UMD Athletics

The University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team concluded the 2026 regular season Saturday with a 3-2 win over No. 22 Minnesota State University, Mankato in Northern Sun Intercollegiate action at Bowyer Field in Mankato, Minn. The win handed the three-game series to the Bulldogs, who left Mankato with the 2-1 game advantage.

A two-run sixth inning proved decisive for UMD, which ended the game with seven hits and no errors.

Michael Gabbard put the Bulldogs on the board in the third inning with a solo home run to left center for the 1-0 lead through three innings.

The Mavericks responded in the fourth inning with two runs. An RBI single by Miller brought in Vlcko, and later, Berkland's groundout allowed Miller to score, putting MSU ahead 2-1 by the end of the fourth.

In the sixth inning, UMD regained the lead with two runs. Sam Kliber singled and advanced on Hayden Anthony's hit, and then came home on Gabe Richardson's RBI single. Anthony scored on a sacrifice fly by Logan Myers, and the Bulldogs led 3–2 through six innings.

Neither team scored in the final three innings, allowing the Bulldogs to secure the 3–2 victory over Minnesota State.

Jalen Pascal delivered a strong performance for UMD, pitching six and 1/3 innings while allowing only three hits and two earned runs to pick up the win. Pascal struck out three batters but issued five walks and hit two batters over a season-high 104 pitches, 58 of which were strikes. Chase Eiden contributed by facing one batter, and Blake Eiden followed with one and 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, giving up two hits and striking out one. Notably, Blake Eiden threw a total of 31 pitches, while Joe Gizzi closed the game, securing his fourth save by pitching a hitless ninth inning with one walk and one hit batter.

Kliber contributed significantly with three hits in the game and recorded a season-high total of five putouts. Richardson added one hit and drove in a run to support the team's scoring efforts, who also achieved a season-high total of 10 putouts during the game. Gabbard hit a home run, accounting for a run and an RBI. 

The Bulldogs finish the regular season with a record of 19-31 and finish 18-20 in the NSIC.