For the second day in a row, the University of Minnesota Duluth used timely hitting and a quality start off of the mound to take the front end of a doubleheader (9-5) with Winona State University,  but then proceeded to drop the rematch (8-1) at Loughrey Field in Winona, Minn.

In the the opener (which was delayed for nearly three hours due to rainy weather), the Bulldogs manufactured seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings and rode a strong starting performance from rookie right-hander Ben Shepard (1-1) to defeat the Warriors 9-5  in the lone Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matchup of the afternoon. Senior first baseman Tyler Wojciechowski got things going for UMD in the fourth inning when he cracked a double to left field to drive in sophomore center fielder Henry George. Later in the frame, the Bulldogs would cash in twice more when junior right fielder Drew Stewart advanced home on an error from the Warrior second baseman and junior catcher Reid Rubio drew a bases-loaded walking to bring in Wojciechowski. The Bulldogs would break the game open in the fifth inning when rookie shortstop McCale Peterson laced a single back up the middle to drive in Stewart and senior left fielder Cory Krolikowski launched a three-run home run to right-field, his first of the season and eighth as a Bulldog, pushing UMD's lead to 7-1. Peterson, who went 2-for-4 in game one with three runs batted in, would strike again in the seventh inning with a two-run double to left field, scoring rookie designated hitter Tosten Mann and Wojciechowski. Shepard, in third start of the 2019 campaign, tossed six innings for the Bulldogs, sacrificing only four hits and one run while fanning four and issuing one base on balls. The Warriors would rally in the top of the ninth inning when they plated four runs off of Junior reliever Jalen Haykes to cut the Bulldog lead to 9-5. Haykes, in his fifth appearance of the season, struck out four and walked three batters in his 2.2 innings of work. The Bulldogs also used freshman Aaron Wukmir and Peterson in the ninth inning to shut the door on the Warriors.

In game two, the Bulldogs fell behind quickly as the Warrior bats rolled up five runs in the first inning to take the early advantage. The Bulldogs wouldn't have an answer until the third inning when rookie right fielder Tim Pokornowski sliced a base hit to right field to drive in George. That's all of the offense the Bulldogs would be able to muster up they only managed two hits in the non-conference setback,  Sophomore pitcher Sean Flaherty (1-4),Flaherty, in this first start of the season, tossed 2.0 innings and gave up five runs on three hits while striking out one and surrendering one walk. The Bulldogs ended up using six relievers in the setback including senior Alex Ferguson, senior Evan Vick, senior Jeremy Thorson, rookie Zach Matthews, Stewart, and senior Ben Danielson.

The Bulldogs will be back on the road again this Tueday (April 9) to take on the University of Sioux Falls in a NSIC doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D.