The University of Minnesota Duluth softball program headed down I-35 to Sioux Falls, SD, today, for a doubleheader versus the University of Sioux Falls. The Bulldogs would survive the Cougars' comeback attempt in the first game, winning 10-5, and flying out to a 7-0 win in the second game.

Game 1:
The Bulldogs struck first in today's first game, scoring three runs in the second inning. Kiana Bender singled through the left side, sending Julia Gronholz and Kaytlynne Schulte past home to put the UMD up 2-0. Lauren Oberle followed with a sac fly RBI that allowed Kelly Swank to score, making the score 3-0.

Sioux Falls would get one run in the second inning, but the Bulldogs would storm ahead in the fourth inning after Lauren Oberle hit a two-run homerun that put her and Makenna Burslie on the scoreboard to make the score 5-1.

The Bulldogs would make it 8-1 in the fifth inning. Julia Gronholz singled through the right side to allow Emma Frost to score before Gronholz scored an unearned run. Kelly Swank would then score an unearned run of her own off a passed ball.

Sioux Falls would make things interesting in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring four runs to make it 8-5, Bulldogs. But UMD responded in kind in the sixth: Lauren Oberle would add a run, passing home after Jordyn Thomas doubled to left field. Dea DeLeon would get on the scoresheet too, pinch running for Jordyn Thomas and scoring after Jessica Bren singled down the right field line.The Bulldogs would come out of the inning with a much more comfortable 10-5 lead, which would hold through the seventh inning to give UMD the win in Game 1.

The Bulldogs would get a total of 11 hits in the game, with Lauren Oberle, Jordyn Thomas, and Emma Frost all recording multiple hits. Oberle, along with Julia Gronholz and Emma Frost, would all score multiple runs en route to the 10-5 win. Pitcher Lauren Dixon -- now 12-4 this season -- would face 34 batters and record eight strikeouts.

Game 2:
UMD got out to a hot start in the first inning of the second game when Jordyn Thomas hit a two-run homerun that sent her and Taylor Koehnen past home to put the Bulldogs out 2-0 -- and Thomas and the team never looked back.

In the second inning, Kiana Bender scored after Taylor Koehnen grounded out to the shortstop, then Jordyn Thomas hit her second homerun of the game -- this one a three-run homer that also sent Lauren Oberle and Sidney Zavoral past home. In the same inning, Jessica Bren would add another run for good measure, scoring after Julia Gronholz reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop.

After flying out to a 7-0 lead, the Bulldog bats would quiet for the remainder of the game, scoring no runs on four hits, but pitcher Sam Pederson would keep the Cougar bats quiet too, not allowing a single hit in the second, third, fourth, or fifth innings. The final score would be 7-0 and the Bulldogs would sweep the day. Pederson faced 25 batters, striking out five.

In the day's second game, Jessica Bren would lead the Bulldogs with two runs; Bren, Emma Frost, and Julia Gronholz all recorded two hits on the game as well. Jordyn Thomas recorded three RBI.

The Bulldogs will head to Marshall, MN tomorrow to face the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs in their last regular season road matchup. First pitch of tomorrow's doubleheader is at 12:00pm. For the full 2021 season schedule, click here.