THE OPENING PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth heads down to Missouri to partake in the Drury Softball Classic starting Friday, Feb. 28 in Springfield, Mo. The Bulldogs will play six games over the course of the weekend with double headers each day. Friday contests feature Newman University (1:00 p.m.) and host Drury University (5 p.m.). UMD will square off with the University of Wisconsin Parkside (9:00 a.m.) and Newman (3:00 p.m.) again on Saturday. Finally, the Bulldogs conclude play with rematches versus Parkside (11:00 a.m.) and Drury (1:00 p.m.) Sunday.

SCOUTING REPORT ON NEWMAN: The Jets are 4-10 this season and went 2-2 last Sunday and Monday. They lost to the University of Minnesota Crookston and Missouri University of Science and Technology. They defeated Rockhurst University and Minot State University. Newman did not qualify for postseason play last season and the program is coached by Andrea Gustafson, who is in her sixth season with the Jets with a 75-159 record. 

SCOUTING REPORT ON DRURY: The Panthers are 2-8 this season and dropped a pair of one-run decisions in a double header to Missouri Southern State University on Tuesday. Drury finished 30-24 last year and had the 2024 season end in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament to Lewis University. The head coach of Drury is Brooke Gajewski, who is in her second year with a 32-32 record.

SCOUTING REPORT ON WISCONSIN PARKSIDE: The Rangers are 5-3 this season and went 3-3 in the Lewis Dome Invitational. Parkside grabbed wins over Upper Iowa University, Minnesota State University Moorhead and UMD. The Rangers shut out the Bulldogs 6-0 in their Feb. 22 match up. The Rangers went 19-33 and had its season come to a close in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament to Purdue Northwest last season. The Rangers are coached by Kristin Ortman, who sports a 124-246 record in her ninth season at UWP.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and its opponents stack up with their respective records this season, and records compared to last season.
 

TEAM	'25 RECORD	'24 RECORD
UMD	10-4	41-15
Newman	4-10	21-33
Drury	2-8	30-24
Parkside	5-3	19-33

LAST PLATE APPEARANCE: UMD concluded the Lewis Dome Invitational going 4-2 last weekend. The Bulldogs were shut out in both losses but put up at least seven runs in all four victories. Grand Valley State University gave UMD its opening loss of the tournament in a 2-0 setback. The Bulldogs responded with three straight wins over host Lewis University (7-5), Purdue University Northwest (10-8), and Hillsdale College (7-4). The University of Wisconsin Parkside halted the winning streak upending UMD 6-0. Finally, a 16-6 romping of Wayne State University (Mich.) closed out the three-day tournament for the Bulldogs, who closed out their third straight weekend with a winning record.

DOMINANT IN THE CIRCLE: Junior pitcher Allyssa Williams showcased her prowess in the circle this past weekend. The Yuba City, Calif., native captured half the Bulldogs' wins, going 3-0 with a 1.81 ERA. She held opponents to only five earned runs and a .162 batting average in her four appearances. Williams threw her first complete game of the season in the 7-4 win over Hillsdale. She gave up three earned and tossed 11 strikeouts, establishing a new collegiate best in punch outs.

I'M YELLING TIMMER: Sophomore catcher/infielder Serena Timmer went 6-for-19 (.316) at the dish this past weekend. The Appleton, Wis., native led the team with nine RBI and had a three-run home run, the lone long bomb by the Bulldogs in the latest tournament. Timmer was consistent at the plate as she hit .500 with runners in scoring position and had three games with multi-RBI outputs including a season-high four runs batted in against Wayne State (Mich.).

IN A PINCH: Freshman infielder Taylor Dawyduk is the lone Bulldog to have a pinch hit this season as, collectively, UMD is 1-for-11 in pinch hitting situations. Dawyduk hit a ground-rule RBI double versus Wayne State (Mich.) in the seventh inning of the 16-6 blowout win.

SCHMITT TABBED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior infielder Nicole Schmitt was named the NSIC Player of the Week for her efforts during the opening week of play. She earned the honor back on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Schmitt, the product of Edgewood H.S., went .714 (10-for-14) at the dish in four games with four doubles, two home runs and a NSIC-high 12 RBI. She posted a .714/.765/1.429 slash line, which she led the NSIC in batting average, slugging percentage and doubles to start the season, and she recorded multi-hit games in all four games.

