PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The North Dakota softball team split a doubleheader against Drexel at Drexel Softball Field on Tuesday afternoon, losing the first game, 10-4 and winning the second contest, 6-5 in five innings. UND improves to 18-9 on the season.
Game 1, Drexel 10, UND 4
UND saw an eight-game winning streak come to an end, as the Hawks clocked seven hits.
Katelyn Neumayer and
Makenna Alexander each went 2-of-3 at the plate, with
Camryn Lasota,
Hailey Bethune and Jaedyn Valdez each having one.
Tehya Armstrong recorded a no decision, throwing 4.0 innings, while striking out four and allowing four runs. She gave up six hits and walked three.
Tegan Livesay was charged with the loss, allowing five earned runs in the fifth inning, while striking out two and throwing two wild pitches. She surrendered four hits and walked two, dropping to 7-4 on the season. Peyton Whitehead threw the sixth inning, giving up just one run and two hits.
How It Happened
UND struck first in the top of the second, plagued by a lead-off double from Neumayer. She then came around on a Valdez fielders choice, putting the Hawks up 1-0. The Dragons responded in the bottom half, via a Macie Bergman RBI double, tying the score at 1-1 after two.
In the third, Valdez laced a one-out RBI double, along with Lasota driving her in on an RBI single, giving NoDak a 3-1 advantage. Drexel came through with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, when Kylah Reading roped a three-run RBI double with one out, to put the Dragons up 4-3.
Neumayer had a one-out single in the fifth and was driven in by a
Hailey Bethune double, to tie the game at 4-4. Livesay came in the game in the bottom of the fifth and threw two wild pitches, allowing four hits and five runs. The Hawks trailed 9-4 after five.
UND wouldn't get another hit the rest of the way, while Drexel tacked on a run, to take game one, 10-4.
Game 2, UND 6, Drexel 5 (5 Inn.)
UND trailed 2-0 early, but scored six unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings to improve to 7-0 this season in one-run games.
Taya Hopfauf went 2-for-2 with three RBIs, while
Katelyn Neumayer had two RBIs, going 1-for-3. Valdez went 3-of-3 at the plate, logging one run.
With the game only being five innings,
Unity Nelson tossed her sixth complete game of the season, improving to 7-3 on the year. She allowed five runs and eight hits across the 5.0 innings, recording three strikeouts and two walks.
How It Happened
Drexel got off to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, via just one hit. UND responded in the top of the third on two hits, getting three runs. Lasota and Severson got on to start the frame, which led to Hopfauf smoking an RBI double. The Hawks trailed 2-1, with runners at second and third with no outs.
Neumayer grounded out to third base, driving in Severson and getting Hopfauf to third.
Hailey Bethune then fouled out, in which Hopfauf was able to tag-up and score on. The Hawks led 3-2 after three.
NoDak scored three more in the top of the fourth, on three hits. Valdez started the inning off with a double and was bunted over to third, via
Olivia Dick.
Brooklyn Morris grounded out to the pitcher, which was followed by back-to-back walks from Lasota and Severson, loading the bases for Hopfauf with two hits.
The catcher came through with a big two-RBI single, giving UND a 5-2 lead. Neumayer added insurance with a single, driving in Severson. NoDak led 6-2.
Drexel scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the Hawks lead to 6-4. Then in the fifth, Natalie Alldred hit a lead-off solo home run, to make the score 6-5. Nelson weaved her way through the inning, not giving up another run, in route to a 6-5 Hawks victory.
NoDak will play again tomorrow at Penn, with first pitch set for 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
For more information on North Dakota Softball, follow on social media @UNDsoftball or visit FightingHawks.com.
