CEDAR FALLS, Iowa--Freshman Taylor Mortensen went 5 for 5 with three runs scored and four runs batted in including her first collegiate home run as North Dakota State University split a non-conference women's softball doubleheader with the University of Northern Iowa on a cold and windy Monday, March 30, at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex. UNI won the first game 4-2, while the Bison bounced the Panthers 12-2 in five innings in the second.

North Dakota State (17-12, 5-1 Summit) is scheduled to play Iowa State University (18-17) in a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday, March 31, in Ames, Iowa. The Bison will host IUPUI (3-29, 1-8 Summit) in a Summit League three-game series April 2-3 in Ames due to the flood, winter storm and field conditions in Fargo. NDSU and the Jaguars will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 2, and a single-game at noon Friday, April 3.

Mortensen, an outfielder from Sioux Falls, S.D. (Lincoln H.S.), went 2 for 2 including a three-run home run in the third inning as North Dakota State broke open the second game with a five-run frame and take a 9-2 lead. NDSU outhit UNI 9-5 led by two hits from Mortensen and Melissa Chmielewski.

The Bison needed only one hit, and took advantage of three walks, an error and wild pitch to jump out to a 3-0 lead over UNI (21-9) in the top of the first inning.

The Panthers answered with a pair of runs off of NDSU starter Kim Westendorf in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit to 3-2.

However, North Dakota State scored one run in the second inning on a Laurel Pipkin ground out and erupted for five in the third frame to quickly widen the margin. The Bison added three runs in the fourth highlighted by Pipkin's two-run single.

Westendorf (3-3) limited UNI to five hits, walked two and struck out two. The Panthers used three pitchers with Jaye Hutcheson (3-1) picking up  the loss.

In the opener, Mortensen went 3 for 3 with a run scored and a run batted in. Mortensen scored after Kelly Cantrell was issued a bases loaded walk in the third inning to put the Bison ahead 1-0.

Rachel Gerking hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put UNI (21-9) up 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Brittney Balduf hit a solo home run in the fifth to extend the Panthers lead to 3-1.

North Dakota State trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the sixth. Mortensen delivered a two-out, run-scoring single to left field and score Breanna Konz, who reached on an error to start the inning.

UNI added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Mackenzie Daigh came through with a two-out RBI single. 

Andi Padilla (12-6) recorded the loss for NDSU. Padilla allowed six hits, walked two and struck out two. Jen Larsen (11-4) picked up the win. Larsen allowed eight hits, walked four and had no strikeouts.