RUSTON, La. – The University of North Dakota softball team picked up its first season opening win since 2013 with a 4-3 comeback win against Samford at the LA Tech Invitational on Friday morning. UND finished off the day with a 10-2 loss to hosts Louisiana Tech.
“It was nice getting our first of the year in the opener today,” head coach Jordan Stevens said. “We were able to finally come around offensively and mount a nice comeback late. In the second game, we physically played well, but mentally had some breakdowns that cost us; and in this sport that can really hurt you and it did. We will take the split and will be prepared to be better tomorrow”
The Fighting Hawks struck first against Samford, scoring a lone run in the first inning. Freshman Lexi Mayhood led off the season for UND earning a free trip to first with a walk. She later stole second and advanced to third on an error. Fellow freshman Dani Romero then hit a single up the middle to score Mayhood and put UND on top early.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs responded with a big second inning to take a 3-1 lead behind three unearned runs off of two hits and two errors.
Luckily, it was the only scoring Samford would do against North Dakota, as the Fighting Hawks clamped down defensively and started to mount a late rally.
In the top of the sixth, UND scored a solo run behind a Mary Martin single which allowed Angel Love to score from second.
With a 3-2 deficit heading into the final inning, North Dakota strung together two runs on two hits to take a 4-3 lead in the seventh. With runners on second and first, Maddy Clowdus hit a double to left center to score both Taylor Nadler and Love and give UND back the lead.
Despite giving up two hits in the bottom of the seventh, closing pitcher Hannah Bergh was able to strike out the final Bulldog of the day to seal the win for North Dakota.
Bergh recorded the win for UND, as she replaced starter Kaylin VanDomelen to start the sixth inning. Bergh allowed only two hits and struck out three, while VanDomelen gave up nine hits with no earned runs and struck out five.
In the second game of the day, LA Tech put together a five-run third inning and a three-run fourth inning to take an 8-0 lead over UND.
North Dakota broke the Lady Techster's shutout bid in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs on three hits. A single by Romero scored Victoria Minor for the Fighting Hawks' first run of the game, while a base on balls for Love allowed Rachael Waynick to score for the second run.
Unfortunately, LA Tech went on to score two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game early with a 10-2 score.
North Dakota returns to the diamond tomorrow for a doubleheader at the LA Tech Invitational, taking on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 11 a.m. (CT) and Incarnate Word immediately after at 1 p.m.
