Bison Softball Sweeps Southern Utah to Claim Summit League Regular Season Title

FARGO, N.D.--North Dakota State University swept Southern Utah University 5-4 and 5-1 in a doubleheader Friday, May 4, at the Ellig Sports Complex to claim the Summit League regular season championship and top seed in next week's league tournament.

North Dakota State (18-5 Summit, 34-18) won its second regular season title, the other coming in 2008. The Bison and Southern Utah (14-9 Summit, 28-23) close out the three-game series at noon Saturday, May 5. It will be Senior Day at the Ellig Sports Complex.

NDSU held off a furious seventh inning comeback by the Thunderbirds in the first game. Southern Utah scored three times in the frame and had the bases loaded before Krista Menke recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.

Kelsey Bryant singled in one run and Terysa Dyer stroked a two-run base hit to left as Southern Utah cut the deficit to 5-4 with one out. Bryant led SUU with a pair of hits.

Menke, who left with runners on second and third with no outs in the seventh, re-entered the game for reliever Whitney Johnson. After a hit batter loaded the bases, Menke struck out the next two batters.

Menke (22-10) struck out nine, walked four and allowed just two hits in 6.2 innings pitched. It was her ninth two-hitter of the season. Heather Black (18-14) picked up the loss for SUU. Black allowed six hits, walked three and struck out two.

North Dakota State jumped out to a 4-0 lead after five innings. Amanda Grable doubled to start the second inning, advanced to third on Brea Konz sacrifice bunt and scored on a fielder's choice.

The Bison tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Grable and Konz both received two-out walks and then Alex Sobrero laced a two-run double to left center. Konz lined a home run to left with two outs in the fifth inning. It was the sixth homer of the season for Konz.

Southern Utah took advantage of a bases loaded walk to close the gap to 4-1 in the top of sixth inning.

NDSU added an important insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brandi Enriquez led off with a single, moved to second on Jenina Ortega's sacrifice bunt  and scored on a two-base SUU fielding error with two outs.

In the nightcap, the Bison used a three-run second inning to take the upperhand. Katie Tamayo came through with a sacrifice fly to push across the first run, while Jamie Gay belted a two-run double down the left field line with two outs.

Southern Utah answered with a run in the top of the third when Bryant stroked a RBI double down the left field line.

North Dakota State tacked on single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Taylor Mortensen smacked a run-scoring single to left in the fourth, and Ortega lined a RBI single to center in the fifth. Ortega went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Sobrero added two hits as the Bison outhit the Thunderbirds 11-7.

Johnson (12-8) earned the complete game win for NDSU. She struck out eight and walked three. Danielle Axe (7-5) and Ashley Ostler pitched for Southern Utah with Axe picking up the loss. They combined to walk four and strike out one.