The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team opened its conference slate today, taking down St. Cloud State in both games of the afternoon doubleheader.
Game 1:
The first game started off quiet for both teams. The Bulldogs were unable to put together a run of play, but freshman pitcher Corrie Weise kept the Huskies' bats quiet as well.
The score remained 0-0 until the top of the fourth inning, when an RBI double from freshman Emily Potts saw both Julia Gronholz and Kelly Swank pass home to put the Bulldogs up 2-0. The bottom of the fifth would see the Huskies score two unearned runs to tie it up at 2 runs apiece.
UMD was able to pull ahead 3-2 at the top of the seventh inning thanks to an RBI single from Taylor Koehnen that allowed Lauren Oberle to score. St. Cloud State would tie it up in the bottom of the seventh off an unearned run.
Those extra innings wouldn't last long, though, as Kate Mohr would score a two-run home run that brought her and teammate Elle Potts past home. Not to be outdone, in the very next at-bat Lauren Oberle would score a home run of her own to push the final score. Sophomore pitcher Mady Stariha would pick up the win, her fourth of the season.
Game 2:
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting on the scoresheet in their second game of the day. Kiana Bender stole second and Lauren Oberle scored on the throw, unearned, at the top of the first.
UMD would double their lead in the top of the third inning thanks to an RBI double from Jordyn Thomas to put Jessica Bren on the scoresheet for the first time today. However, the Huskies would quickly tie it up, scoring two RBI singles at the bottom of the second.
The Bulldogs would regain the lead at the top of the fourth inning, with Kate Mohr's second home run of the day putting the Bulldogs back on top, 3-2. At the top of the fifth inning, Lauren Oberle would score her third run of the day off an RBI from Jessica Bren to extend the lead to 4-2. Just three at-bats later, Kiana Bender flied out to right field for the RBI single, Kaytlynne Schulte advanced to second on the throw, and Jessica Bren scored making the score 5-2 in the Bulldogs' favor.
A home run from the Huskies at the bottom of the fifth would tighten up the score to 5-3, but Lauren Oberle's second home run of the day would again give the Bulldogs a three point lead, 6-3. Pitcher Lauren Dixon struck out two batters swinging and grounded out another player to close out the game with her seventh win of the season.
The Bulldogs will open up at home this season on Friday, April 2nd, as they welcome the Wayne State Wildcats to Malosky Stadium. To view the entire 2021 season schedule, click here.
