OMAHA, Neb. -- The University of North Dakota softball bounced back from a tough pair of losses on Saturday with two dominant pitching performances on Sunday to salvage series split in Omaha to open Summit League play.
G1: North Dakota 1, Omaha 0
Adrianna Dilal allowed only two hits and three walks while striking out five over seven innings to help the Fighting Hawks snap a seven-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over Omaha in the first of two contests on Sunday.
Six-different Fighting Hawks picked up hits in the opener, with a double by
Jocelyn Kirk helping lead to the lone run of the game.
Both teams put runners in scoring position in the first inning, but it wasn't until the third that the scoring finally started. Kirk roped a double down the left field line to open the frame before a sacrifice bunt by
Alexys Campos produced a wild throw and allowed Kirk to score all the way from second to give UND a 1-0 lead.
Dilal helped keep the Hawks in front with back-to-back shutdown innings before navigating through trouble in the fifth and sixth to send the game to the seventh with the 1-0 advantage still intact.
Omaha brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Dilal closed it out with back-to-back strikeouts to seal a 1-0 win.
G2: North Dakota 2, Omaha 0
Taking a page out of her teammate's book,
Lauren Feld followed suit with a complete game shutout where she surrendered only four hits and a walk while striking out three to guide UND past the Mavs, 2-0, and close out a sweep.
UND managed only hit, with Campos providing that knock, but the Hawks drew five walks on the afternoon that helped lead to the pair of runs in the third inning once again.
After two scoreless innings to begin play, it was once again the third inning that provided the offense for the visitors. A pair of one out walks to Campos and
Chevelle Sartin, a fielder's choice kept runners on first and second with two away.
Madison Pederson hit a ball to third that resulted in a throwing error and allowed two runs to score and give UND a 2-0 lead after three.
Feld was strong for the remainder of the game, holding the Mavericks off the scoreboard over the final four frames to complete the shutout and the Sunday sweep.