LEESBURG, Fla. -- New Mexico State struck for a trio of runs in the top of the eighth to break open a 1-1 deadlock for a 4-1 win over North Dakota on Friday afternoon to open THE Spring Games from Leesburg, Fla. 

UND (3-5) saw a strong performance from Nikki Pica in the circle despite the loss, tossing all eight innings for her second complete game of the season. The fifth-year player surrendered just four hits and three earned runs while striking out seven hitters and collecting 10 groundouts. 

On the offensive side, the Fighting Hawks couldn't get much going with the bats, as the Aggie pitching limited the green and white to two hits and a walk. Ashlynn Uvila and Madison Pederson each picked up the singles for UND while Jocelyn Kirk drew the free pass. 

Neither team could muster much until the second inning when UND put together its first threat. After Pederson led off the inning with a single, Madi Moore came in as a pinch runner and immediately swiped second before a Kirk walk and fielder's choice moved the runners to second and third with one out. The Aggies got out of the frame with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the game scoreless after two. 

Pica and her defense got out a few jams in the fourth and fifth, but NMSU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth with a leadoff homer. UND didn't take long to tie the game right back up though, striking in the bottom half of the stanza. Alexys Campos reached on an error that allowed her to move all the way to third before Chevelle Sartin brought her home with a sacrifice fly to knot the game at one. 

Following a scoreless seventh, the Aggies scored three runs on a 2-RBI triple and ensuing sacrifice fly before retiring the Hawks in order to hold on for the 4-1 win. 

North Dakota will return to action tomorrow with a pair of contests against MAC programs. UND will first battle Toledo at 10 a.m. before closing out the day against Central Michigan at 12:30 p.m.