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HOUSTON, Texas--Maritza Lopez-Portillo tied a school single-game record as North Dakota State University blasted Nicholls State 18-4 and Krista Menke silenced host Houston 3-1 on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the second day of the Hilton Plaza Invite played at the Cougar Softball Stadium.

NDSU (8-5) closes out tournament play against Columbia (N.Y.) at 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 23. The Bison are 4-0 in the Hilton Plaza Invite heading into Sunday's final game.

Menke (6-1) allowed six hits, struck out five and walked three in going the distance. She worked out of trouble in several innings as Houston stranded 10 baserunners.

The Cougars (8-2) scored in the top of the fifth inning. Sydney Gerbracht and Katie St. Pierre led off with singles and moved into scoring position on Selana Hernandez sacrifice bunt. Kayla Holland reached on an infield single before a fielder's choice brought home Gerbracht.

North Dakota State responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Lopez-Portillo reached on a two-base error and moved to third on a Brandi Enriquez single. With two outs, Alex Sobrero  went two bases on Houston's second error of the inning, scoring Lopez-Portillo and moving Enriquez to third. Logan Moreland and Cheyenne Garcia each stroked RBI singles with two outs. Garcia led the Bison with two hits.

Diedre Outon (3-1) picked up the loss for Houston, allowing six hits and no earned runs. Outon struck out five and walked a pair. She led the Cougars offense with a double and single.

Several records went by the wayside in NDSU's first game against Nicholls State (5-10) and after the Colonels claimed a 4-0 lead after two innings. The Bison reached double-figure runs for the 23rd time since moving to Division I.

North Dakota State exploded for 12 runs in the top of the third, matching the school single-inning record set twice previously during the 1996 season. The Bison sent 15 batters to the plate, taking advantage of eight hits including four for extra bases, four walks and an error.

Jenina Ortega had two hits and three RBI in the third inning, while Amanda Grable belted a three-run home run, her second of the season, and added a single. Lopez-Portillo also hit a two-run home run, and Garcia laced a two-run double. Brandi Enriquez hit her first collegiate home run to center.

Leading 13-4 in the top of the fifth inning, NDSU closed out the scoring with five runs. Lopez-Portillo hit her second home run of the game and became the 10th Bison softball player to accomplish the feat. Sixteen times its happened with Grable turning the trick twice including last season against IUPUI.

Ortega's 4 for 4 effort at the plate led NDSU's 16-hit attack. All nine players had at least one hit and eight different Bison scored twice with Jenna Isbel, Jackie Stifter, Grable and Lopez-Portillo contributing two base hits. Isbel crossed the plate three times.

Freshman Katie Thun (1-1) earned up her first collegiate win on the mound. Thun allowed one hit and walked three over the final four innings in relief of Tabby Bayers.

Haley Parkerson went 2 for 3 to lead Nicholls State. The Colonels used three pitchers with Hannah Haydel (0-2) picking up the loss.