The Nat Wagner era started out to an astounding success.

The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team capped off opening day of the 2025 campaign knocking off Southwest Minnesota State University 7-0, in shutout fashion, and then defeated tournament host St. Cloud State University 10-3 in the afternoon cap of the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament Saturday in the Husky Dome in St. Cloud, Minn.

The Bulldogs improved to 8-0 over the last four years on opening day. Today also marked the head coaching debut of Wagner, who produced a 60-48 record in three seasons at Minot State University.

Behind the dominant arms of Allison Luoma and Allyssa Williams, the Bulldog pitching duo combined for a three-hit shutout to amass Wagner's first win as UMD head coach. Luoma, the senior righty, got the nod to open the season and went three innings giving up one lone hit and striking out three Mustangs. She gave way to her junior counterpart who went the final four innings to lock up the victory. Williams gave up two hits and walked three while fanning three batters in her relief-effort victory. 

SMSU got their first runner on base with one out in the third. By that time UMD already established a 3-0 lead after attacking with all three runs in the opening frame. Senior second baseman Nicole Schmitt, the UMD representative of one of the NSIC Players to Watch, took her first at-bat of the season and blasted a three-run homer to right field. Schmitt added an RBI double her next plate appearance in the bottom of the third. Her fourth RBI of the day session was the start of another three-run inning.

Junior catcher Kendal Jenkins mashed her first home run of the season the following at-bat to extend the lead to 6-0. Sophomore designated hitter Sierra Thomas tacked on the final insurance run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to score sophomore right fielder Emma Ambroz, who drew a lead-off walk. Junior center fielder Morgan McMillan compiled three of the Bulldogs' eight hits in the opening contest including a lead-off triple to open the third.

The Mustangs' Morgyn Otte (0-1) grabbed the loss after surrendering six runs on six hits and walking a pair of UMD batters. 

The Huskies (0-1) snapped the shutout streak in the fourth as they finally scratched across three runs in the fourth inning. Luckily for Wagner and the Bulldogs, UMD jumped out to another lead with four runs in the top of the first frame. Three doubles and a pair of walks propelled the offense and chased starting pitcher Macey Clark from the circle after three-plus innings. K. Jenkins, Schmitt and true freshman right fielder L. Jenkins, the younger sister of Kendal, doubled off Clark in the first inning. Schmitt nabbed her fifth-and-sixth RBIs on the day and L. Jenkins collected her first collegiate runs batted in on her second collegiate start. 

That duo wasn't done raking in at the dish. 

L. Jenkins added another collegiate first to her historic day as the Hastings, Minn., native took Clark deep over the left field fence to balloon the lead to 6-0. The younger Jenkins ended the game 2-for-3 with four RBI and added a walk.

Schmitt delivered the final blow as the Verona, Wis., native sent a moonshot over everyone's head in left field. Her two-run home run gave the final cushioning on a stellar opening day. Schmitt concluded the day 4-for-7 with a pair of doubles, a pair of homers all while driving in a team-high eight runs.

Schmitt and the rest of the Bulldog lineup propped up another four spot in the top of the sixth with three consecutive hits after SCSU cut the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of fourth inning. McMillan beat out an infield single for an RBI to extend the lead to 7-3. K. Jenkins looped an RBI double dancing down the left field line the following at-bat to plate McMillan leading the way for Schmitt.

The UMD pitching staff stuck to what worked in the previous outing. Luoma took the ball and entered the circle to start against the Huskies. The Iron River, Wis. native pitched another three scoreless innings before sophomore pitcher Maddy Walsh took over in the bottom of the fourth. Walsh earned the win after going the final four innings as the pitching duo combined to scatter nine hits and striking out seven Huskies.

The Bulldogs return to the Husky Dome for the second and final day of the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament for two more games tomorrow against SMSU and Bemidji State University. The rematch with the Mustangs takes place at 10:00 a.m. First pitch with the Beavers begins at 12:00 p.m.