MANKATO, Minn. – The Bearcat softball squad fell 9-2 in their second game of the MSU Invitational to the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Duluth entered the matchup with a record of 1-0.
 
Minnesota Duluth posted two first inning runs to take an early 2-0 lead heading into the second.
 
The Bearcats bounced back in the top of the third inning with four hits and a run. Lela Bryant recorded the first Bearcat hit of the game followed by Lillie Filger and Omara Love. Lela Bryant put Northwest on the board from the Omara Love hit. Madison Friest tallied the fourth hit of the inning, but Omara Love was called out on a fielder's choice to send it to the bottom of the third.
 
Breck Dickey struck out three straight Bulldog batters to end the third inning. Dickey had seven strikeouts after three innings, six of which went down swinging.
 
 Minnesota Duluth led Northwest 2-1 heading into the fourth.
 
Northwest had the bases loaded in the fourth inning with two outs. Aubrey Griffith got things started with a single up the middle and Avery Anderson followed that with a single of her own, but Griffith was out at third. Skylar Pieper was then hit by a pitch and Lauren Grey was walked to load up the bases. Lela Bryant was walked which allowed Avery Anderson to score and tie things up at 2-2.
 
Duluth took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth after a hit up the middle scored two runners. Two batters later, the Bulldogs hit a three-run homerun to increase their lead to 7-2 heading into the fifth inning.
 
Northwest had runners on base in the fifth and sixth inning, but could not get them across home plate. Minnesota Duluth recorded a triple in the bottom of the sixth that scored one run and later had a double that scored another run that increased the Bulldog lead to 9-2.
 
Madison Friest had the only Bearcat hit in the seventh inning with a single.
 
Minnesota Duluth got the win in seven innings by a score of 9-2.
 
Breck Dickey was tagged with the loss pitching four innings while recording seven strikeouts. Dickey posted 89 pitches and gave up seven runs.
 
Northwest will play its third game of the MSU Invitational Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. vs. Concordia St. Paul. The Bearcats will wrap up weekend play Saturday night as they face Minnesota State at 8:30 p.m.