Lady Bulldogs Earn Postseason Berth

NSO-NEWS RELEASE

In a race to secure one of the final spots for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament next weekend, the University of Minnesota Duluth used a seventh-inning rally to force a split with Concordia University St. Paul to accomplish that feat on Friday afternoon at Carlander Field in St. Paul, Minn.

The Bulldogs took the front end of the double header 12-10 then dropped a 5-4 decision in the rematch and with the split, UMD locked up a berth of the NSIC Tournament. The tournament will begin Thursday, May 1 in Sioux Falls, S.D. with the top ten teams advancing and playing for an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Depending on tomorrow’s matches, the Bulldogs could be seeded anywhere from fifth to eighth.

It was a offensive slugfest in the opener that featured nine combined errors to assist with the 22 runs scored between the two clubs. UMD (24-18 overall, 10-7 NSIC) pushed across four runs in the top of the seventh inning to complete the 12-10 comeback in a wild game that saw three separate ties and three lead changes. Down to their final out, sophomore infielder Sami Schnyder delivered the biggest hit for the Bulldogs as she cleared the bases with her double finding the right center gap. Schnyder, on the following pitch, scored on an error to add an insurance run to cap off the victory.

“I was pretty nervous when I got up to bat,” said Schnyder, who wound up with six hits and four runs batted in during the two-game set. “I tried to put the ball in the outfield and it found a good spot to drive in everyone. It was a really exciting time to put together a rally and string together hits.”

After trading runs in the early going, Concordia jumped out to a 5-1 advantage before UMD stormed back with four runs to tie the game. Consecutive one-out line-drive doubles by sophomores Ashley Schilling and Abbey Nelson cut the deficit to one before Schnyder hit a clutch ground ball through the left side to even the contest after four. Schilling gave the Bulldogs their first lead on one swing, a three-run belt over the right field fence the next inning. The Golden Bears wouldn’t go quietly as they put up five unanswered over the following two innings to lead 10-8 going to the decisive seventh inning.

Concordia (17-31 overall, 12-16 NSIC) sought revenge on their blown opportunity during the backend of the double header by braking the scoreless game in the third with two runs. The Bears added another in the fourth to put UMD in a 3-0 hole. Schnyder, again, sparked the offense, this time doubling down the left field line to lead off the top of the fifth. Sophomore Dalyce Gustafson singled down the same line to put runners on the corners for senior Megan Mullen. Gustafson stole second then Mullen cranked a single up the middle to score Schnyder and leave runners on the corners once again for junior Jordan Rice. The first baseman didn’t keep the runners on the corners very long as Rice nailed her tenth home run of the season to propel the Bulldogs ahead by one. CSP countered with a comeback of their own in the bottom of inning scoring twice then holding off the Bulldogs the final two innings.

In the circle, Cayli Sadler go the start in game one earning a no-decision. The ace gave up 10 runs, seven earned in five plus innings. Freshman Sam Hartmann got the nod in game two striking out six including four straight in four plus innings of work in the loss. Freshman hurler Mariah Schultz, who has yet to have a blemish on her record, came in relief both games and tallied her fourth win of the year. In limited action, Schultz is 4-0 with a 0.93 ERA.

“Winding down the season, it was huge to at least grab a split, said Schnyder. “Its critical to fight and find ways to win as we can except similar things against Mankato. We really need to play steady defense to back up our pitchers and keep our bats going.”

The regular season comes to a close tomorrow for UMD as they square off against Minnesota State University Mankato. The finales begin at 1 p.m. at The Pitch in Mankato, Minn.