HAMMOND, La.--Senior pitcher Andi Padilla picked up the win in all three games Saturday, Feb. 14, as North Dakota State University defeated Grambling State 3-2 and Tennessee-Martin 5-1 in eight innings, and edged Belmont University 9-8 to take go undefeated at the Hampton Inn Lion Classic hosted by Southeastern Louisiana University.

North Dakota State (5-0) has won nine straight games dating back to last season. The Bison open against nationally-ranked Arizona at the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson on Feb. 20-22.

In the opener, Grambling State (1-4) had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth as Denean Woods singled home Fredr Martin from third base.

Playing speed up rules in the extra innings, Taylor Lynn was placed on second and scored on Nicole Rivera's single to center. Laurel Pipkin followed with another base hit and Elisa Victa's sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring. Melissa Chmielewski doubled to right center to knock in the winning run.

NDSU's Andi Padilla worked the final inning to record the win in relief of Randi Parks. Parks allowed five hits, struck out two and issued no walks in her first collegiate start.

Jackie Currie led the Bison with a double and single, while Pipkin and Rivera each had two hits. LaQuish Wood had a solo home run in the fourth inning, while Denean Woods had a double and single for Grambling.

North Dakota State broke a scoreless deadlock with five runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat UT-Martin (5-2) in the second  game. Kelly Cantrell led the Bison with a pair of doubles including a two-run shot to highlight the eighth inning. Richel Briones, Pipkin and Victa also delivered run-scoring singles.

Padilla picked up the complete game win for the Bison. She scattered seven hits, struck out one and walked three over eight innings.  Paij Lintz (1-1) recorded the loss for the Skyhawks. Lintz allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked two.

Megan Williams and Laura Roberts each had two hits for UT-Martin.

In Saturday's final game, North Dakota State rallied from a 6-3 deficit to defeat Belmont (2-2). The Bison scored three times in the sixth inning and pushed across a run in the bottom seventh to secure the win.

Victa, who scored the winning run on an error, went 4 for 5 including a double and scored a pair of runs. Pipkin and Briones each belted a double and single, while Cantrell notched a pair of base hits.

Pipkin scored three runs and added two stolen bases. She finished the five-game tournament with a .524 batting average, nine runs scored, six RBI and four stolen bases.

Padilla struck out the final two batters to stop the Belmont rally in the top of the seventh to record her third win of the long day. Kim Westendorf started and went the first 3.1 innings, while Randi Parks work three frames. Padilla went 4-0 in the tournament with a 0.42 earned run average and a pair of complete game wins.

Belmont outhit the Bison 14-13 led by the three hits from Elly Bennett and Dawn Thoni. Thoni smacked a double and collected three RBI, while Bennett hit a home run and knocked in two runs. Devon Schmidt (2-2) recorded the loss for the Bruins in relief of starter Sammi Parks.