The weather denied the University of Minnesota Duluth softball team a home opener in Duluth, Minn. Friday, and on a neutral field inside the Husky Dome on the campus of St. Cloud State University, Augustana denied the Bulldogs a win in a doubleheader.

UMD was swept by the Vikings by scores of 4-1 and 3-2 in defensive games that just didn't break for the Bulldogs, who are still looking for their first triumph in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

Game 1, 4-1 Augustana win

In game one, UMD had the opening hit of the game in the bottom of the second inning when Nicole Schmitt singled to shortstop, but the Vikings got on the board first their very next at bat with a double down the right field line to score the game;s first run.. 

Augustana doubled that lead in the top of the fourth inning off a single to right field, but the Bulldogs made it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the fifth when Kiana Bender doubled down the right field line to score Emma Ambroz, who pinch ran for Kendal Johnson after Johnson singled through the left side. 

But after the Vikings' Grace Brink was walked, Augustana scored two runs off a home run by Ashton Dorman in the top of the sixth inning. Both sides would each pick up a hit in the seventh inning, but UMD would come no closer.

Senior pitcher Lauren Dixon pitched all seven innings with four strikeouts, and fell to 11-4 with the loss. Five UMD players had a single hit in the game.

Game 2, 3-2 Augustana win

The Vikings opened up the second game with two runs on two hit in the top of the first inning, the Bulldogs and Augustana traded hitless innings until the Vikings finally hit off Allyssa Williams in the top of the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.

Held without a hit until the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs came out swinging in the final inning and tossed aside Augustana's attempt at a no-hitter. Morgan McMillan kicked off the inning with a home run to right field to make it a 3-1 contest, and then two batters later, Julia Gronholz singled up the middle and was then hit home three batters later when Jonhson singled up the middle to pull with a single run at 3-2.

Williams (1-1) had one strikeout but allowed just four hits in seven innings pitched, while three different players turned in three hits. Despite UMD's late offensive rally falling just short in the game, ending the final inning with three hits was a plus for head coach Lynn Anderson.

"The positives were that we had good defense today, we were error-less and that's a really good thing," said Anderson. "To go both games without an error, I really liked that. I thought Alyssa Williams did really well in the second game, going for seven innings. She looked strong and it was great to see Morgan McMilian break up the perfect game they had going."

"The thing we need to upgrade right now is offense, " said Anderson. "Our hitters need to find their mojo together and put some things together. We're striking out too much and we need to put the ball in play more, but it was good to see that we started to do that in the last inning. I thought our team played selfless today and cared a lot about doing the little things well, and I really like that because we talked about that, so with that and starting to get the bats going today I feel good going into tomorrow that we can really start to turn the ship around."

The Bulldogs (19-10, 0-4) will face Wayne State College tomorrow morning in another NSIC doubleheader that will get underway in the Husky Dome at 10:00 a.m. with game one and game two is slated to begin at 12:00 p.m.