Midnight Madness. Early this morning the University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team battled Northern State in an overnight doubleheader at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. The Bulldogs would sweep the overnight matchups with a 4-0 victory in game one and 6-0 victory in game two.
 
In game one, a good balance of pitching and hitting was the story for the Bulldogs. Senior RHP Mitchell Waletzki had total command of his full repertoire of pitches and was working the zone high-low, east-west. Waletzki pitched 5.1 scoreless innings surrendering only two hits, two base on balls and striking out six. Senior RHP Liam Blaschko relieved Waletzki with one out in the top of the fifth. A Northern State single following the pitching change would put runners on first and second for Blaschko. Blaschko then induced a Fly out, and struck out a batter to end the threat. That would be as close as the Wolves would get to putting a run on the board in game one. 

After leaving the bases juiced in the bottom of the first, UMD would capitalize on their opportunities in the bottom of the second. Junior infielder Brandt Kolpack ripped a two RBI single as UMD took an early 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs however, were not done in the inning. Senior Anders Brown drew a walk forcing senior outfielder Henry George in to score, further bolstering the UMD lead. Fast forward to the bottom of the sixth as junior outfielder Tim Pokornowski sent a frozen rope into left field for a double. Kolpack again knocked in a run with a timely single into center field scoring Pokornowski from second, giving UMD another insurance run. UMD cruised to a 4-0 victory.
 
Mitchell Waletzki will be the pitcher of record for UMD recording his first win on the season (1-0). Mitchell Tolk gets the loss for the Wolves his first of the season (0-1).
 
Game 1 Notables for UMD :
Kolpack 2-3, 2RBI.
Junior first baseman Tosten Mann 2-3.
Brown 0-2, RBI
Pokornowski 1-3, R
 
In game two, pitching would take precedent early. Northern State starter Zach Hrvol would surrender a single to Tosten Mann in the top of the first and then proceeded to retire the next seven Bulldog batters in order. UMD starter, junior Ben Shepard would pitch three scoreless innings to start the game, in addition he did not surrender a hit in his first two innings of work. Shepard would work out of a jam in the bottom of the fourth after surrendering two singles, by striking out two Wolves in consecutive at-bats. Shepard would again get into trouble in the bottom of the fifth inning, after getting a quick groundout to start things off Northern State would reach base on catcher's interference, a single to left field and a walk loading the bases. Shepard's last batter faced would battle him fighting off multiple pitches in the zone before striking out for the second out of the inning. Senior Paul Petit would come in from the pen for the Bulldogs and induce a grounder to the third baseman, which was sent across the diamond for the last out of the inning leaving the bases loaded for the Wolves in the bottom of the fifth and keeping the UMD lead at 6-0. Following that inning Petit worked out of another jam in the bottom of the sixth but was able to strand runners at second and third to avoid any damage. Shepard finished with a final line of 4.2 IP, 4H, 1BB, and 5SO.
 
After being dealt with easily their first time through the order UMD would break through against Hrvol in the top of the fourth. Brandt Kolpack would get the offense going with a single to left. Mann tripled to right bringing Kolpack all the way home from first base. UMD would tally three more runs in the inning courtesy of an Anders Brown single, sophomore Alex Wattermann single and junior Tyler Peterson sacrifice fly and just like that, the Bulldogs lead was 4-0. In the top of the 6^th UMD added more insurance runs courtesy of senior Brodie Paulson's deep drive to right which resulted in a two RBI triple and 6-0 lead for UMD.
 
Ben Shepard would be the pitcher of record for UMD in the second game recording his first win of the season (1-0). Zach Hrvol picks up the loss for Northern State (0-1).

Game 2 Notables for UMD:
Kolpack 1-3, 2R, 1BB
Mann 2-4, RBI, R
Brown 1-3, RBI, 2R
Wattermann 1-3, RBI, R
Paulson 2-3, 2RBI
Peterson 1-2, RBI
 
UMD will be back in action next Saturday as the travel to St. Paul to take on the Golden Bears as NSIC conference play begins.