FRESNO, Calif. – The University of North Dakota softball rode four runs over the first three innings to defeat Montana, 6-2, on Sunday morning to close out the Bulldog Classic in Fresno.
 
UND (11-13) ends the tournament on back-to-back wins and collects its sixth victory over the Griz (5-20) in the last seven meetings between the former Big Sky Conference rivals.
 
It was the middle of the order who provided the offense on a chilly day in Fresno, as Dani Romero, Angel Love, and Alicia Young drove in all six runs for the Fighting Hawks in the victory.
 
Romero led the way with three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to open the scoring. The junior collected a pair of hits, walked once, and came around to score three times while batting in the cleanup spot. Young also slapped two hits, walked once, and drove in a pair of runs from the sixth spot, and Love drove in a run on a hit and a walk while also swiping two bases.
 
Emily Rosas was back on her winning ways in the circle, twirling a complete game allowing only two unearned runs for her fourth win of the season. The freshman surrendered just five hits and two walks while striking out five.
 
UND jumped out in front early, taking a 2-0 lead before the Griz even came to the plate. After Deja Miller walked and stole second to open the game, Romero launched a 1-1 pitch to left center and over the fence to give the Hawks a 2-0 advantage. The dinger was the fourth of the season for the junior, matching Jocelyn Kirk's mark for tops on the team.
 
Rosas escaped a jam in the bottom of the second, as Montana loaded the bases following a single, error, and hit batter, but the freshman kept the lead intact with a strikeout to end the frame. In the next half inning, UND built upon its lead with another pair of runs. Romero drove in her third run of the game and third overall for the green and white with a one-out double to center field before an RBI single by Love scored Romero and increased the lead to 4-0 heading to the bottom of the third.
 
Montana chipped into the advantage with a run in the fourth, but UND answered right back in the top of the fifth. Love reached on a fielder's choice and swiped second to put her in scoring position for Young, where she laced a single down the right field line to plate Love and restore the four-run lead.
 
Once again the Griz trimmed UND's cushion down to three, but that was as close as they would get. Young drove in her second run of the game with an RBI double to right center to give the Hawks a 6-2 lead. From there, Rosas struck out two of the final three batters she saw to seal the victory.
 
North Dakota returns to action on Tuesday afternoon with a doubleheader at Cal State Bakersfield. The opening game is slated to start at 3 p.m. (CT) with the second game to follow.