Megan Mullen Pitches UMD to a 1-Hit, 13 Strikeout Win

Apr 11

Northland Sports Online

Former Hermantown standout and UMD rookie Megan Mullen pitched a one-hit, 13-strikeout shutout while handing Augustana College its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference loss of the spring and helping the University of Minnesota Duluth split its two-game set with the Vikings on
Monday.
Mullen and the Bulldogs took the opener 3-0 before falling 2-1 in the rematch at Duluth East High School.

UMD (17-13 overall; 6-4 NSIC) started the afternoon off by using four hits in the first to push a run across. Sophomore outfielder Michaela Goris, who finished with three hits on the day; beat out an infield single, and came around to score on sophomore second baseman Tyra Kerr’s double. Eight different Bulldogs had at least one of UMD’s 13 hits in the victory.

The Bulldogs added some insurance in the third, as senior right fielder Mandy Matula and senior first baseman Coley Gale each had an RBI single, and it was more than enough for Mullen, who improved to 7-8 on the year. Mullen hit her spots all day long and struck out the side in the second and third innings.

In Game 2, Augustana (27-5; 8-1), which was ranked third in the latest NCAA II Central Region Ratings, struck for both of its runs in the first inning off Heather Stemper. The senior right hander allowed only two more hits the rest of the way and wound up with four strikeouts and no walks.

The Bulldogs got on the board in the fifth when sophomore shortstop Kierra Jeffers jacked a two-out home run to center field with bases empty.

The Bulldogs will hit the road tomorrow (April 12) for an NSIC twin-bill with the University of Minnesota Crookston.

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