The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team hosted Wayne State in its home opener today, taking down the Wildcats 5-4 in the first game thanks to a seventh inning comeback and 6-0 in the second game after two masterful opening innings. This was UMD's first home game in 705 days, since the 2020 season was cancelled before the Bulldogs were able to take the field at home or play a single conference game.

Game 1:

UMD opened up its scoresheet early in the first game with an RBI single from Jordyn Thomas that put Jessica Bren on the scoresheet for the first -- but not the last -- time in the game. At the bottom of the second inning, Lauren Oberle hit an RBI single to right field, sending Julia Gronholz to second base, Elle Potts to third, and Kelly Swank past home. This combo would push the score to 2-0 as UMD would not allow Wayne State a run in the first two innings.

Wayne State seemed to find their footing after the first two innings, scoring two RBI singles at the top of the third inning and another single at the top of the fourth to take the lead 3-2. While UMD got the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs were unable to convert these into runs.

The Wildcats scored another run at the top of the fifth inning, pushing the score to 4-2. However, the Bulldogs would begin their comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI single from Kiana Bender that gave Jessica Bren her second run of the game.

Tied 4-4 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, Kelly Swank saved the day with a walk-off RBI triple that allowed Taylor Koehnen to pass home, pushing the Bulldogs to a 5-4 win in their first home game of 2021. Pitcher Mady Stariha would pick up her fifth win on the season.
 

Game 2:

UMD would carry the momentum from the end of the first game into the second game, with the Bulldog bats coming alive and scoring three runs apiece in the first and second innings. 

In the first inning, Kiana Bender would score an RBI double to send Lauren Oberle past home, putting the Bulldogs up 1-0. Taylor Koehnen would follow that up with an RBI single of her own that would see Jordyn Thomas score. In the very next at-bat, Kate Mohr would hit an RBI single of her own that would allow Kiana Bender to round home plate.

The Bulldogs and pitcher Lauren Dixon would only allow Wayne State one hit in the second inning. In the bottom of the second, Jordyn Thomas hit a sack fly out to right field, grabbing an RBI on the play and allowing Jessica Bren to advance to second, Lauren Oberle to advance to third, and Makenna Burslie to score her first run of the game. On the next play, Kiana Bender grounded out to first unassisted, Jessica Bren advanced to third, and Lauren Oberle scored. Kelly Swank then hit an RBI single that would bring Jessica Bren past home. This sequence would put the Bulldogs up 6-0, a scoreline that would hold for the remainder of the game.

Lauren Dixon would allow no hits in the third inning and only two in the fourth. The Wildcats would get two runners on base in the fourth inning, but were not able to capitalize. The Wildcats had no hits in the fifth inning and Dixon would allow only one in the sixth. 

This game would be Dixon's eighth win of the season and push her win streak to four.

Fans won't have to wait 705 days to see the Bulldogs take the field again -- they'll only have to wait about eighteen hours. UMD Softball will be back in action on Malosky Field tomorrow for a doubleheader against defending NSIC and NCAA Tournament Champions Augustana University. First pitch of Game 1 is at 12:00pm. For the full 2021 schedule, click here.