UMD Softball Set to Compete within the Branson Spring Games

OPENING PITCH: The University of Minnesota Duluth softball workforce takes the sphere in its fifth non-conference collection of 2026. The Branson Spring Games will characteristic the Bulldogs going through Truman State University first tomorrow at 2 p.m., with the University of Nebraska at Kearney to observe at 4 p.m. Wednesday will see UMD face William Jewel University for a double header (2/4 p.m.) with one other double header on Thursday in opposition to Missouri University of Science and Technology (2/4 p.m.).
 
HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD stacks up with the invitational discipline, with final season’s information and this season.
 

 
SCOUTING TRUMAN: The two Bulldogs confronted off earlier this season within the Lewis Dome Invitational, the place the UMD Bulldogs routed Truman 14-5. Leading the batting effort is Cassie Smith with a .467 batting common with eight RBIs, 28 hits, and 14 runs. On the mound, Jayda Long has a 3-4 file in 41.2 innings pitched with a 1.85 ERA. 
 
SCOUTING NEBRASKA KEARNY: One of their high threats is Bailey Peterson; in 59 at-bats, she has a .373 batting common and a .525 slugging share. On the mound, Chloe Odle has a 4-3 file in 44.1 innings pitched with a 2.21 ERA.
 
SCOUTING WILLIAM JEWEL: Their high batter in 60 plate appearances is Mikayla Chairez with a .500 batting common and .783 slugging share with 30 hits and 11 RBIs. On the mound, Reagan Bennett has a 2-5 file in 32.2 innings pitched with a 4.71 ERA.
 
SCOUTING MISSOURI S&T: In 64 at-bats, Claire Lopez is main the workforce in batting common with a .438. She has 28 hits and 6 RBIs to begin the season. On the mound, Mia Miller owns a 5-3 file in 52.2 innings pitched. She has 38 strikeouts with a 5.05 ERA.
 
OPENING SERIES DOMINANCE: The Bulldogs took a powerful 4-1 file dwelling from their journey to the Lone Star D2 College Classic down in Mansfield, Texas, in week one. In all, UMD mixed for a complete of 31 runs.
 
EVANS EARNS TWO NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS: Daphne Evans of the UMD softball workforce has claimed two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Player of the Week choices in her first season as a Bulldog.
 
The freshman outfielder from Chanhassen, Minn., claims the respect after serving to the workforce to a 4-1 begin of their first week of competitors and leads the NSIC as the highest batter. In that span, she hit .556 (10 for 18), owned a .600 on-base share, and a 1.000 slugging share for an OPS of 1.600.
 
Throughout the week, she tallied successful in all 5 outings, with three hits within the season opener in opposition to Eastern New Mexico University and three in opposition to Rockhurst University. At the plate, she drove in six RBIs with two doubles and two dwelling runs. Out within the discipline, she tallied her first profession putouts with eight whole, holding a clear 1.000 fielding share.
 
Evans, a freshman outfielder from Chanhassen, Minn., claims her second NSIC Player of the Week honor as one of many high batters for UMD this week. Throughout the week, she hit .643 (9-for-14), owned a .750 on-base share, and a 1.000 slugging share. She drove in six RBIs off three doubles and one triple whereas recording seven putouts within the discipline. In the Bulldogs’ 5-1 week, she tallied successful or extra in all six outings, together with a season excessive of 4 hits in opposition to Truman State University.
 
SYLVIA-COCHRAN EARNS NSIC PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Emmie Sylvia-Cochran claimed the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Pitcher of the Week choice this week after serving to the Bulldogs to a 5-1 file within the Lewis Dome Invitational.
 
Sylvia-Cochran, a freshman pitcher from Ham Lake, Minn., earns her first profession NSIC Pitcher of the Week honor after going 3-0 this week on the mound. One of these wins marked UMD’s first shutout of the season (Roosevelt University, 7-0). Throughout 16 innings pitched, she allowed solely 9 hits with no errors, struck out 28 batters, and allowed a .161 batting common.
 
SURVEY SAYS: The UMD softball workforce has been picked to complete fourth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) competitors by the annual preseason coaches’ ballot. This comes after finishing the 2025 season with an general file of 39-17 and an 18-8 file in NSIC motion.
 
 

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ALL EYES ON ME: Senior Kendal Jenkins was named as UMD’s NSIC Player to Watch, together with senior pitcher Allyssa Williams being named because the UMD NSIC Pitcher to Watch.
 
A local of Hastings, Minn., Jenkins posted a .335 batting common and .561 slugging share final season. By the tip of the season, she earned a NSIC First Team All-Conference choice after tallying 58 hits, 19 doubles, a triple, and 6 dwelling runs.
 
