KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--Taylor Mortensen knocked in a pair of runs and Laurel Pipkin turned in a game-ending double play as North Dakota State University rallied past Bowling Green State University 6-4 in the opening game of the soggy Tennessee Classic played Friday, Feb. 27, at Lee Softball Stadium. The Bison lost to Jacksonville State 4-0 in a game stopped due to rain in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Heavy rain in the Knoxville area has forced tournament organizers to alter Friday's schedule at the Tennessee Classic. The forecast calls for rain tonight and Saturday, and snow on Sunday. NDSU (8-4) is scheduled to face No. 8/9-ranked Tennessee (14-1) at 12:30 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, Feb. 28, and close out tournament play against Marshall University at 9:30 a.m. (Central) on Sunday, March 1.

North Dakota State rallied from deficits of 2-0 and 4-2 in the first contest. The Bison outhit the Falcons 10-8.

Melissa Chmielewski and Kelly Cantrell belted back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the third inning. Mortensen delivered her first of two run-scoring singles to drive home Cantrell to tie the game at 4-4. Chmielewski finished 3 for 4 with a RBI and run scored.

Elisa Victa, who went 3 for 4 with a RBI, scored the eventual game-winning run on a Bowling Green error to put NDSU ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth.

The Bison took advantage of a pair of BGSU miscues and Mortensen's RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 6-4.

The Falcons made things interesting in the top of the seventh when the first two hitters singled off Andi Padilla. However, Padilla recorded a strikeout. From her second base position, Pipkin went into foul ground to chase down a pop-up and then caught the baserunner off of first to complete the game-ending double play.

Padilla recorded her second career save in relief of Randi Parks. Parks improved to 2-1. Haley Wiemer (2-3) picked up the loss for Bowling Green (3-3) in relief. Wiemer hit a two-run home run in the first inning for the Falcons.

Jacksonville State (10-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning on Nikki Prier's RBI single and broke the game open in the fifth on Allison Svoboda's three-run home run with two outs.

Melissa Dowling improve to 4-0 with a four-hit shutout. Padilla (5-2) recorded the loss for NDSU. The Bison were led by Chmielewski's two base hits, while Breanna Konz added a double.