The University of Minnesota Duluth went one for two in its opening round of action in the Drury Softball Classic Friday in Springfield, Mo. The Bulldogs thumped Newman University 12-1 in an abbreviated five innings and fell to host Drury University 7-3 in the nightcap.

UMD (11-5 overall) played in its eighth lopsided contest of the season and the first to be ended by the run-rule this season. The Bulldogs wound up with the first 12 runs before the Jets (4-12) broke up the shutout bid in the fifth inning. UMD, which has scored 10-plus runs on five occasions, scored four times in the opening frame, five times in the second and added three more in the fourth for good measure.

Eight Bulldogs combined for 11 hits with three batters -- junior outfielder Morgan McMillan, junior infielder Ava Johnson and sophomore Noelle Krumrie -- recording a pair of hits in the contest.

Johnson paced UMD with a team-high four RBI against Newman including her first collegiate home run. Johnson, the native of Williamston Mich., went yard in the fourth inning on her big-league two-RBI moon shot clearing the left field fence, scoring sophomore designated player Serena Timmer, who also knocked in three of UMD's 12 runs. 

Johnson finished the game 2-for-2 with her home run, UMD's first sacrifice hit of the season and a stolen base.

Senior pitcher Allison Luoma picked up her fourth win of the season going all five innings. She allowed just one run on three hits, and one walk while striking out a season-best seven batters.

The Panthers (3-8) relied on timing hitting on the backend of the Bulldogs' double header. While UMD and Drury each collected eight hits, the Panthers were 6-for-18 with runners on base and 2-for-7 with two outs. The Bulldogs took a brief 1-0 lead after the top inning but Drury answered with three of their own. The Panthers tacked on one run from the third through the sixth while UMD stranded six runners on base attempting to keep pace. The Bulldogs mustered a run in the fourth and one more in the seventh.

Sophomore outfielder Sierra Thomas registered three of the eight Bulldog hits and scored a run. Junior catcher Kendal Jenkins homered in the fourth inning on a lead-off home run. Jenkins posted her second home run of the season and her seventh of her career. Jenkins along with McMillan, and senior infielder Nicole Schmitt each accounted for driving in a run. 

UMD returns to the diamond tomorrow for two more contests. First, the Bulldogs and the Rangers of the University of Wisconsin Parkside square off for the second time this season. The rematch, which went Parkside's way with a 6-0 win back on Feb. 22, begins with an early 9:00 a.m. first pitch. UMD follows up with Newman once again with the first pitch of that contest slated to begin at 3:00 p.m.