SEATTLE, Wash.--Heidi Foland went 2 for 3 with three runs scored and hit one of three home runs as Nebraska defeated North Dakota State 5-1 on Saturday, May 22, in an NCAA Seattle Regional loser's bracket game played before 437 spectators at Husky Softball Stadium.

North Dakota State finishes the season 33-25. Nebraska (30-28) plays North Carolina (41-19) at 2 p.m. (Central) Sunday, May 23. The NU-UNC winner plays Washington (47-6) at 4:30 p.m. in the NCAA Seattle Regional championship game.

The game was halted by a 3-hour, 1-minute rain delay with Nebraska leading 2-1 after four complete innings at 9:30 p.m. central time and didn't resume until 12:31 a.m.

Nebraska took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Foland reached on walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nikki Haget was hit by pitch. The baserunners moved to second and third on a Ashley Guile sacrifice bunt. Foland scored on Julie Brechtel's sacrifice fly to center.

The Cornhuskers extended the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third on Foland's solo home run to left field. It was her 13th home run of the season.

North Dakota State cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third. Brea Konz led off the frame with a walk and moved to second on a Taylor Mortensen sacrifice bunt. Richel Briones belted a single to left field and Becca Gift chased home Konz with a pinch-hit single up the middle. Then the rains came.

Nebraska tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Alex Hupp hit a pinch-hit home run to left center with one out. Foland followed with a line drive single to left and Ashley Guile smacked a two-run homer to right.

The Bison went down swinging with Taylor Lynn and Nicole Rivera coming up with a pair of one-out hits, but the Cornhuskers defense came up with several big defensive plays including a game-ending double play.

Whitney Johnson (26-18) picked up the loss. Johnson scattered six hits, struck out six and walked two. Ashley Hagemann (15-15) went the distance to earn the win. Hagemann struck out seven, allowed five hits and walked three.