Williams, a product of Yuba City, Calif., went 17-8 in 29 appearances, incomes a 2.91 ERA in 137 innings. In a profession excessive season who earned a variety to the NSIC All-Defensive Team whereas tossing 112 strikeouts and incomes a .249 bats in opposition to common.
 
LAST PLATE APPEARANCE: UMD cut up in two matches on Saturday, beginning with a troublesome 9-1 loss to Central Oklahoma earlier than bouncing again with a slender 8-7 victory over Fort Hays State University.
 
In the primary sport in opposition to Central Oklahoma, UMD took an early lead within the first inning as Daphne Evans hit a solo dwelling run. However, Central Oklahoma shortly responded, scoring two runs through a sacrifice fly and a groundout, ending the inning 2-1 of their favor.
 
The third inning proved tough for UMD, as Central Oklahoma capitalized on a fielding error and a stroll to hit a three-run homer, adopted by a two-run homer, finishing a five-run inning and increasing their result in 7-1. They added two extra runs within the fourth inning from a single and a wild pitch, solidifying the rating at 9-1.
 
Allyssa Williams pitched 2.2 innings, giving up 4 earned runs on 4 hits, and was adopted by Ashley Mandell, who allowed one run on one hit in 1.1 innings of reduction.
 
Offensively, Evans was the standout together with her dwelling run, contributing one run and one RBI, whereas Morgan McMillan added a double amongst her one hit in three at-bats. Khendal Johnson secured successful and made two defensive assists at third base, and Serena Timmer additionally contributed defensively, recording eight putouts at first base.
 
In their second matchup in opposition to Fort Hays State, UMD discovered themselves in a back-and-forth battle. The sport started with Fort Hays State taking an early lead with a house run within the second inning, however Johnson shortly leveled the rating together with her own residence run to left middle. The groups continued to commerce blows, and after FHSU hit a two-run homer within the third, Jenkins answered for UMD with a two-run homer of her personal, holding the sport tied at 3-3.
 
The fourth inning noticed Fort Hays State surge forward with a 7-3 lead resulting from a fielding error and several other hits. UMD narrowed the hole with three runs in response, together with a two-RBI single from Jenkins, closing in to 7-6. In the sixth inning, UMD tied the sport as Johnson walked with the bases loaded, bringing dwelling Jenkins.
 
The decisive second got here within the backside of the seventh inning when McMillan’s double drove in Paige Johnson, giving the Bulldogs the 8-7 victory. Maddy Walsh pitched two innings, permitting 5 hits and three earned runs, whereas Emmie Sylvia-Cochran pitched 5 innings of reduction, giving up 5 hits and 4 runs with 5 strikeouts, enhancing her season file to 5-0.
 
Jenkins was the offensive star with three hits, together with a house run, and 4 RBIs whereas scoring 3 times. McMillan additionally shone with three hits and an RBI, alongside together with her essential double. Johnson made her mark with a house run and two RBIs.

2025 ACCOLADES: Senior infielder Nicole Schmitt and junior catcher Kendal Jenkins earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference First Team All-Conference recognition and junior pitcher Allyssa Williams attained NSIC All-Defensive Team honors. 

 

Named to each the NFCA and the D2CCA All-Central Region golf equipment, Schmitt grew to become the eighth participant in program historical past to earn the title of All-American, the ninth general, with Patty Becker incomes NAIA All-American standing in 1990 and 1991, together with the opposite First Team accolade. She is now this system’s fifth NFCA All-American and this system’s lone NFCA First Team honoree.

 

GETTING THE CALL UP: The Bulldogs characteristic six new freshmen on the 2026 roster. That listing includes outfielder Marissa Tomashek (Shawano, Wis.), utility participant Maya Miller (Eden Prairie, Minn.), utility participant Paige Johnson (Superior, Wis.), outfielder Daphne Evans (Chanhassen, Minn.), catcher Kaylin Yenter (Stevens Point, Wis.), and pitcher Emmie Sylvia-Cochran (Ham Lake, Minn.). 

 

THE WAGNER FILES: A brand new period of Bulldog softball continues this season below head coach Nat Wagner. Under Wagner’s first season of management, the Bulldogs posted 39 wins with a sweep of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate common season competitors. In his first yr, he coached two NSIC First Team choices and a NSIC All-Defensive Team standout with 4 single-season information damaged. The latest supervisor of the maroon and gold is the fifth head coach in this system’s 44-year historical past after serving as an assistant coach for the University of Saint Thomas for 2 seasons. Prior, Wagner was on the helm of the Minot State University program for 3 years, main the Beavers to a 60-48 file and one NSIC Postseason look.

 

ON DECK: The Bulldogs start NSIC competitors with a doubleheader in opposition to Wayne State College on March twenty first.