Megan Mullen Helps UMD To Longest Win Streak In 18 Years

Apr 29

Northland Sports Online

Kierra Jeffers and Ashley Johnson were virtually unstoppable at the plate, Megan Mullen and Heather Stemper were pretty much untouchable on the mound, and together that foursome helped propel the sizzling University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs to two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victories over Upper Iowa University Friday at Junction Avenue Field.

Jeffers and Goris both went 6-for-7 on the afternoon while Mullen and Stemper allowed just eight hits (six of which were singles) and only one run as UMD bested the Peacocks, 8-0 and 3-1, to extend its longest winning streak in 18 years to 12 games. The Bulldogs, who have outscored the opposition 110-25 during that run, are now 29-13 overall and 18-4 in the NSIC.

UMD opened the day by pounding out seven doubles, including three by Johnson and two by Jeffers, and 15 hits in coasting to the six-inning victory. Johnson picked four hits in four at bats and drove in three runs while Jeffers also was a perfect 4-for-4 and scored four times. Mullen improved to 14-8 in her debut collegiate season and posted her ninth consecutive win by yielding six hits and whiffing out eight.

Upper Iowa’s Adrienna Olson deposited Stemper’s first offering of the rematch over the right centerfield fence, but the Peacocks (6-41 overall; 2-22 NSIC) mustered just one more hit the rest of the way off the Bulldog senior. UMD evened the game in the bottom of the first on Jeffer’s team-leading home run of the year and four innings later Johnson broke the 1-1 stalemate and sealed the Bulldogs’ 17th win in their last 18 games with a two-run single.

UMD, which is ranked 7th in this week’s NCAA Division II Region Poll, will close out the 2011 regular season Saturday with a 12 p.m. home doubleheader against Winona State University, which holds down the No. 3 spot in that same poll.

Comments can be sent to sports@northlandsportsonline.com