GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota softball team recorded 11 hits and 13 runs to power past the Crown Polars by a score of 13-0 on Tuesday evening from Albrecht Field. UND improves to 24-16 on the season.
It was all Fighting Hawks, started by four runs in the bottom of the first inning and concluded by nine runs in the bottom of the third.
Makenna Alexander paved the way for UND, going 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs and five RBIs, headlined by a grand slam in the third inning. It was a career-high in both hits and RBIs for her.
Olivia Dick cranked her first career home run in the bottom of the third on a two-run shot, going 1-for-1 at the plate on the day. Eight different Hawks recorded a hit, in Alexander (3),
Tyler Price (2),
Rachel Loth (1),
Taya Hopfauf (1), Dick (1),
Hailey Bethune (1),
Brooklyn House (1) and
Aleksia Severson (1).
The trio of
Tehya Armstrong,
Unity Nelson and
Peyton Whitehead held the Polars in check, as the three arms allowed a combined one hit on seven strikeouts across 5.0 innings of work. Armstrong opened the game, throwing 2.0 innings of scoreless ball, walking two and striking out four.
Nelson picked up the win, throwing 2.0 innings after Armstrong, giving up just one hit and striking out two. Whitehead closed the game in the top of the fifth, throwing a scoreless frame, striking out one and walking one. She is now 9-6 on the season.
How It Happened
Price got things started to lead off the bottom of the first, connecting on her first career collegiate hit to left field to begin the frame. She came around to score immediately, following an Alexander double to left field, making it 1-0.
Lasota drew a walk and Hopfauf had an infield single, bringing up
Katelyn Neumayer with the bases loaded and no outs. Neumayer hit a bullet to left field that was caught, proving to be deep enough, driving in Alexander, to put the score at 2-0.
Bethune walked next, loading the bases back up, this time for
Jaedyn Valdez. Valdez hit a comebacker to the mound, where the pitcher came home with it and the catcher tried turning a double play, but made a bad throw to first base, allowing both Hopfauf and Bethune to come around and score. UND led 4-0 after one.
In the bottom of the third, UND scored nine runs on five hits and two errors. 13 Fighting Hawks came to hit, with the two big blows coming via the Alexander grand slam and the Dick two-run home run. NoDak led 13-0 after three innings.
North Dakota would take the win by the 13-0 margin. The Hawks will be back in action this weekend, currently slated to face off against South Dakota in a three-game series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
For more information on North Dakota Softball, follow on social media @UNDsoftball or visit FightingHawks.com.
