The second day of the PFX Spring Games was a little easier today as the University of Minnesota Duluth captured two wins, downing Grand Valley State University 7-1 and then trouncing Holy Family University 8-0 in five innings on Sunday at the Legends Way ball fields in Clermont, Fla. With the sweep, the Bulldogs advance to 9-3 overall and improve to 37-9 in THE Spring Games since it started playing in the event in 2013.

The sophomore pitching tandem of Breanna Swint and Ashley Taipale wrangled in the opposing offenses tossing gems in each of their outings. Swint gave up one run in a complete-game effort over the Lakers (4-4) and Taipale threw the team's first shutout of the season against the Tigers (0-1). Swint was one out away from a shutout but Grand Valley State broke the zero on the scoreboard with a double. Swint worked around five hits and five walks to notch her fourth win of the year. Taipale was stellar in the circle allowing a mere three singles while she punched out two batters for her first victory of 2018. The duo combined for 0.58 earned run average and only a pair of extra base hits in 12 innings.

Junior first baseman Kalynn Tilton posted four hits in six at-bats while driving in three RBI. Senior center fielder Hannah Schmoll compiled three hits in the opening game versus the Lakers. Tilton, senior shortstop Becky Smith and sophomore catcher Lexi Janigo smacked a pair of hits in the afternoon game for UMD. The Bulldogs had 11 hits in each contest.

UMD was in a battle in the morning opener with Grand Valley State, who came off an impressive win over No. 1 Minnesota State University, Mankato. Riding high off that victory, the Lakers matched the Bulldogs for the first three innings posting identical batting lines. The offense finally broke through in the fourth. With one out, sophomore third baseman Lauren Oberle battled to draw a walk after a 10-pitch at- bat. That was the crack in the armor as soon the bases got juiced. Junior left fielder Sammi Sadler and Taipale both knocked in a run to make it 2-0. Schmoll smoked one through the left side for two more before senior second baseman Wright bounced a wicked shot to second that scored another. The Bulldogs exploded for five runs and got two extra insurance runs from Wright in the sixth.

Wright, the two-time Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference first team selection, got the offense rolling against Holy Family. The Wyoming, Minn., native drew a walk in the third and stole second to allow her the chance to rush a throw to third on the next batted ball to force an error and score. Later in that inning, Tilton looped a 0-2 pitch to right for an RBI and freshman infielder Jordyn Thomas fired one back up to center for her first collegiate hit and RBI. 

Tilton extended the lead the next inning, sailing a ball over the left fielder for a 2-RBI double. UMD got three more in the fifth to end it. Schmoll had a sacrifice fly and Smith knocked in her team-leading 16th and 17th RBI.

The Bulldogs, who are on a three-game winning streak, head down the road to Hancock Park to square off against the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Concordia College (N.Y.). First pitch of Monday's contests will be at 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on field two.