The University of Minnesota Duluth softball program opened their 2021 season on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader against Concordia-St. Paul at the Minnesota State DII Softball Classic, held in Mankato, Minn. The Bulldogs dropped the first game, 9-4, but rallied to win the second game 3-0. The Bulldogs now sit at 1-1 on the season.

UMD started out hot in its first time back on the diamond in over eleven months, leading 4-0 into the 5th inning before eventually falling 9-4. Junior Emma Frost would start the scoring for the Bulldogs with a double to left field and eventually scoring a few plays later. UMD would score again at the top of the third, with Frost singling out to left field, bringing in senior Taylor Koehnen for the Bulldogs to put them ahead 2-0 over the Golden Bears. 

The Bulldogs would score twice in quick succession in the top of the fifth as UMD freshman Dea DeLeon also made her debut crossing home for the first run of the inning followed by an RBI single for Frost, giving the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 5th. 

Junior pitcher Sam Pederson put on a show in the first four innings, allowing only two hits before the Golden Bears were able to rally for 4 runs in the fifth inning to tie the game 4-4.

The Golden Bears would extend their lead at the bottom of the sixth, scoring five more to ultimately hand the Bulldogs a 9-4 loss. Freshman pitcher Corrie Weise saw her first collegiate trip to the mound during the sixth for the Bulldogs, though Stariha would take the loss during the first game.

The second game continued the day's theme of hot starts, with Lauren Oberle homering in the bottom of the first. Senior catcher Jessica Bren doubled and advanced to third to bring in Taylor Koehnen for the second run of the inning. UMD would hold onto its 2-0 lead into the bottom of the third before extending it to 3-0 when Bren crossed home thanks to an RBI double from Emma Frost. 

UMD would hold onto this lead, staving off a comeback attempt from the Golden Bears in the top of the fifth. Freshman pitcher Lauren Dixon would make her collegiate debut and pick up the win, throwing seven scoreless innings.

The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow, playing a doubleheader against host Minnesota State-Mankato starting at 2:30pm. 
 

To stream the games, click here.
To follow along with live stats, click here.

To view the entire 2021 schedule, click here.