FORT COLLINS, Colo.--North Dakota State University dropped a pair of games, 11-4 to Utah State University and 3-2 to Colorado State University, at the Colorado State Classic played Friday, March 5, at Ram Field.

North Dakota State (8-7) is scheduled to play Utah Valley University (3-7) at 2 p.m. (Central) Saturday, March 6. The Bison close out tournament play against Utah State and Utah Valley on Sunday, March 7.

Utah State (7-3) hit four home runs against NDSU in the opener. Nicole Tindall delivered a grand slam home run and Kelley Kaneshiro hit a solo shot to put the Aggies ahead 6-0 in the third inning.

The Bison cut the deficit  to 6-4 in the top of the fifth inning. Melissa Chmielewski highlighted the frame with a bases clearing single, while Taylor Mortensen added an RBI single.

Utah State thundered back with a Tina Ferguson three-run home run to quickly extend the advantage to 9-4. The Aggies closed out the scoring with a two-run home run off the bat of Kali Cancelosi.

Both teams finished with nine hits. Nicole Rivera led the Bison with two runs scored, a single and double, while Erin Reilly had two hits for Utah State.

Whitney Johnson and Randi Parks pitched for NDSU with Johnson picking up the loss. The pair combined to strike out four and walk four. Kate Greenough (3-1) struck out four and walked one in earning the win for the Aggies.

In the second game, Rebecca Penland's two-out, two RBI single through the right side in the fifth inning proved to the winning hit for host Colorado State (9-7).

North Dakota State broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning. Nicole Rivera, who went 4 for 8 over the two games, tripled to center with one out and then scored on Elisa Victa's single through the left side.

Johnson (6-5) was tagged with the loss. She struck out six, allowed six hits and walked three. Kelli Eubanks (7-4) picked up the win for Colorado State. Eubanks gave up six hits, struck out five and issued no walks.