SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Freshman pitcher Unity Nelson kept the Wofford bats at bay for 6.2 innings, North Dakota used a three-hit, two-RBI night from Taya Hopfauf and the Fighting Hawks put away the host Terriers 7-4 in nine innings from Hope Field. The win moves the Hawks back to .500 at 7-7 and hands Wofford just its fifth loss in 16 games in 2025.
 
Nelson scattered seven hits and six walks and stranded nine Wofford baserunners, before the host managed to get to the true freshman in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, the Terriers doubled in a run to cut the deficit to 3-2 and then, while down to their final strike, scratched the game-tying run to end Nelson's evening in the circle.
 
Makaela Carr took over and handled the final 2.1 innings, while the UND offense responded by plating a run in the eighth on a two-out single by Makenna Alexander and striking for three runs in the ninth. Katie Joten singled on a 2-2 pitch to score Hannah Thompson who was placed at second to start the frame, Hopfauf singled on the infield to plate Joten and Katelyn Neumayer delivered a double to the wall in right center field to score Hopfauf. On Hopfauf's single, she hustled to beat the throw on a bang-bang play, while Joten never let up after rounding third.
 
Carr closed the door on the Terriers in emphatic fashion, fanning the side swinging to claim the victory. She finished with four strikeouts and allowed one hit and a walk.
 
The Terriers struck first on Thursday night taking advantage of a leadoff single, a base on balls and a passed ball that put runners at second and third. WC used a misplayed ball on the infield to take the early 1-0 lead. However, a second runner on the same batted ball was cut down at the plate as a 6-5-2 put out capped the first frame.
 
North Dakota took the lead in the fourth inning as Brooklyn Morris scored from first on a triple off the bat of Hopfauf who later in the inning crossed home on an RBI groundout by Camryn Lasota for a 2-1 UND lead.
 
The Hawks are back in action in Spartanburg on Saturday for matchups with Buffalo (9 a.m.) and Tennessee State (11:30 a.m.). Live stat links for the weekend's action will be available at www.FightingHawks.com.
 
Postgame Notes

• Hopfauf's triple is the first of the year for the Hawks and her three runs scored are the most by a Hawk in a game this season
• Joten recorded her team-leading sixth multi-hit game of the season and extended her hit streak to five games, while Hopfauf's moved to four straight
• Hopfauf registered her third multi-RBI game this season and first with three RBI
• Neumayer and Joten have now reached safely in five straight, while it's a four-game streak for Morris and Hopfauf
• UND matched its single game high in walks drawn with five as Neumayer and Morris each drew a pair
• The Hawks recorded nine hits and have collected nine or more hits in seven games this season

 
For more information on North Dakota softball, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media @UNDsoftball.