The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team continued its successful run of games in Kansas today, beating Northwest Missouri State for a second day in a row, 14-7, thanks to a big rally from the Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the second game of the day against Pittsburg State, the Bulldogs would win 9-2 with multiple homeruns from Jordyn Thomas.

Game 1:

Freshman pitcher Corrie Weise recorded her first collegiate start on the mound today, and what a start it was -- striking out three batters in a row. Her momentum carried through to the rest of the team, who recorded five runs in the bottom of the first inning. An RBI double from Julia Gronholz allowed Jordyn Thomas and Lauren Oberle to record their first runs of the day, immediately followed by an RBI single from Emma Frost to put Julia Gronholz on the scoresheet as well. Not wanting to be outdone by her teammates, freshman Elle Potts hit her first collegiate homerun to left center for the RBI double, bringing herself and Emma Frost past home. The Bulldogs would end the inning up 5-0.

Corrie Weise would continue her hot streak into the second inning, striking out three batters in quick succession. An RBI single from Julia Gronholz in the bottom of the second would bring Lauren Oberle past home, bringing the score to 6-0.

Both UMD and Northwest Missouri State would be held scoreless in the third inning, and Bearcats would get one back at the top of the fourth to bring the score to 6-1. A big fifth inning for Northwest Missouri State would see them score six in a row to take a 7-6 lead. 

However, one inning later the Bulldogs would have a big inning of their own, storming back to retake the lead. The comeback would start with an RBI double from Lauren Oberle to see Taylor Koehnen score. A massive three-run homerun from Jordyn Thomas later in the inning would bring Kiana Bender and Lauren Oberle across home with her for the lead. An RBI single from Corrie Weise gave a run to freshman Paige Meyer before another RBI single from Taylor Koehnen for an Emma Frost run. The Bulldogs would end with eight runs and seven hits in the inning to lead 14-7. The score would hold through the end of the game.

Game 2:

UMD would more than carry this momentum into their second game today, this one against Pittsburg State. On the first play of the game, Lauren Oberle would double to right center before an RBI single from Kiana Bender would allow Oberle to score the first run of the day.

The score would remain 1-0 until the top of the third inning, when Jordyn Thomas would hit yet another homerun on the day to bring the score to 3-0. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Pittsburg State team would score two unearned runs to bring the score to 4-2.

Jordyn Thomas' hot streak continued as she hit another homerun in the top of the fifth, making it 5-2 in the Bulldogs' favor. UMD would again widen their lead in the sixth inning -- Kiana Bender doubled through the left side for an RBI double that let Lauren Oberle and Taylor Koehnen score, extending the lead to 9-2. This score would hold until the final pitch. Sam Pederson would get the win for the Bulldogs.

The UMD softball team will conclude their spring trip tomorrow with a doubleheader against Missouri Western. To view the entire 2021 schedule, click here.