Huskies bite Bulldogs in NSIC sweep

Tuesday, March 29

St. Cloud, Minn.

12:00 p.m. CT

St. Cloud State

13-9, 1-0

University of Minnesota Duluth

15-7, 0-1

St. Cloud State

Minn.-Duluth

The Huskies celebrate an out in the game two win over Minnesota-Duluth..

Photo by: Kaitlyn Zuehl

3/29/2022 5:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

St. Cloud State defeats Minnesota-Duluth 5-2 and 8-4 in NSIC opener

ST. CLOUD, MINN. – Maybe the St. Cloud State University softball team should "visit" the Husky Dome more often. The Huskies opened Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play in the best way possible, sweeping rival Minnesota-Duluth as the visiting team in their own dome. Thanks to a site reversal, visiting St. Cloud State upended the Bulldogs 5-2 and 8-4, improving to 14-9 overall and 2-0 in NSIC play.

GAME ONE: St. Cloud State (5) vs. Minnesota-Duluth (2)

The Huskies were sure the end their four game losing streak against the Bulldogs in game one, as they used clutch power hitting to secure a 5-2 win over Minnesota-Duluth. As the visiting team, St. Cloud State struck first in the top of the third, as Sydney Trees (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake) double to center field scored the speedy Raven Vanden Langenberg (Seymour, Wis. / Seymour) to give the Huskies an early 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs, though, tied things up in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of a St. Cloud State error to tie the game 1-1.

The Huskies broke out the bats in the top of the fifth, responding to Minnesota-Duluth's run with three of their own. After back-to-back ground outs by Brooke Bowlin (Chaska, Minn. / Holy Family) and Vanden Langenberg, Haley McFarlane (Swisher, Iowa / Cedar Rapids Prairie) and Trees drew back-to-back walks, putting runners on first and second for power lefty Jasmin Estrada (Litchfield, Minn. / Litchfield). The senior designated player delivered, blasting a three-run home run to deep left field to give St. Cloud State a 4-1 advantage. The team would then make it 5-1 in the top of the sixth, as Bowlin scored thanks to a quality game of monkey in the middle featuring Vanden Langenberg.

The Bulldogs whittled the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, but it was no harm, no foul for the Huskies and starting pitcher Trinity Junker (Lindstrom, Minn. / Chisago Lakes). The junior pitched her way out of jams in both the sixth and seventh innings, securing the 5-2 victory with a groundout by Minnesota-Duluth's top hitter.

GAME TWO: St. Cloud State (8) vs. Central Missouri (4)

St. Cloud State came out swinging in game two, as the Huskies scored seven runs on six hits and an unfortunate Bulldog error to take the early 7-0 lead. Trees again delivered with a two-run home run before Alexandra Pinkowski (Prior Lake, Minn. / Prior Lake) liner to right field cleared the bases and put a big crooked number on the Huskies side of the scoreboard. Minnesota-Duluth answered by scoring one in the bottom of the inning, making it 7-1 St. Cloud State after one.

Those seven first inning runs were enough for the Huskies, who went on to defeat the Bulldogs by a final score of 8-4. Emma Eickoff (Becker, Minn. / Becker) earned her fifth win of the season, while Lauren Kirchberg (Columbus, Wis. / Columbus) secured the win in the circle, earning the first save of her career.

TOP HUSKIES

Jasmin Estrada (Litchfield, Minn. / Litchfield) was nearly perfect at the plate Tuesday afternoon, as she went 7-8 with two runs and three RBI thanks to her three-run home run in game one.
Raven Vanden Langeberg (Seymour, Wis. / Seymour) went 2-4 and 3-4 at the plate respectively and scored two runs for the Huskies.
Trinity Junker (Lindstrom, Minn. / Chisago Lakes) earned her sixth win of the 2022 season, tossing a complete game with five strikeouts in game one.

UP NEXT
St. Cloud State will continue conference play this weekend, as the Huskies host Minot State on Saturday, April 2. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. in the Husky Dome.