KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The North Dakota softball team dropped game one of its three-game series against the Kansas City Roos on Friday night by a score of 5-3. The Hawks fall to 22-15 overall and 0-4 in conference play while the Roos improve to 13-21 and 4-6 in the Summit League.
UND was outhit 10-5 in the contest, falling behind 3-0 in the bottom of the second and was unable to overcome that deficit.
Jaedyn Valdez had two hits, going 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, along with a hit each from
Camryn Lasota,
Aleksia Severson and
Makenna Alexander. NoDak left seven runners on base, compared to 11 from Kansas City.
Unity Nelson took the loss in the circle (8-6 record), allowing five earned runs across 4.0 innings pitched. She gave up nine hits, two walks and struck out four.
Tehya Armstrong came in for relief, tossing a scoreless 2.0 innings, surrendering just one hit and one walk with two punch outs.
How It Happened
The Roos struck first in the bottom of the second when Lauren Parker slapped a one-out two-RBI triple to the left center gap to bring in Adelyn French and Mia Corres, giving Kansas City a 2-0 lead. Nelson struck out the next batter to make it two outs in the inning, but she gave up an RBI single to Elleana Navarro, giving the Roos a 3-0 advantage after two.
Nelson worked her way out of trouble in the bottom of the third, loading up the bases with one out in the frame. The sophomore pitcher battled in the circle, striking out both French and Parker on called third strikes, to keep the score at 3-0.
UND answered back with a run in the top of the fourth, as Severson led the inning off with a single which was immediately followed by a double from Valdez, putting runners at second and third with zero outs.
Taya Hopfauf then drew a walk to load up the bases.
Next up was
Katelyn Neumayer who grounded into a 4-2 fielders choice, getting Severson out at the plate.
Makenna Alexander then muscled out an RBI single to left field, driving in Valdez to inch UND closer at 3-1.
Hailey Bethune then lined out to left field, bringing up
Chloe Bethune with the bases loaded and two outs. She fouled out to first base, keeping it at 3-1 headed to the bottom of the fourth.
Nelson gave up two run on three hits and two hit by pitches in the bottom of the fourth, giving Kansas City a 5-1 lead. Nelson left the bases loaded, getting French to pop out to left field to get out of it.
NoDak scored two in the top of the fifth, started by Lasota reaching on an error with one out, which was followed by a Severson walk, to put runners on first and second with Valdez coming to hit. The freshman came through with a single to left field, driving in Lasota, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
Delilah Robles of Kansas City proceeded to walk Hopfauf and Neumayer, with Neumayer's walk resulting in an RBI. The Hawks trailed 5-3 with the bases loaded and one out. Alyssa Droge came in the circle for Robles, set to face Alexander.
Droge won that battle, as Alexander grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, leaving three UND baserunners out there. The Hawks trailed 5-3 going into the bottom of the fifth.
Following a scoreless bottom half of the fifth and whole sixth inning, UND came up in the top of the seventh with one last shot at it. Lasota started off the frame with a leadoff single, but was erased following a Severson 1-6 fielders choice, leaving Severson at first with one out.
Valdez and Hopfauf each came to the plate as the tying run, but both flew out to the outfield, as UND fell 5-3 in the first game of the series. Game two will take place tomorrow at 12 p.m. on the Summit League Network.
For more information on North Dakota Softball, follow on social media @UNDsoftball or visit FightingHawks.com.
