The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team secured a split in the opening day of the Minnesota State University Invitational Softball Tournament Friday at the Maverick All-Sports Dome, in Mankato, Minn. The Bulldogs knocked off Concordia University, St. Paul 8-3 before falling to Minnesota State University, Mankato 2-0 in non-conference Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action for the second consecutive time. With the split, UMD pushed its record to 4-2 overall.

Senior pitcher Allison Luoma held the league's top offensive club from a year ago in check for her second victory of the season. Luoma (2-0) went the distance for the first time this season, allowing three runs on just three hits in the circle. The Iron River, Wis., native shut down the high-powered CSP bats retiring 15 of the final 18 batters allowing just one hit the final five innings.

All the damage by the Golden Bears came in the bottom of the second inning. CSP's NSIC Preseason Player of the Year Alexis Monty knocked in two runs on a single but her and the greedy Golden Bears had the inning come to an end after junior catcher Kendal Jenkins caught her trying to steal second.

Meanwhile, good pitching and defense translated to good offense. UMD flipped the script in the top of the third and scored six runs to lead 6-3. It was a lopsided inning as the Bulldogs made Bears' starting pitcher Tatum Dunlavy throw 51 pitches in the third. UMD amassed four walks, a single, a ground-rule double and a triple to produce its largest run-scoring inning of the season. Junior center fielder Morgan McMillan cashed in an RBI on the first of her two hits to put the Bulldogs on the board. UMD later loaded the bases for Serena Timmer, who pounded the ground-rule double to right field to take a 5-3 lead. Freshman first baseman Taylor Tschida roped an RBI triple the following at-bat past the diving right fielder to double up the Golden Bears (0-2).

A pair of errors in the fourth inning helped extend the lead. Sophomore left fielder Sierra Thomas scored after swiping second and came around to score on a throwing error trying to catch her as the ailing throw reached the outfield wall. Later, senior second baseman Nicole Schmitt, the reigning NSIC Player of the Week, raced home from third on a passed ball. The Bulldogs were aggressive on the base paths as the team stole six bases, the most in a game this season.

Minnesota State held UMD scoreless for the first time all season. The Bulldogs accounted for nine hits, out-hitting the Mavericks despite being shutout. The Mavericks benefited from a pair of double plays and a bang-bang call at the plate to preserve the victory. The nine hits were the most by the Bulldogs in a shutout setback dating back to April 4, 2016 -- 0-5 defeat to Upper Iowa University.

Timmer and Schmitt each collected a pair of hits against the Mavericks (2-0) as seven Bulldogs in total registered a hit. McMillan went 1-for-3 at the dish and extended her hitting streak to six straight to start the season, the lone Bulldog batter to accomplish the feat.

It was one of the toughest losses for starting pitcher Allyssa Williams. The junior righty from Yuba City, Calif., surrendered both runs on only four hits while striking out four Mavericks in four innings of work. Williams (1-2) did her part in the circle, holding MSU to 1-for-5 with two outs and 0-for-8 with runners on base. The Mavericks scored in the first inning on a sac fly and later added to the lead on a solo home run. 

The Bulldogs return tomorrow to face off against the same two squads. UMD takes on the Golden Bears at 10:00 a.m. then squares off against the Mavericks at 3:00 p.m.