The University of Minnesota Duluth softball team advanced to a 4-1 start to the season after downing Rockhurst University (5-4) and Harding University (9-1) on the final day of the Lone Star D2 College Classic.

The first inning of the day saw Rockhurst's Avery Huffman force three strikeouts over the top of the Bulldog lineup. Emmie Sylvia-Cochran, in her second collegiate outing, replied with three strikeouts and a walk to keep the inning scoreless. In the second inning, the Bulldog bats heated up as Khendal Johnson got on base with a two-out triple for Taryn Christopher to bring her home on her first home run of the season. UMD continued to halt RU, only allowing two runners on off walks.

 The Hawks were the only ones to record a run in the third inning as two hits off of Sylvia-Cochran put them on the board 2-1. UMD went down in order to start the fourth inning with another two hits, creating a run for RU to tie up at 2-2.

The Bulldog bats picked up again in the fifth inning with a double by Christopher and a single from Lauren Jenkins, setting up Daphne Evans to bring them home on a single. With a 4-2 lead, Sylvia-Cochran and the field continued to lock the Hawks down, only allowing one runner on off a single.

Both teams would hold each other scoreless in the sixth inning. The bases would be loaded with Marissa Tomashek, Evans, and Morgan McMillan, with only one out on the board. A full count walk to Jenkins brought in the last run in for UMD. The Hawks responded in the bottom of the inning by filling up the base paths with two outs. A single off of Sylvia-Cochran brought in the final two runs of the game to seal the Bulldogs' win at 5-4.

Game two had Harding get their lone score of the day via a solo home run off Allyssa Williams. UMD only mustered a hit from McMillan to close out the first inning. Williams, from then on, allowed only three more hits from the Bisons.

The Bulldog bats took the game away in the second and third innings as the team put up seven hits for eight runs. The first two came through Paige Johnson's sacrifice fly to bring home Sierra Thomas, with Jenkins following up with a single to bring home Johnson. The six-run third inning came off the swings of Khendal Johnson, Paige Johnson (2 RBIs), Evans, and Jenkins (2 RBIs) to mark an 8-1 lead.

The final run came in the sixth inning as Christopher singled to bring in Taylor Gallahue to walk off with the Bulldogs' fourth win of 2026.

UMD will battle in the Mankato Dome Invite against Minnesota State University Mankato in a double header on Saturday. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. with the second game set for 2 p.m.