duluth, minn. - the golden bear softball team (15-7, 3-1 nsic) split a doubleheader meeting with minnesota duluth (14-4, 3-1 nsic) on thursday afternoon. They fell 8-0 in a quick five-inning first game, but finished the day strong with a big 7-6, 11-inning win in the second game. nikki scherr scored the game-winning run, leading off the 11th frame with a double and coming around to score one batter later. game 1 box - game 2 box

minnesota duluth pitcher kristin danielson threw an impressive first game, allowing the golden bear squad just three hits through five innings of work. She received plenty of run support from her bulldog offense, which tattooed 11 hits for eight runs. The bulldogs threatened with runners in scoring position in every inning of the shortened game. It was a grand slam off of the bat of ashley johnson that put the bulldogs up 8-0 and ended the first game.

concordia pitcher stephanie schmikla struck out three batters and only issued two free passes to umd through three innings of work, but the minnesota duluth batters had her number from the start. Umd rattled off four hits from the first five batters in the game and went up 2-0 after the first inning.

game 2
things turned around for the golden bears in the second game of the twinbill. Although it took them to the fourth inning to score, cu put up two huge three-run innings and led by as much as a 6-4 score, eventully forcing extra frames. jamie lindboe had the first big hit for her squad, sending a three-run homer over the fence in the fourth inning, her first bomb of the season.

the golden bears manufactured three additional runs in the seventh inning, just in time to save the game. missie feuerbach started the team off with a bunt single. The game got more interesting with anna bjorlin singling and calli brennan stepping in for a clutch two-out single that saw two runs score by the time the dust settled. Abby brundidge made sure the damage would hurt the bulldogs, singling to right center field to drive in brennan and give cu a 6-4 edge

minnesota duluth came alive with two runs to tie the score in the seventh inning, seeing game #1 hero danielson again draw attention with a 2-rbi double that tied the game. Despite their success, however, the bulldogs left runners on 2nd and 3rd in not only the 7th inning, but the 8th as well.

the golden bears saw their window of opportunity open in the 11th inning as nikki scherr began things with a lead-off double. Scherr rounded the final bag and reached home after bjorlin singled and a umd error allowed scherr to continue her running path all the way toward the dish. The golden bear defense turned a tight double play to help the cause in the bottom of the inning to gain the win.

throwing the complete 11 innings for concordia was freshman ashley kluever. Kluever struck out three batters on the way to the third win of her season.

katie anderson saw the most offensive success in the game with three hits, but fellow sophomore brennan led the team with two runs scored. The squad's third and final sophomore, lindboe, had a team high three rbi.