It is the first time Schmitt has received a weekly honor during her collegiate tenure, and the first Bulldog to win a league award since Lauren Dixon claimed Pitcher of the Week honors back on Apr. 22, 2024 for the second time last season. In addition, she is the first Bulldog since Sidney Zavoral to earn the Player of the Week accolade, earning that distinction back on Feb. 14, 2023. 

SCHMITT ON TOP OF THE CHARTS: After her Player of the Week recognition, Nicole Schmitt is near the top of the charts in many offensive categories in the Division II landscape. She ranks nationally eighth in RBIs with 23, 31st with 39 total bases, 42th with a .886 slugging percentage, 32nd with four home runs, 47th in batting average at .500 and 26th in on-base percentage at .607.

KEEP THE BALL IN THE PARK: UMD has allowed just one home run this season in 14 games. It is one of five NSIC clubs to have one or fewer home runs given up this season and UMD has played more games than all but one of the five.

SWEET SIXTEEN: In their latest battle, the Bulldogs put up 16 runs against Wayne State University (Mich.), a season high. The 16-run performance was the most runs scored by UMD since a 16-0 shutout of Bemidji State University back on Feb. 11, 2023. The Bulldogs compiled 11 runs in the seventh-and-final inning on seven hits including six runs before an out was even recorded in the final inning. The 11 runs was also the most in a single inning by a Bulldog club since they tabbed an 11-run first inning on the University of Mary -- also (oddly enough) back on Feb. 11, 2023.

RUNS ON RUNS: UMD posted back-to-back 10-run games for the first time since the 2023 season, when the Bulldogs pulled off double-digit runs in four straight. The Bulldogs have scored at least seven runs on nine occasions and have won all such games. They are averaging 6.50 runs a game, which is 34th in the nation.

GET AHEAD... : Getting out to the early advantage have benefited the Bulldogs. They are 7-1 when scoring first this season. They are also 5-1 when scoring in the first inning. 

... AND STAY AHEAD: UMD has not dropped a game this season when leading after four innings (7-0). It has come-from-behind on three occasions to pull out a victory this season when trailing in the fifth inning or later. 

DOUBLES MACHINE: UMD ranks 22nd in the nation in doubles and 17th in the nation in doubles per game. The Bulldogs have 29 doubles including six doubles against Southwest Minnesota State University, the most doubles by UMD in a game since they blasted seven against the University of Mary back on 4/11/2021.

GOOD EYE: Free passes have been a steady diet in 2025. UMD has 76 walks, which is second most in the nation, only two off the national pace. The Bulldogs have walked at least five times in eight outings including a season-high 11 base on balls against Concordia University, St. Paul. The 11 walks is the most in a single UMD game dating back to Feb. 11, 2023 against the University of Mary. Three Bulldogs -- Nicole Schmitt, Kendal Jenkins, Khendal Johnson -- already have double digit walks with Jenkins pacing the club with 13.

WELCOME TO THE BIG LEAGUES: All six freshmen have made their collegiate debuts this season -- Taryn Christopher (SMSU/ Feb 1), Taylor Dawyduk (SMSU/ Feb. 2), Kaylie Frydenlund (Wayne State (Mich.)/ Feb. 22) Taylor Gallahue (Wayne State (Mich.)/ Feb. 22), Lauren Jenkins (SMSU/ Feb. 1), and Taylor Tschida (SMSU/ Feb. 1).

Four freshmen have collected their first collegiate hits -- Christopher (BSU/ Feb. 2), Dawyduk (Wayne State (Mich.)/ Feb. 22) Jenkins, who also tallied her first home run on the same at-bat (SCSU/ Feb. 1), and Tschida (SCSU/ Feb 1). Gallahue (Wayne State (Mich.)/ Feb. 22) registered her first career strike out in her first collegiate game played.

CLOSING TIME: Junior pitcher Allyssa Williams has five career saves. Her five saves is tied for 13th most among her Division II peers. She is tied for fourth most among her class of junior hurlers. Williams notched four saves as a freshman, one as a sophomore and is still looking for her first opportunity this season.

ON DECK: The Bulldogs will conclude their non-conference slate with the Spring Games in Florida for a week long trip starting Friday, March 7.