MOBILE, Ala. – Opening up a tournament featuring a trio of opponents who won 30+ games a season ago, the University of North Dakota softball team fell in a pair of contests on day one of the Jaguar Classic in Mobile, Ala.
 
UND (1-6) generated chances on the bases in both tilts, but could not scratch a run across in either game. The Fighting Hawks fell, 2-0, in the day's opener to Tulsa before South Alabama used a pair of three-run frames to defeat the visitors, 8-0, in six innings to cap off Friday's action.
 
Tulsa 2, North Dakota 0
Jannay Jones tossed six innings of six-hit, two-run (one earned) ball for the best start of her young career, but Tulsa scratched across a run in the first and fifth innings to capture a 2-0 win over North Dakota in the opener.
 
While Jones threw a gem in the circle for the Fighting Hawks, the offense was stymied by the Golden Hurricane (4-3) pitching as Stephanie Pochop allowed just one hit and retired the last 21 batters she faced to record the complete game shutout.
 
UND threated in the first inning, as Lyndsay Hathaway and Victoria Minor both reached the open the game; however, those would be the only two runners to enter the base paths for the Fighting Hawks.
 
Tulsa struck in the bottom of the first on a two-out single following an error to take the lead. The Golden Hurricane would add a second tally in the fifth to double the advantage and hold off the Fighting Hawks in the opener.
 
South Alabama 8, North Dakota 0 (6)
The Jaguars (3-3) struck for six runs over a pair of innings to help boost the hosts past North Dakota, 8-0, in six innings of play to close out the opening day of action at the Jaguar Classic.
 
Kayleen Schneider tallied her third multi-hit game of the season with a pair of knocks in three at-bats to lead the Fighting Hawks at the plate. Alicia Young and Lexi Mayhood also recorded a hit, with Mayhood also drawing a walk to reach twice on the night.
 
Nikki Pica took to the circle in the day's finale for UND, allowing five hits and five runs over three innings of work to be saddled with the loss. Emily Rosas was strong in relief in the fourth and fifth inning, needing only 23 pitches to retire all six batters she faced, including three by strikeout.
 
South Alabama took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, as a single followed by a sacrifice bunt plated a pair of runs to give the hosts the early advantage. North Dakota looked to respond in the next half inning as the Hawks loaded the bases with two outs, but a groundout ended the best threat of the night.
 
The Jaguars tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third on a three-run home run to carry a 5-0 lead into the fourth inning. After a pair of scoreless innings by Rosas, South Alabama added another trio of runs to finish off the 8-0 victory.
 
North Dakota returns to action with another pair of games tomorrow in Mobile. The Fighting Hawks open vs. Lipscomb at 1:30 p.m. before closing Saturday vs. Mercer at 6 p.m.