The University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team's first win of the season was a decisive one Thursday, a 9-1 triumph over Wayne State College at the Pete Chapman Complex in Wayne, Neb.

The Bulldogs achieved a season-high with 14 hits in the game, including a six-run third inning that featured a season-high five doubles and a home run. They also scored a season-high nine runs.

UMD jumped to an early lead in the first inning on a Troy Lynch single to right field, which allowed Hayden Anthony, who recorded a season-high three hits in his own right in the game, to score. UMD led 1-0 after the first inning.

In the third inning, Michael Gabbard homered to right center, which ignited a six-run rally. Joey Flom doubled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on Anthony's single. Lynch and Gabe Richardson followed with singles, and Richardson loaded the bases for Garrett Stauffacher. Stauffacher tripled down the left-field line, clearing the bases and setting a season-high with three runs batted in. Henry Bushey's groundout added another run, marking the second consecutive game he recorded two or more RBIs. The Bulldogs led 7-1 at the end of the third.

UMD added another run in the sixth inning –  Logan Myers scored on an RBI single by Anthony, who advanced to second on a fielding error. This extended the Bulldogs lead to 8-1 by the end of the sixth inning.

In the seventh, Stauffacher doubled and was driven in by Bushey's double down the left-field line, to stretch the Bulldogs advantage to 9-1.

Henry Wilkinson delivered a strong performance for the Bulldogs on the mound, pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing just one earned run on seven hits. Wilkinson threw a season-high 105 pitches, struck out three batters while walking three, and induced eight flyouts. Joe Herrick came in as relief, pitching 1 2/3 innings without allowing a run, surrendering only one hit and striking out one. Herrick also recorded a season-high total of three ground outs and threw 24 pitches. Together, the two pitchers combined for seven innings, holding Wayne State to a single run.

Anthony recorded three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs, contributing significantly to the team's offensive efforts. Stauffacher added two hits, including a triple, while driving in three runs and scoring twice, while Richardson collected three hits, one of which was a double, showcasing strong performance at the plate. Rounding at UMD's plate heroics was Gabbard, who hit a solo home run.

UMD (1-4, 1-3 in the NSIC) and WSC (6-6, 1-3) were unable to finish the second game of their doubleheader – it was called in the ninth inning due to darkness and will resume at 12:00 p.m. The Bulldogs were up 6-4 at the time the game was called. Following the finish of the suspended game, UMD will play one NSIC game against the Wildcats before playing game four as a nonconference game. 

Notable: Henry Bushey registered three fielding assists, exceeding his season average of 1.25.