Joplin, Mo. - The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team fell in the elimination bracket of the NCAA Tournament Central Regional against No. 3 Rogers State on Friday, the Hillcats defeating the Bulldogs by a score of 4-3. The loss puts an end to UMD's tournament run.

It was the Bulldogs that helped kick off Friday's contest by way of some strong defense. After Lauren Dixon opened the bottom of the first with a strikeout, Julia Gronholz, Kiana Bender and Nicole Schmitt combined forces for an inning-ending double play. A lone double from the Hillcats in the bottom of the second was the only blemish in a frame that saw Dixon record two more K's.

This holding pattern would continue until the fourth inning, when offense really started to make itself known. The Bulldogs would open the scoring with a two-out single from Kat Burkhardt that brought Corrie Weise home to make it 1-0. Elle Potts would later single herself to complete Burkhardt's trip around the bases and add another run to UMD's rally. But the Hillcats would get on the board in the frame as well, as Abbey Rogers recorded a solo home run to trim the lead to 2-1 Bulldogs.

And in the fifth, RSU whipped up a rally of its own. Down to their last out, the Hillcats landed their next three batters on base. This culminated in a two-RBI single from Rogers that landed RSU its first lead of the game at a score of 3-2.

The sixth proved to be a wash, as neither team was able to tally a baserunner due to 1-2-3 efforts from both Mady Stariha and Jade Sanders. The seal was broken again by the Bulldogs in the top of the seventh. Gronholz landed on first by way of an error, and Potts followed with a single that moved Gronholz to third. This set the stage for a sac fly from Schmitt that completed Gronholz's journey to knot things up at 3-3.

But RSU would cash in on its final opportunity at the plate in regulation. After a Hillcat sac bunt landed a runner in scoring position with two outs, RSU's next three batters would draw walks, sending a run home to end the game at a score of 4-3.

Three Bulldogs saw the mound for UMD in this one. Dixon worked the first 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while racking up six strikeouts. But the NSIC Pitcher of the Year's run of 39.1 consecutive innings pitched came to an end when Stariha tagged in in the bottom of the fifth. The senior went 1.2 frames, giving up one run on one hit and two walks. Allyssa Williams came in in the bottom of the seventh, allowing a run. Potts was a standout at the plate for UMD, going 2-3 with an RBI. Burkhardt and Schmitt tallied the other two RBIs for the Bulldogs while Weise, Burkhardt and Gronholz scored the runs.

Sanders worked all seven innings for RSU on the hill, giving up two earned runs on five hits and three walks while tallying seven K's. Rogers was huge for the Hillcats at the dish, involving herself in all four runs scored. The sophomore went 2-3 with three RBIs and a run. 

The Bulldogs cap off a season for the record books. UMD's final mark of 40-13 leaves it with the program's fourth 40-win season and its first since 2018. The Bulldogs won their first NSIC Tournament Championship since 2002 with a 9-0 win over top-seed Augustana to advance to their first NCAA Tournament since 2019. Along the way, Dixon became UMD's second NSIC Pitcher of the Year, the team's first since 2003. Dixon also set the program record for career strikeouts, entering next season with that mark at 585.