MACOMB, Ill.--Catcher Kelly Cantrell went 1 for 2 with a home run and two RBI as North Dakota State University held off a seventh inning rally to defeat Centenary College 3-2 in the opening round of The Summit League Softball Championship played Friday, May 8, at McKee Stadium on the campus of Western Illinois University.

North Dakota State plays Southern Utah at 5 p.m., while Western Illinois eliminated Centenary 9-0 in game three. The host Westerwinds (32-18) play the NDSU-SUU loser at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 9.

Cantrell, a senior from Omaha, Neb., drove in one run in the first inning with a sacrifice fly to right center to put the Bison ahead 1-0. Cantrell was named The Summit League Player of the Year last night.

Cantrell hit a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence with two outs in the third inning to extend the NDSU lead to 2-0. It was her sixth home run of the season.

North Dakota State tacked on an important insurance run in the fifth inning. Nicole Rivera reached on an error, advanced to second on a ground out and scord on Brea Konz' double down the left field line.

The Bison outhit Centenary 7-5 as Taylor Lynn and Konz each had two hits.

Andi Padilla (21-9) allowed only three hits over the first six innings before Centenary (32-22) mounted a comeback in the seventh. Katie Matthews stroked a RBI single and Haley Bassett's ground out knocked in another to cut the deficit to 3-2 with two outs.

Padilla, who struck out four and walked four, retired the final batter on a fly out to center. Padilla benefitted from a solid defense including plays from Rivera at shortstop, Konz at third and Lynn in center.

Jessica Bock and Hillary Phillips pitched for Centenary with Bock (16-9) recording the loss. The pair combined to strike out four and walked two.