The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team opened its final homestand of the regular season with a doubleheader sweep over Northern State University. The first game would take a total of 12 innings, but the Bulldogs would come away with a win after Taylor Koehnen hit a walk-off solo homerun to end the game 2-1. UMD was able to pull away early in the second game for a 6-1 win.

Game #1:
It would take five extra innings -- 12 innings total -- but the Bulldogs would ultimately prevail in today's first game thanks to a walk-off solo homerun from Taylor Koehnen in the bottom of the 12th inning to make the final score 2-1 in favor of the Bulldogs.

Northern State would open the scoring in the top of the third inning with an RBI single to center field that put the Wolves up 1-0. Jessica Bren would tie the game at one apiece in the bottom of the sixth with a solo homerun.

Sidney Zavoral would lead the Bulldogs in hits with two in the game. Jordyn Thomas, Emma Frost, Jessica Bren, and Taylor Koehnen would get one hit each. Sam Pederson would pick up the win -- her 10th of the season -- facing 42 batters, striking out four, and only allowing one run.

Game #2:
It would be the Bulldogs who scored first in game two, flying out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jordyn Thomas grounded out to second base which sent Lauren Oberle past home before Emma Frost flied out to centerfield to allow Jessica Bren to score her first run of the game and second of the day.

UMD would extend its lead to 5-0 in the third inning when Emma Frost singled to left field, sending Lauren Oberle and Kat Burkhardt past home, before Frost herself scored off a triple to right center from Julia Gronholz.

Kat Burkhardt would get her second run of the day to push the lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring after Jessica Bren singled to right field.

Northern State would get on the board with one run in the fifth inning to make the score 6-1, but the Bulldogs -- led by pitcher Lauren Dixon -- would be able to hold on for the win to get the sweep on the day.

Four different Bulldogs would record at least one run in the second game, and six would record hits. Emma Frost would lead the team with three RBI; Jessica Bren, Jordyn Thomas, and Julia Gronholz would pick up one each. 

The Bulldogs will take the field again tomorrow for its final doubleheader of the regular season. First pitch against the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons will be at 12pm at Malosky Stadium. The NSIC Conference Tournament will be held May 13-15 in Rochester, MN. For the full 2021 season schedule and results, click here.

Today's games also marked UMD Softball's annual Domestic Violence Awareness Game, which the team holds each year in honor of former player Mandy Matula, who played for the team from 2007 to 2011 and lost her life as a result of domestic violence in May of 2013. 

Domestic violence affects one in four women and one in nine men. In the United States, an average of 20 people experience intimate partner physical violence every minute. For anonymous, confidential help 24/7, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. There is also an online chat available at www.thehotline.org.