RBI fly out in the first inning. After the Vikings took a 2-1 lead, sophomore catcher Hannah Bloch and freshman third baseman Lauren Oberle clobbered back-to-back home runs to help UMD regain the lead. Oberle would hit her second solo home run of the evening in the fourth inning, and has now gone deep a team-leading nine times this season. With the score tied at six apiece in the sixth inning, junior second baseman Natalie Wright knocked in junior shortstop Becky Smith with a single to center field to put the Bulldogs up 7-6. Smith would tack on an insurance run in the top of the seventh before Taipale (W, 3-2) put the game in the bag. Taipale worked 4.0 innings of relief, allowing just one earned run. Freshman Breanna Swint got the start, tossing 3.0 innings while striking out one.

UMD will conclude its regular season at Wayne State College (11-37; 5-19 NSIC) on Sunday(Apr. 30) at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.