NORMAN, Okla.--Melissa Chmielewski delivered a two-out, two-run double to lift North Dakota State University to a dramatic 3-2 win over Tulsa in a NCAA Division I Softball Regional game played Saturday, May 16, at the OU Softball Complex.

In it's first-ever NCAA Division I tournament appearance, North Dakota State (37-18) advances to the regional championship game scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, May 17. The Bison will play Tulsa (40-16). The Golden Hurricane defeated Oklahoma 5-3 on Kelly Chapman's three-run home run with two outs in the seventh inning. A second championship game, if needed, will be played at 3:30 p.m. The Norman Regional winner will play the Tempe Regional winner in the NCAA Division I Super Regionals on May 21-24.

The teams did all the scoring in the final two innings to break up a pitcher's duel between North Dakota State's Andi Padilla and Tulsa's Jackie Lawrence.

NDSU struck first in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chmielewski singled up the middle with one out and gave way to pinch-runner Brittney Gutierrez. Breanna Konz followed with another base hit up the middle and was replaced by pinch-runner Taylor Mortensen. The runners moved up a base on a wild pitch before Kelly Cantrell lofted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Gutierrez.

Tulsa was down to its last out in the top of the seventh inning before mounting a rally. Skylar Swanson laced a two-out single to center. That's when Golden Hurricane lead-off hitter Lauren Lindsay lined a two-run home run over the left field fence to put Tulsa ahead 2-1.

The Bison found themselves in a similiar situation in the bottom of the seventh inning. Following a pair of ground outs, shortstop Nicole Rivera beat out an infield hit in front of home plate. Left fielder Elisa Victa then legged out a ground ball to the shortstop.

Chmielewski, a junior from Circle Pines, Minn., rifled the first pitch down the right field line. Rivera scored easily from second. Victa rounded third, ducked past the attempted tag from the catcher and scampered back to touch the plate to give NDSU the win.

Chmielewski went 3 for 4 as the Bison outhit Tulsa 9-7. Konz and Rivera each had two hits. Lindsay went 2 for 4 for the Golden Hurricane including the double and home run, while Brooke Smart had a pair of singles.

Padilla (25-10) struck out six and walked two to earn the win. Lawrence (21-5) picked up the loss with four strikeouts and one walk.