MACON, Ga. -- The University of North Dakota softball team dropped a pair of contests to open an eventful weekend down in Georgia on Friday in Macon.
UND (6-11) saw a lead slip away in the opening contest against Winthrop before dropping a 4-0 decision to host-Mercer in the day's finale.
Winthrop 3, North Dakota 2
UND carried a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning, but the Eagles rallied with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to complete the comeback in a 3-2 win over the Fighting Hawks.
Adrianna Dilal tossed 5.1 frames and allowed only one earned run, three hits while striking out five to earn the no-decision.
Nikki Pica was saddled with her third loss of the season despite surrendering an earned run and just one hit.
It was the middle of the order that did a lot of the damage on the offensive end for the Hawks, with
Madison Pederson grinding out a pair of hits and
Caitlyn Shumaker collecting her second home run of the season and the RBI.
Madi Moore and
Alexys Campos each picked up a hit as well to give the green and white five on the afternoon.
Neither side could get much going until the bottom of the fourth when a solo homer gave Winthrop a 1-0 lead. It didn't take long for UND to respond with a shot of its own, when Shumaker rocketed a ball down the left field line and over the fence to tie the game at 1-1. After
Jocelyn Kirk was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a fielder's choice, Campos singled to second before the ball was misplayed and allowed Kirk to score and give the Hawks a 2-1 lead.
A fielding error, walk and wild pitch put the Hawks in trouble in the bottom of the sixth, as the Eagles had runners on the corners with just one out. A well-executed pickoff play to third cut down the lead runner for the second out, but a two-run home run with two away put Winthrop back in front, 3-2.
UND was retired in order in the ensuing half inning to give the Eagles the comeback victory.
Mercer 4, North Dakota 0
A pair of runs in the third and fourth innings proved to be the difference in a 4-0 win by the host-Bears in Friday's finale.
Jannay Jones once again went the distance, hurling a complete game allowing just one earned run and four hits while facing 26 hitters. Despite not recording a strikeout, the junior was affective with 15 groundouts and only surrendering just one walk.
UND couldn't get much going on offense against Amber Byrd of Mercer, striking out eight times and managing only two hits. The Hawks also did not draw any walks and saw one batter reach due to a hit-by-pitch. Campos and Moore each had the hits for the Hawks, as the duo had at least one hit in both contests.
The Hawks put runners on in the top of the second and third, but could not get any hitters home. Mercer took advantage in the bottom of the third when a single and a throwing error brought home a pair of Bears to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
In the next stanza, the Bears made it 3-0 following a single, back-to-back stolen bases and a throwing error that allowed the runner to score. Mercer stretched it to 4-0 in the fourth with a walk, double and sacrifice fly.
UND limited the damage, but could only get one runner into scoring position for the remainder of the contest as Mercer held on for a 4-0 win.
North Dakota returns to action tomorrow in Athens, Ga. for a pair of contests against No. 18 Georgia at 1:45 p.m. and East Carolina at 5 p.m. The showdown against the Bulldogs can be seen on SEC Network+.
