Box Score VERMILLION, S.D.--North Dakota State scored eight runs over the final innings to defeat the University of South Dakota 12-3 to claim it's third straight Summit League softball regular season championship and fourth overall on Saturday, May 3, at Nygaard Field.
NDSU finishes the regular season with a 30-15 record including 13-3 record in The Summit League. The Bison were 10-1 on the road in league play and will receive the top seed in the league championship tournament scheduled for May 7-10 at the Ellig Sports Complex. NDSU reaches 30-wins for the eighth straight season. Pairings for the six-team tournament will be announced on Sunday, May 4.
North Dakota State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
Jenna Isbel led off with a walk, moved to second on an
Alex Sobrero sacrifice bunt and scored on
Cheyenne Garcia's two-out double down the left field line.
The Bison increased the lead to 4-0 in the top of fourth.
Amanda Grable led off the inning with a home run to left. It was Grable's sixth home run of the season.
Jackie Stifter and
Brandi Enriquez both singled and advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Sobrero delivered a two-out, two-run single to left center.
NDSU was opportunistic in scoring four times in the top of the sixth inning to increase the lead to 8-0.
Jenina Ortega and Isbel each picked up RBIs, as the Bison took advantage of three walks, three South Dakota errors and a pair of wild pitches.
South Dakota (28-20, 9-8 SL) averted the shutout in the bottom of the sixth and made the score 8-1 on Shelby Keil's sacrifice fly.
North Dakota State tacked on four more runs in the top of the seventh. Ortega doubled home a pair of runs, while Grable had a RBI single and eventually scored on an error. South Dakota closed out the scoring with Lindsey Boyd's two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the seventh.
Grable went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI, while Ortega was 2-for-5 with three RBI to highlight NDSU's 11-hit offense. The Bison reached double-figures in runs scored for the 11th time this sesason.
Krista Menke (23-6) benefitted from the offense to register the win. Menke struck out eight, allowed eight hits and walked two.
Rachel Cue (17-9) and Madison Frain pitched for South Dakota with Cue picking up the loss. The pair combined to strike out six and walk 10. Matley Jones led the Coyotes with two hits.
