Duluth, Minn. – The Northern State University softball team dropped a pair of games to Minnesota Duluth on Thursday afternoon, 14-2 and 10-0. Northern moves to 20-16 overall and 10-6 in the NSIC.
 
The Wolves were behind early in game one, as Duluth tallied five runs in the bottom of the first and second innings. Northern answered back in the top of the third, with two runs. Courtney Sjerven led off the inning with a single down the left field line, and came around to score on Kaitlyn King's second homerun of the year, a blast to left centerfield.  The Bulldogs tacked on another four runs in the third and fourth, notching the run rule victory over the Wolves.
 
Jamie Fisher led the team going 2-for-2 at the plate. King went 1-for-2, with a run scored and two RBI, notching the lone extra base hit of the outing. Sjerven, Kennady Thompson, and Shayla Steinley each tallied a single bringing the team hit total to five.
 
Fisher started for the Wolves and suffered her ninth loss of the season. The junior gave up seven earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Makenzie Merritt entered in relief, throwing 3.0 innings and giving up six earned runs on 11 hits with one strikeout.  
 
The Wolves scored early and often notching four runs in the first, two in the third, and another four in the fourth securing their second run rule victory of the day.
 
Jenna Helgeson led the team going 2-for-2, while Katie Dawson notched the only extra base hit a double to centerfield. Thompson and Madison Rutter each notched a single for the Wolves.
 
Fisher threw 3.0 innings as the starter giving up six earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Merritt entered to throw the final inning of relief, giving up four runs on three hits with one strikeout.
 
Northern returns to action this Saturday and Sunday at home versus Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State. The Wolves face the Golden Bears at 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday and the Mavericks at 12 and 2 p.m. on Sunday.