There might be no other pitcher hotter in the circle than Allyssa Williams at the moment.

The junior right-hander whipped up another gem to win her fourth straight start to help the University of Minnesota Duluth split a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader against Concordia University, St. Paul. The Golden Bears edged the Bulldogs in game one, taking a 7-5 victory in eight innings, but Williams took to the circle and earned her second shutout of the season with a 2-0 win in the nightcap. 

Williams went the distance for a ninth time to improve to 12-6 overall and has won four of her five conference starts. She fired nine strikeouts -- two from matching her career single-high total -- scattering six hits and no walks. During her last four starts, Williams is 4-0 with three earned runs and 25 strikeouts in 25.1 innings.

UMD had its home doubleheader with CSP moved to the Husky Dome in St. Cloud, Minn. after inclement weather forced them to move sites. The Bulldogs (26-12, 6-4 NSIC) went 3-1 in the Husky Dome in non-conference play this spring. 

The Golden Bears (17-22, 9-5 NSIC) needed extra innings in the opener. UMD battled back to tie CSP 4-4 in the fifth and 5-5 in the seventh before the Bears were able to pull ahead with two in the top of the eighth and fend off another comeback opportunity by the Bulldogs. 

UMD tallied eight hits in the afternoon slate. Senior infielder Nicole Schmitt, sophomore designated player Serena Timmer and junior catcher Kendal Jenkins each compiled two hits. Schmitt had two runs, a team high. Timmer, Jenkins and sophomore outfielder Emma Ambroz each collected a double.

CSP scraped by to collect the win as UMD left the bases loaded after tying the game in the fifth. It also had the game-winning run on second when Ambroz looped a double to score the tying run. Unfortunately, that run remained 120 feet away as sophomore pitch hitter Billi Connell snapped a liner right back to the pitcher.

Timmer and Schmitt scored the two UMD runs in the rematch. Timmer singled to right in the third to score Schmitt, who added to the lead in the sixth on a first-pitch homer to left field. Schmitt registered another two hits to push her NSIC-leading batting average up to .434. In addition, the Verona, Wis. native smashed her 25th homer of her career and her team-leading 11th of the season.

Schmitt also reached the 50 RBI milestone. She is the first Bulldog to hit the mark since 2018 when Jordyn Thomas, Natalie Wright and RBI record holder Becky Smith (67 RBI) each reached the 50 RBI plateau.

UMD is back in action one more time in St. Cloud to close out the weekend with another doubleheader tomorrow morning against Southwest Minnesota State University. The Bulldogs, who defeated the Mustangs twice already this season, will have their first pitch begin at 10:00 a.m.