College Softball: UND Sweeps Montana Inside Alerus Center
VanDomelen records 500th career strikeout at UND.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND Athletics) — A pair of superb pitching performances propelled host North Dakota to a doubleheader sweep over Montana Friday. UND, playing in the Alerus Center for the first time, put on a good show for the crowd on hand, winning 3-0 and 3-1 to move into first place in the Big Sky Conference standings.
“The setting was great for this one,” UND head coach Jordan Stevens said. “We got a couple great pitching performances, the crowd was good and we good some nice wins over a good team.”
GAME ONE
North Dakota 3, Montana 0
Kaylin VanDomelen threw a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and the UND offense racked-up a dozen hits as North Dakota handed the Grizzlies their first conference loss. Jailene Carpio and Alicia Young each collected three hits in the win.
VanDomelen struck out five batters through two innings setting tone for her gem. North Dakota got on the board in the bottom of the third when Carpio single then Taylor Nadler followed with a double to start things. Marina Marzolino then cashed in both runners with a slicing single down the right field line for a 2-0 Fighting Hawks’ lead.
That was plenty for VanDomelen, who cruised past the 500 career strikeout mark on her way to 11. Included in that total were a pair of caught looking punchouts in the final inning to secure her 12th career shutout and 37th overall win.
Young added an insurance run in the sixth inning, plating VanDomelen with her third hit of the night after she had doubled to open the frame.
Four players had multiple hits in the opener as VanDomelen and Nadler each recorded two hits to complement Carpio and Young’s three-hit efforts.
GAME TWO
North Dakota 3, Montana 1
It was Hannah Bergh’s turn to sparkle in the circle for the Fighting Hawks, as she threw a complete-game four-hitter of her own, giving up just one unearned run while striking out four.
Montana (15-18, 3-2) scored its first run of the evening in the second inning when a pair of singles followed by a sacrifice fly plated Montana’s lone tally in the second. From there, Bergh settled in and allowed just one more hit the rest of the way. Over the final three innings, she squandered just a one-out walk in the sixth but set down the final five batters in order to grab the win.
It was a sixth-inning rally that boosted North Dakota in front. Three runs came across in that frame with Jailen Carpio’s leadoff double setting the table. Angel Love tied the game with a single then Dani Romero walked with two down. VanDomelen then ripped a scorching triple to the right field gap to score two and put UND in front, 3-1.
Bergh made quick work of the Grizzlies in the seventh, getting a groundout, a lineout and a strikeout to end it.
Love finished with two hit while Carpio, Nadler, VanDomelen and Nadler each added hits for the Fighting Hawks.
The teams wrap the series Saturday with a single game at the Alerus Center at 2:00 p.m.
