Bison Softball Drops Pair at Georgia Bulldog Invitational

ATHENS, Ga.--Indiana State rallied with four runs in the top of the seventh to defeat North Dakota State 10-7, while 23rd-ranked Georgia beat the Bison 4-1 on Friday, March 1, during the first day of the 5th annual Bulldog Invitational played at Jack Turner Stadium.

North Dakota State (4-10), which has lost four straight, is scheduled to play Radford University () at 9 a.m. Central on Saturday, March 2, and take on host Georgia (8-6) at 2 p.m.

The Bison led in the first game 3-0 and 6-2 before Indiana State (9-7) scored 10 times over the last three innings to secure the win.

Cheyenne Garcia laced a bases-loaded double down the left field line to put NDSU ahead 3-0 in the second inning. Garcia finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and four RBI.

After Indiana State trimmed the lead to 3-2 on Megan Stone's two-run double in the top of the fifth inning, North Dakota State responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Garcia's second double plated one run, while Jenina Ortega and Alyssa Reina each contributed RBI singles.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Sycamores took advantage of three walks, two hits and an error to score four times with two outs to tie the game at 6-6. Shelby Wilson and Stone both had RBI singles to highlight the frame.

The Bison came back with a run to take a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Jackie Stifter started things with a pinch-hit single and Logan Moreland came through with a run-scoring base hit.

Indiana State used two errors, a hit batter, walk, sacrifice bunt and Wilson's RBI single to push across four runs to complete the rally.

Whitney Johnson (3-5) and Krista Menke worked on the mound for NDSU with Johnson picking up the loss. Johnson struck out 14 to record her first double-figure strikeout game of the season and 28th of her career. Johnson moved to second all-time in strikeouts (790) at NDSU, past Julie Fromm (779, 1999-01).

Ashli Scott, Halle Humphrey and Steph Fougerousse (4-3) pitched for Indiana State with Fourgerousse earning the win. The trio walked three and struck out three.

Georgia scored twice in the third and fourth innings to defeat NDSU. Anna Swafford hit a two-run home run to right center in the third, while the Bulldogs used a Katie Browne sacrifice fly and Bison error to score two runs in the fourth.

North Dakota State averted the shutout in the top of the seventh. Jenna Isbel led off with a single and scored on Amanda Grable's RBI base hit with two outs.

Menke (1-5) went the distance for NDSU. She struck out five, allowed four hits and walked two. Geri Ann Glasco (5-1) and Morgan Montemayor pitched for Georgia with Glasco taking the win. The pair combined to strike out 12 and walk six.