Bison Softball Earns Split Against #10 Minnesota

North Dakota State University bounced back from an 8-0 no-hit loss to hold on for a 5-4 win in game two to gain a doubleheader split with No. 10/12-ranked Minnesota on Wednesday, April 22 at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.

North Dakota State (36-8) is scheduled to travel to No. 21-ranked University of South Alabama for a three-game series onFriday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 at Jaguar Field in Mobile. NDSU recorded its sixth win in the last 18 meetings against a nationally-ranked opponent in the second game at Minnesota.

The Bison scored first in the nightcap. Cheyenne Garcia walked and scored on Amanda Grable’s RBI single in the first inning to break the hitless streak and take a 1-0 lead.

Minnesota (38-8) tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth on Taylor LeMay’s two-out RBI single.

NDSU exploded in with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Jenna Isbel and Katie Shoultz both singled with one out to start the rally. Garcia followed with a run-scoring double to send Isbel home and Shoultz to third.

Logan Moreland delivered a two-run single to score Shoultz and Garcia. Alyssa Reina closed out the scoring with a two-out RBI single. Moreland went 3-for-4 to lead the Bison, while Shoultz added a pair of hits.

Minnesota closed the gap to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning on Paige Palkovich’s bases-loaded triple with two outs.

The Gophers threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Sara Groenewegen was hit by a pitch with one out. Hannah Granger doubled, but the relay from center fielder Alex Sobrero to shortstop Moreland to catcher Reina erased the runner at the plate. After an intentional walk, a force out at second ended the game.

Krista Menke (26-3) rebounded from the first game start to record the win. Menke struck out three, walked two and hit one batter. The Bison improved to 7-1 against the Big Ten this season.

Kylie Stober (8-2) and Nikki Anderson pitched for Minnesota. Stober, who picked up the loss, allowed four hits, struck out four and walked one over the first 4-1/3 innings. Anderson gave up six hits and struck out one.

It was all Sara Groenwegen in the first game for Minnesota. Groenwegen tossed her second no-hitter of the season and third of her career. She struck out seven and walked two batters in the top of the fifth inning.

Groenwegen went 2-for-4 with a double and four runs batted in. She started the scoring with a RBI single in the first inning and also scored. Her ground out in the second accounted for another run. Groenwegen ended the game with a two-out, two-run double in the fifth inning.

Hannah Granger delivered an inside-the-park home run, while Erica Meyer had a RBI double, Sam Maken contributed a sacrifice fly and LeMay added a run-scoring single.

Menke started and went the first two innings before being relieved by Jacquelyn Sertic in the third inning. Menke and Sertic combined to allow 10 hits and five earned runs, walk three and hit two batters.

NDSU was no-hit for the first time since Feb. 15, 2014, at No. 12-ranked Florida State and third time in the Division I era.

Courtesy NDSU Athletics