GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota softball team played its first home games of the 2024 season Saturday against the South Dakota Coyotes. Game one was a phenomenal pitcher's duel between UND's Jackie Albrecht and USD's Clara Edwards. Albrecht threw eight innings, including the first seven innings without allowing a run, while Edwards threw a complete game as USD took game one 5-3 in nine innings. In game two, the Yotes won 8-0 in six innings.
Game One
The first seven innings of the game featured some great pitching from both Albrecht and Edwards, with both getting out of tight spots during the game. In the top of the second, Albrecht faced runners on first and second with no outs but got two straight strikeouts and a groundout to keep the threat at bay. In the top of the third she got an inning-ending flyout to strand a runner at third, and also got a groundout in the seventh to strand the go ahead run 60 feet away.
Joten got to second in the first and the fourth, reaching on a fielder's choice and then stealing second in the first; then was hit by pitch in the fourth before moving on a groundout then got caught attempting to steal third.
USD got the board first with a bunt RBI single that brought in the runner from third base. Later a two RBI single made it 3-0. NoDak answered in the bottom of the eighth as Izzy Haslett got a one out single, followed by Mariah Peters reaching on an error that moved Haslett to third. Cassie Castaneda hit a sac fly to bring Haslett in. With two outs, Katelyn Neumayer got all of a pitch as she launched a two-run homerun over the fence in center field that tied the game.
In the top of the ninth, a two RBI single with runners on second and third lifted USD to a 5-3 lead and Edwards closed out the bottom of the ninth to get the win. Albrecht got a no-decision and Camryn Lasota, who pitched the ninth, took the loss.
Game Two
Angie Dumlao got the first hit of the game with a double on the first pitch of the bottom of the first, the first of her three hits in the game, but she got stranded halfway home. In the top of the second, Makaela Carr got out of a jam with runners on first and second with back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame, and in the second Castaneda reached on an error while Brooklyn Morris singled to put runners on first and second with two outs, but USD's Kory Wedeking kept the green and white off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the third Dumlao led off with a single, followed by a single from Johanna Rodriguez. Taya Hopfauf was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, but Wedeking found her way out of another tight spot to keep the game scoreless.
After three scoreless innings, USD broke the game open with a six run fourth inning. An RBI single in the fifth and solo homerun in the sixth made it 8-0; which is how the game concluded.
Wedeking got the win while Carr took the loss.
The Fighting Hawks will host close out the series with South Dakota Sunday at 1 p.m.
Postgame Notes
· Joten stole her 11th base of the season, needing six more to tie Denise Gross, Tracie Wilson and Jessica Cummins with 17 for a spot in the top ten single base marks in program history.
· Dumlao went 4-7 from the plate in two games today.
· Albrecht threw eight innings in game one, the fourth time this season she has gone seven or more innings in a game this season.
· Neumayer hit her second homerun of the season, moving into a three-way tie for the team lead in homeruns.
How It Happened
Game One
T8- USD 3, UND 0
B8- UND 3, USD 3
T9- USD 9, UND 3
Game Two
T4- USD 6, UND 0
T5- USD 7, UND 0
T6- USD 8, UND 0
For more information on North Dakota softball, follow on social media @UNDsoftball or visit FightingHawks.com.
