SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The University of North Dakota softball team began Big Sky Conference action on Friday, dropping a pair of games to Sacramento State by scores of 6-3 and 5-1.

North Dakota held a 3-1 advantage after the fourth inning in the first game against the hornets, but a Sac State would post two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game and three runs in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead.

In the second game, the Hornets continued their offense, taking a 5-0 lead after the second inning. UND responded with one run in the fourth, but would be kept scoreless for the rest of the game.

“We didn't get the timely hits we needed today and we left too many runners on base,” head coach Eric Oakley said. “We need to come back tomorrow and get one.”

UND had 16 hits on the day, with sophomore Emily Bell recording five of them. Caralyn Chewning also had a successful day at the play, getting four hits and batting in three runners.

In the circle, freshman Kaylin VanDomelen earned the start in the first game of the day. VanDomelen faced 30 batters, struck out three, and only gave up five earned runs on 10 hits. Fellow freshman Megan Hedstrom threw for UND in the second game, giving up 10 hits as well, but only allowing four earned runs.

North Dakota finishes its three-game series with Sacramento State tomorrow at 2 p.m.