Bo Hellquist pitched to Concordia during UMD’s sweep in the first games of the season at Bulldog Park. Photo credit: John Gilbert

Coming home can mean different things. Consider the UMD baseball and softball teams, for example. For the UMD baseball team, the reluctance of Bulldog Park’s infield to get over the throes of winter meant that the Bulldogs 26 games elsewhere, with many of their scheduled home games being played with UMD impersonating the home team on another team’s field.
The Bulldogs finally got on their own field last Saturday, and swept Concordia of St. Paul in a UMAC doubleheader by 7-1 and 7-2 scores. The Bulldogs used a long-ball display in the sweep, and Alex Wojciechowski set the pace, as usual.
The senior first baseman hit his 18th home run of the season, a 2-run shot in the first inning, which was all left-hander Bo Hellquist needed as winning pitcher, as he struck out nine in the 6-inning game. In that first inning, shortstop Eric Yachinich also hit a home run, and it was a grand slam, as if to celebrate his first collegiate round-tripper.
In the second game, Wojciechowski homered again as the Bulldogs scored five in the fifth to break open a close game, and the sweep lifts UMD to a 12-4 Northern Sun record. Along with setting the UMD record for home runs in a season at 19, Wojciechowski improved his career UMD record to to 39.

UMD shortstop Eric Yachnich got a warm reception after his first collegiate home run, a grand slam against Concordia of St. Paul Saturday. Photo credit: John Gilbert

Hannah Schmoll slid home against Minnesota State-Crookston, finding the plate at the intersection of the football turf goal line and sideline. Photo credit: John Gilbert

As for the women’s softball season, UMD has been able to get by playing on a makeshift diamond set up on one corner of Malosky Field’s football gridiron, but new coach Jen Walter has been working to get UMD’s own Junction Avenue field, and the big day was also last Saturday.

UMD's Sam Hartmann pitched a shutout against Crookston off the portable pitching pad at Malarky Stadium. Photo credit: John Gilbert

The difference was immediately evident. Having just gotten past Minnesota-Crookston 8-0 and 13-0 three days earlier on the Malosky layout, the Bulldogs had no trouble with the portable pitching platform on the artificial turf, and sliding home to a temporary plate placed on the corner of the end zone and sideline from football.
The homecoming at Junction Field was temporarily short-circuited Saturday when Wayne State stung the Bulldogs 6-2, but the Bulldogs rocked Wayne State 8-1 in the second game to split the doubleheader.

Cayli Sadler pitched in UMD’s first game at Junction Avenue Field since 2011. The Bulldogs split a doubleheader with Wayne State Saturday. Photo credit: John Gilbert

 Sam Hartmann pitched a 6-hitter to win the second game, when Hannah Schmoll got three hits and Natalie Wright two, running UMD’s record to 14-6 in the Northern Sun and 25-12 overall. Wayne State left town 17-4 atop the Northern Sun and 23-19 overall.
UMD came right back on Junction Avenue Field and beat Augustana 8-7 in eight innings and 6-5 in the second game. That sweep puts UMD at 16-6 in the Northern Sun and 27-12 overall, while Augustana slipped to an impressive 18-5 in league play and 21-14 overall.
UMD’s 1-2 pitching combination of senior right-hander Cayli Sadler and junior left-hander Sam Hartmann continued to shine, although freshman Valeri Hohol was impressive in relief in both Augustana games.