Photo GalleryAberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team dropped a pair of conference games to Minnesota Duluth in Tuesday softball action. The Wolves fall to 28-20 overall and 15-10 in NSIC games. NSU fell 4-1 in game one, and 6-5 in eight innings of play in game two.
Game One The Wolves scored first in the bottom of the second, as
Macey Engel singled to left with one out.
Mackenzie Thielen entered the game to pinch run for Engel, and stole second to put NSU in scoring position.
Katelynn Dilts connected for a liner over the left fielder, for the team's first double of the game. Thielen scored on the play.
Northern however was unable to hold off the Bulldog attack, as Minnesota Duluth connected for four runs in the fourth and fifth innings. UMD tallied three earned runs off starter
Kami Smesmo who suffered her ninth loss of the season. The senior threw seven innings for the Wolves, giving up ten hits and striking out 11 in the game.
Game Two Kelsey Gale started out game two on the right note for the Wolves with a lead-off single to left. The junior came around to score off a
Rachel Albright double to right center. Northern added two more runs in the fifth to go up 3-0 over the Bulldogs.
Brittney Lash singled to left to open up the sixth inning for the Wolves.
Michaela Liebl went deep the next at-bat with a homerun to right center field. NSU was up 5-0 heading into the final inning of play.
Minnesota Duluth fought back in the seventh with five earned runs off starter
Missy Elkins and reliever
Kami Smesmo. Elkins tallied seven strikeouts in the game. The Bulldogs added the go ahead run in the eighth to take the lead, and leave the Wolves with three important outs in the bottom half of the inning.
NSU was unable to reach base, striking out one-two-three against UMD reliever Knudson.
Northern looks to bounce back this weekend versus Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. Game times are set for 1 and 3 p.m. each day from Minnesota.
