MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.--Andi Padilla struck out a career-high nine batters and Kelly Cantrell hit her fourth home run of the season as North Dakota State University defeated Oakland University 5-1 in a Summit League women's softball game played Saturday, April 11, at the University of Minnesota's Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. NDSU sweeps the three-game series with the Golden Grizzlies.

North Dakota State (23-13, 11-1 Summit) is scheduled to play at Western Illinois University (17-15, 10-1 Summit) in a three-game league series April 17-18 in Macomb, Ill. The NDSU-South Dakota State University three-game series scheduled for April 13-14 at the Ellig Sports Complex in Fargo has been moved to April 28-29 due to wet grounds.

The Bison dented the scoreboard in the fourth inning. Melissa Chmielewski led off the frame with a single up the middle. Cantrell then hit the first pitch of her at-bat over the left field fence to put NDSU ahead 2-0.

North Dakota State extended the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. Taylor Mortensen, who went 3 for 3, cracked her first of two doubles down the left field line to start things off. Taylor Lynn's sacrifice bunt was mishandled and Mortensen was able to score from second.

Oakland University (13-22, 6-9 Summit) made things interesting in the top of the sixth and cut the deficit to 3-1. Caitlin Lynch doubled with one out, moved to third on a fly out and scored on Marisa Everitt's pinch-hit single.

The Bison extended the advantage to 5-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Richel Briones led off with a double down the right field, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on the squeez bunt from Breanna Konz. Konz then scored from first base on Mortensen's double laced into the left field corner.

Padilla, who matched her career best in strikeouts with eight on Friday, did one better on Saturday. She had six through the first three innings. Padilla limited OU to four hits and had two walks to improve to 16-7.  

Jessica Granger (10-10) picked up the loss for Oakland. She allowed nine hits, walked two and had no strikeouts.