GRAND FORKS, N.D. – In a game that featured three home runs and 18 total hits, the North Dakota softball team fell to North Dakota State by a score of 8-6 on Saturday afternoon from Albrecht Field. NoDak falls to 26-22 and 3-10 in Summit League play while the Bison improve to 24-21 and 8-6 in conference play.

The Hawks tied the game at 2-2 after falling behind 2-0 early, but were plagued by a four-run Bison top of the fourth inning that set them back. UND got within one run, but couldn't get closer than that.

Jaedyn Valdez had two of the Hawks six hits, one of those was good for her third home run of the season. She hit this right after Katelyn Neumayer also hit her third home run of the year, as the duo went back-to-back. Brooklyn Morris, Chloe Bethune and Aleksia Severson each had a hit as well.

In the circle, Tehya Armstrong took the loss, falling to 5-6 on the season. The sophomore allowed six runs (three earned) across four innings, giving up six hits and three walks. She struck out one.

Unity Nelson came in for relief for the final three innings, giving up two runs and six hits while striking out four. She walked zero batters.

How it Happened
For the fourth straight game UND set the opposing team down in order in the top of the first, which was followed by the Hawks also going down 1-2-3. The Bison scored one in the top of the second on two hits, started by a Savannah Henzler double and concluded by a Morgan Zimmerman sac fly. NDSU led 1-0 going into the bottom of the second.

The Hawks left two stranded in the bottom half as Bethune and Lasota each drew two-out walks, but Brooklyn House flew out to center field to conclude the inning. NDSU scored an unearned run on two UND errors in the top of the third to take a 2-0 advantage.

NoDak utilized the small ball approach in the bottom of the third to tie the game with just one hit in the inning. Severson began the inning with a single down the left field line, which was followed by two-straight walks from Morris and Makenna Alexander to load the bases with no outs.

Taya Hopfauf recorded a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Severson and getting Morris to third base. Neumayer then grounded out to third, which got Morris home from second to tie the score.

NDSU scored four times in the top of the fourth via two earned and two unearned runs. The Bison loaded the bases up with no outs and scored on a Zoe King fielders choice to shortstop, in which Severson threw home to try and get the force out at the plate, but Hopfauf's foot came off the bag, resulting in a Bison run.

The next batter hit a comebacker to Armstrong, in which the pitcher executed the 1-2 fielders choice. Hopfauf went for the double play and threw down to first, but the ball trickled off of Neumayer's glove, resulting in Zimmerman on NDSU to come around and score. It was 4-2 Bison. They would tack on two more runs via a Star Cortez RBI single and Bella Dean sacrifice fly to make it 6-2 after the top half of the fourth.

UND scratched back with two runs in the fourth, started by three straight walks from Bethune, Lasota and House. The Bison brought in Piper Reed to replace Madison Whilm to face Severson with the bases loaded and no outs. Severson hit an RBI ground out to second base, bringing home Bethune to cut the deficit to 6-3.

Next batter up was Morris who came through with a single to left field, bringing home Lasota to inch the score to 6-4. With pinch runner Alaina Foreman on third and Morris on first with one out, Alexander grounded into a 4-3 double play to end the inning. NoDak trailed 6-4 after four.

NDSU greeted Nelson into the game in the top of the fifth with a Jessica Delatorre home run to centerfield to lead off the inning, giving the Bison a 7-4 lead going into the bottom of the fifth.

Following a Hopfauf lineout, Neumayer and Valdez each cranked back-to-back solo home runs to centerfield, cutting the Bison lead to 7-6. Next batter up was Bethune, who just missed a game-tying home run to right center field, hitting a ball off the fence for a double. Quincie Chunestudey pinch ran for Bethune and was left stranded on second after Lasota flied out to right field and House grounded out to second, ending the inning.

Following a scoreless sixth inning from both sides, the Bison recorded two doubles in the inning,  resulting in one massive insurance run, putting them up 8-6 going into the bottom of the seventh inning.

Hopfauf and Neumayer each made out to start the inning, before Valdez tanked a double to right-center field, bringing up Bethune as the tying run. She popped out to the second baseman on a 3-2 count, ending the game at 8-6 in favor of NDSU.

The two teams will battle it out again tomorrow on UND's Senior Day in the third game of the series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on Midco Sports Plus.

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