DULUTH, Minn. – The University of Northwestern softball team exploded for a 17-3 run-rule win over UW-Superior (18-17) in the opening round of the UMAC Tournament Thursday afternoon at Kenwood Field. The Eagles – who improve to 23-14 – avenged their regular season losses to the Yellow Jackets.

UNW used a pair of six-run frames en route to picking up the dominant run-rule victory, smashing 18 hits in doing so.

Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) laced a two-out, two-run double in the top of the first to put the Eagles up 2-0 early. With the bases full, Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area ) smashed a bases-clearing double in the second to give UNW a 5-3 advantage – a lead they wouldn't relinquish. In the fifth, Ciara Scheithauer (Rib Lake, Wis./Rib Lake), Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) and Kayla Madison (North Branch, Minn./Forest Lake ) all delivered two-run hits to put the game out of reach.

Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland), Kayla Hannasch (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North ) and Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) all racked up three hits, while Ronning tabbed four RBI.

Lexi Kopacek (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) (12-7) allowed just one earned run on five hits to earn the win in the circle.

The Eagles will play the winner of Crown and St. Scholastica Friday at noon in Duluth. More info can be found at unweagles.com and by following @unweagles on Twitter.