PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Feb. 18, 2017, the University of North Dakota softball team lost to Michigan State, 22-5, in Florida, and nearly two years later to the day the Fighting Hawks continued to announce their ascension as a program with a 6-5 triumph over those same Spartans on Friday night in the opening game of the GCU Purple Classic in Phoenix.
 
UND (3-8) scored all six of its runs in the bottom of the second, and held off the late-charging Spartans (3-7) over the final few innings to cement the program's second win over a Big Ten school in back-to-back seasons.
 
Marina Marzolino led the way offensively with a two-hit, three RBI night for the Fighting Hawks, driving in those trio of runs and scoring herself on a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the second. Deja Miller also picked up a pair of hits for UND in the leadoff spot, but was unable to cross the plate.
 
Jannay Jones earned the start for the Fighting Hawks in the circle and collected her second win of the season with another strong performance. The freshman hurled 4.2 innings, surrendered eight hits, four runs, and struck out three in 80 pitches of work. Nikki Pica closed the game out over the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one run on two hits for her first save of the year.
 
After holding MSU scoreless through two innings, the bats awoke for the Fighting Hawks in the bottom half of the inning with a six-run frame to blow the game wide open. Alicia Young broke the scoreless tie by launching a 2-2 pitch over the centerfield wall to give the Hawks the 1-0 lead before three straight batters reached to load the bases with two outs. After back-to-back wild pitches allowed two more runs to score, Marzolino doubled to bring home a pair while a throwing error allowed Marzolino to score herself and give UND a 6-0 lead after two innings.
 
Michigan State climbed back in the game with a run in the fourth and three more in the top of fifth to cut the deficit to just two, 6-4, heading to the final two innings. After UND threatened to extend the lead in bottom half of the sixth, the Spartans chipped the advantage to 6-5 and had the tying run on third with just one out in the seventh. Pica was able to dance out of trouble by getting a pair of groundouts as the Hawks held on for the 6-5 victory.
 
North Dakota returns to action on tomorrow afternoon with a pair of contests in the GCU Purple Classic. UND will battle Grand Canyon at 5:30 p.m. in the opener before closing the day vs. Yale at 7:30 p.m. from Phoenix.