FARGO, N.D. - Tyler Steen hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Jason Mattila pitched a scoreless ninth to give North Dakota State a 6-5 win over Centenary in the first of a four-game Summit League baseball series Friday, April 29, at Newman Outdoor Field.

North Dakota State trailed 5-4 when Wes Satzinger reached on an infield error to start the eighth.  The left-handed Steen came up with one out and slapped a 2-1 pitch off the left-field foul pole with winds gusting out from 30-45 mph.

Centenary got a one-out single from leadoff hitter Mark Gillean in the ninth, but Bison shortstop Max Casper made a sliding shoestring catch along the fence to get the second out and Mattila got Kyle Morton to fly out to deep center for his fifth save and fourth in a row.

NDSU has won 11 of its last 13 and improved to 13-20 overall and 9-4 in The Summit League.  Centenary dropped to 6-23 overall and 3-10 in the league.

The Bison jumped ahead in the first when Zach Wentz hit a leadoff homer on the third pitch that traveled some 450 feet to straightaway left field with the wind at its back.

Centenary answered with four runs on five hits in the second, including run-scoring singles by Marc Martinez, Matt Creamer and RJ Talamantes.  NDSU pulled within 4-3 in the second with sacrifice flies by Wentz and Steen.

The Gents stretched the lead to 5-3 in the fourth when Pete Rajkovich hit a leadoff single, moved to second on Dan Lazarou's sac bunt and scored on Gillean's single up the middle.

NDSU made it a one-run game again in the seventh when Zach Heidmann drew a one-out walk and scored on Nic Obey's double down the left field line.

Eight different NDSU players had hits led by Heidmann, who was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks.  Creamer, Talamantes, Martinez and Rajkovich each had two hits for the Gents.

Centenary starter Nic Parrott allowed four runs on eight hits with five walks and three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings but did not factor in the decision.  Reliever Kelby Langston dropped to 0-3 with the loss.

NDSU starter Colby Tognetti scattered 10 hits over eight innings and evened his record at 3-3 with the win.  He struck out five and walked one.

The Bison and Gents are scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, April 30, and the series finale is scheduled for noon Sunday, May 1.