CEDAR CITY, Utah – The University of North Dakota softball team was edged, 7-4, by Big Sky Conference leader Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon.
UND stayed with Southern Utah, tying the score after the Thunderbirds took a lead through the first five innings. Unfortunately, a three-run sixth inning was too much for UND to overcome in the late stretch.
Freshman pitcher Kaylin VanDomelen her 17th game for UND, throwing six innings and striking out two SUU batters. A potential error ruled as a double in the fourth inning gave the Thunderbirds two extra earned runs, leaving VanDomelen with all seven earned runs for the game.
After Southern Utah took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, North Dakota's Toni Schutte singled through the left side to score D Jantzer and to tie the game.
The Thunderbirds then took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth with two runs, but UND again responded in the very next inning. North Dakota used three hits and one error to score both Taylor Hansen and Nicole Babrowski, tying the game at 3-3.
Southern Utah responded with four combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 7-3 lead into the final inning.
With two outs in the seventh, a double by Kim Granata scored VanDomelen from third to cut UND's deficit to three. Caralyn Chewning advanced on the next at-bat after being hit by the pitch, giving UND two runners on base. However, a fielder's choice gave SUU the third out of the inning that the win.
North Dakota takes on Nebraska Omaha on Tuesday in Omaha, Neb. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
