DELAND, Fla. – For the third time in its last five victories, the University of North Dakota softball team found a way to rally in the final innings of play to salvage a split at Stetson on Friday afternoon to open the Stetson Hatter Classic in DeLand, Fla.
 
After dropping the tournament opener, 1-0, to the host-Hatters (4-9), UND (6-10) saw its offense arrive in the final pair of innings during Friday's finale by striking for nine runs to turn a 4-0 deficit into a 9-4 lead and defeat Stetson to end the day.
 
Stetson 1, North Dakota 0
In Friday's opener, both sides received spectacular pitching as the Hatters held off the Fighting Hawks, 1-0, in a classic pitchers' duel as both hurlers went the distance for their respective clubs.
 
Jannay Jones continues to establish herself as a freshman pitcher to watch as the rookie allowed only six hits and one run over six innings while striking out four and not allowing a walk. Jones has now allowed one run or fewer in four of her eight appearances this season. The one run allowed, however, proved to be the difference as she was saddled with her third loss of the season.
 
Deja Miller provided the offensive chances for UND in the weekend debut, slashing a pair of hits in three at-bats from the leadoff spot to pace the three hits in the game for the Hawks. Angel Love tallied the other base knock while Victoria Minor also reached base with a walk.
 
All three of UND's hits came in the first three innings, but Stetson was able to work out of the jams to keep the game scoreless entering the bottom half of the frame. There, the Hatters struck for the lone run of the tilt with a one-out, RBI double to take a 1-0 lead. The advantage would hold through the remainder of the one-hour, seven-minute affair to give Stetson the 1-0 victory in the tournament opener.
 
North Dakota 9, Stetson 4
Trailing 4-0 and without a hit entering the sixth inning, UND awoke with authority by striking for nine runs on eight hits over the final two frames to rally for a 9-4 victory over the Hatters to close out Friday's action.
 
Angel Love finished with a pair of doubles, three RBIs, and a run scored to help spur the comeback for UND as the Hawks posted their fourth win of the season when trailing entering the fifth inning. Alicia Young and Maddie Nixon also provided a pair of RBIs each, with Nixon's pinch-hit triple starting the rally in the top of the sixth.
 
Marina Marzolino and Victoria Minor also collected an RBI in the win, while Miller came around to score twice for UND.
 
Nikki Pica started the contest in the circle for the visitors, but was lifted after four innings of work. The junior allowed six hits, four runs, and three walks while striking out three to earn the no-decision. Emily Rosas finished the game out and was dynamic again as the freshman pitched three innings of one-hit, shutout ball to earn her first-collegiate win. Rosas has now gone three straight appearances without allowing a run, dating back to Feb. 17 vs. Tulsa. Over that stretch, the rookie has only surrendered five hits in six innings of work.
 
Stetson jumped out to an early lead once again, plating four runs in the first pair of innings to quickly take a 4-0 lead after two. The Hatters nearly added on more, but Pica escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth by getting a strikeout and pop out to end the threat.
 
Still looking for its first hit of the game heading to the top of the sixth, Miller smacked the first pitch of the inning back up the middle to reach base and begin the rally for UND. Jailene Carpio followed suit with a single into right field before a fly out placed runners on first and second with just one away. Head Coach Jordan Stevens then called upon Nixon as a pinch hitter, where she laced a 0-1 pitch into right center to bring both runs home and cut the deficit in half. On the very next pitch, Love went to the opposite side of the field with a double to left center to score Nixon and trim the lead to just 4-3 heading to the seventh.
 
In the final inning, UND was able to see back-to-back runners reach via the error to start the inning before a perfectly-placed bunt by Miller allowed everyone to reach base and load them up with no outs. Following a loud out by Carpio, Marzolino tied the game with an RBI single through the right side and keep the bags full.
 
Now with two away, Love took another pitch to left field, this time in an 0-2 hole, where the ball rolled all the way to the wall and plated a pair of runs to give the Hawks a 6-4 lead. Young added another single to score two more runs for UND before Minor made it 9-4 Hawks with an RBI triple. Rosas shut down the Hatters in the bottom half of the frame to seal the victory for the Hawks.
 
North Dakota returns to action on Saturday with another pair of games in the Stetson Hatter Classic. First, UND will battle Mount St. Mary's at 12:30 p.m. before closing day against the Hatters at 5:30 p.m.