The University of Minnesota Duluth softball program took on the University of Minnesota Crookston in a doubleheader this afternoon -- a matchup that was moved up a day, from Wednesday to Tuesday, due to forecasted inclement weather in the Duluth area tomorrow. The Bulldogs would sweep the Golden Eagles, with Sam Pederson throwing a no-hitter in the first game in a 10-0 win, and Lauren Dixon only giving up one run in the second game for a 9-1 win. 

Game 1:
While neither team would get any runs or hits in the first inning of the softball game, Taylor Koehnen would get the first hit for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the second. Kiana Bender would open the scoresheet for UMD in the third inning with a two-run homerun that brought both her and Lauren Oberle past home. This would be Bender's first homerun of the day -- but not the last.

The Bulldogs dominated the fourth inning. Pederson struck out the first batter for the Golden Eagles in the top of the inning, and the Bulldogs' bats came to life in the bottom of the inning, starting with Taylor Koehnen's solo homerun to right center. Julia Gronholz would then hit an RBI single that allowed Kelly Swank to score. Julia Gronholz would see her way past home as well, thanks to an RBI single from Lauren Oberle. Kiana Bender doubled to center to put Lauren Oberle and Makenna Burslie on the scoresheet, and Bender would get her second run of the day thanks to a hit from Jordyn Thomas. Next, Emma Frost would single to center field in a play that would see Jessica Bren and Dea DeLeon both score. To close out the inning, freshman Paige Meyer would get her first collegiate hit. The Bulldogs would come into the inning with 2 runs and three hits; they would finish the inning with eight runs and ten hits.

Crookston was unable to make up any ground on the Bulldogs and the game finished in the fifth inning with a final score of 10-0. Pitcher Sam Pederson would throw a no-hitter -- the first of her career -- with seven strikeouts and two walks. It would be her fifth win of the season.

Game 2:
Freshman Lauren Dixon would take her place in the circle for the second game of the day, throwing five strikeouts and only allowing one run on four hits. 

The Bulldogs carried the momentum of game one's fourth inning into the first inning of the second game, scoring three runs in the first inning. Lauren Oberle would be the first Bulldog on the scoresheet in game two, scoring off an RBI single from Jordyn Thomas. Kiana Bender would find herself on the scoresheet again thanks to an RBI single from Jessica Bren. Jordyn Thoams would be the last Bulldog past home in the first inning after Taylor Koehnen hit a sac fly out to left field.

A picture-perfect catch from Lauren Oberle in the second inning would keep Crookston from getting their first catch of the day, but they would get at the top of the third inning. Determined not to let any momentum shift, the Bulldogs would come out flying in the bottom of the third inning, adding two runs before the inning was up. Kiana Bender would score off a triple from Jordyn Thomas, and Thomas herself would pass home as well thanks to a an RBI single from Jessica Bren. 

The Golden Eagles would add a homerun and two hits in the fourth inning and another hit in the fifth inning, but the deficit would prove to be too much for them to overcome after Kiana Bender would hit her second two-run homerun of the day that again brought Lauren Oberle past home with her. Jessica Bren would get the Bulldogs' last homerun of the day, a two-run homerun that saw both her and freshman Paige Meyer score. The four runs and four hits would be exactly what the Bulldogs needed to end the game in the fifth inning with a final score of 9-1.

The win would be Lauren Dixon's sixth of the season.

The Bulldogs will hit the road for a ten-game roadtrip starting this weekend. The Bulldogs head first to North Dakota, where they will take on Minot State University in a doubleheader this Saturday and the University of Mary on Sunday. 

For the complete 2021 schedule, click here.