The University of Minnesota Duluth continued its winning ways in The Sunshine State Saturday afternoon with a pair of non-conference wins at THE Spring Games in Clermont, Fla.

The Bulldogs (17-5) extended their winning streak to a season high six games with a 13-4 win in six innings over Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a 1-0 shutout of Queens College. The two wins pushed their record at the Spring Games to 11-1 over the past two seasons after a successful 9-1 stint in 2024.

The trio of junior outfielder Morgan McMillan, senior infielder Nicole Schmitt and sophomore pitcher Maddy Walsh gave UMD all the ammunition. Offensively, the duo of McMillan and Schmitt combined to go 9-for-13 at the plate with four extra base hits, nine RBIs and five runs. Their production was evenly split as each tallied a triple and a home run. In the circle, Walsh showcased her elite stuff as she hurled a complete-game shutout, her first collegiate shutout, against Queens in a narrow one-run victory. 

Run production wasn't an issue against Edinboro. The Bulldogs mustered 13 runs on 12 hits including throwing up a crooked seven runs in the third inning. The 13 runs was the second most runs scored this season, only trailing the 16-run explosion against Wayne State University back on Feb. 22. It was also the seventh double-digit scoring outing for the 36th-best run-scoring team in Division II. 

Schmitt started the third inning barrage with her leadoff walk. Junior infielder Ava Johnson corralled the first run on her RBI single back up the middle to score Schmitt, who stole second. A single and a walk loaded the bases, but only for a short time. Sophomore outfielder Sierra Thomas netted two runs batted in on her well-placed single just in front of the center fielder. McMillan provided the boom the very next at-bat. The Roseville, Calif., native launched a missile to right field for a three-run homer to increase the lead to 6-0. Around the order the Bulldogs went with Schmitt adding the final run of the inning. The Verona, Wis., native took her second plate appearance of the inning and smoked a single off the shortstop's glove, scoring sophomore infielder Khendal Johnson. 

McMillan and Schmitt pushed the advantage to 9-2 after the fourth inning. The Fighting Scots (1-10) cracked two runs but the duo each plated runs on a pair of singles. UMD also took advantage of extra outs on one of the three Scots' errors. The heads up play of the day went to A. Johnson. The Williamston, Mich., native stole second then raced all the home a few pitches later on a passed-ball strike three. The errant throw to first skipped into right field and Johnson got on her high-horse to score. The third-and-final error proved to be the most costly. An error allowed K. Johnson on base and Schmitt sealed the deal with her walk-off home run. It was the team-leading eighth for Schmitt and second walk-off of the season.

While the offense did their thing, Walsh was just as great, tossing a pitching gem. The Bulldogs needed a masterclass and they got it from Walsh. The local Duluth, Minn., native allowed two hits and a pair of walks in her shutout victory. The 2025 UMD Preseason Pitcher to Watch, according to the conference preseason release, dazzled with five strikeouts and retired 10 of the final 11 batters she faced. The five strikeouts was one short of her career best.

She also got assistance from her defense. Thomas made a pair of outstanding catches. The first of two happened on the opening Knight at-bat. The Hartland, Wis., native bulldozed into the fence in foul play to snag a fly ball and followed up with a web gem snatch, laying all out for a diving catch in the fourth to rob extra bases. That same inning the infield caught a double steal attempt. Sophomore catcher Serena Timmer showed off her arm with a rifle to third that clearly beat the runner by 30 feet. As the runner retreated, UMD caught the other runner sleeping as she was tagged out to end the one serious threat.

The Bulldogs only had four hits off Queens but two of those came in the fourth inning of a scoreless ballgame. McMillan crushed a triple to right field to start the fourth. Schmitt, the reigning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Week, attempted to imitate the junior with her own triple to right field giving UMD its only, and most important, run of the contest.
 
The Bulldogs face off against the University of Findlay and Hillsdale College on Sunday. First pitch against the Oilers takes place at 11:30 a.m., while the rematch with the Chargers goes down at 2:00 p.m.