GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota softball team dropped a 21-7 decision to Northern Colorado on Saturday afternoon at the Apollo Sports Complex.

The Bears held just a 10-7 advantage heading into the final inning of play, but UNC put up 11 runs off of nine hits to claim the final game of the three-game series. Northern Colorado used two grand slams in the seventh en route to the 11 runs.

The day started off well as UND took its first lead of the weekend with a four-run outing in the bottom of the fourth. Emily Bell singled to score Taylor Hansen to get UND on the board. Two batters later with the bases full, Courtney Gonzales reached on an error after the UNC's right fielder dropped a fly ball. The error allowed all three runners already on base to score, giving North Dakota a 4-3 lead.

Unfortunately, Northern Colorado put up five runs in the top of the fourth and two in the top of the fifth to take a 10-4 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, D Jantzer hit her fourth home run of the season, and second of the weekend, to cut UND's deficit to five. Gonzales then recorded another RBI after a double to left center allowed Bell to score to bring the score to 10-6.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Taylor Hansen hit a solo home run to bring the score within three heading into the final inning.

Unfortunately, UNC's bats came alive in the top of the seventh for 11 runs to take a 21-7 lead. The Bears closed out the bottom of the seventh without allowing a hit to take the series sweep.

Freshman pitcher Kaylin VanDomelen started for UND, pitching 3.1 innings, including facing five batters in the seventh. VanDomelen recorded three strikeouts on the day facing a total of 24 batters. Megan Hedstrom pitched 2.2 innings, striking out two of the 15 batters she faced. Hansen pitched in the end of the seventh, recording all three outs to retire UNC after its monster inning.

North Dakota returns to the Apollo Sports Complex on Tuesday, hosting South Dakota in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.