PHOTO GALLERY at Pacific (2-27-15)

STOCKTON, Calif.—Alyssa Reina delivered a key two-out, two-run single, Dani Renner was issued a bases-loaded walk to send home the winning run and Krista Menke was strong late as North Dakota State University defeated No. 17-ranked Washington 6-5 in the opening game of the University of the Pacific's Libby Matson tournament Friday, Feb. 27, at Bill Simoni Field.

NDSU (9-3) went 2-0 by adding an 8-2 win over host Pacific in the final game Friday. The Bison are scheduled to play Montana (1-9) at 1 p.m. and Pacific (5-11) at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28. NDSU recorded its sixth win against nationally-ranked opponents in the last 17 meetings and three of the last seven.

"We just didn't give up. They built that three-run lead. We just talked to the team and said, 'Hey, we have three innings left, we're the home team, Let's keep battling, put the ball in play and see what happens," said NDSU head coach Darren Mueller.

"We responded with three runs including an important two-run single. We just didn't give up and the team can be proud of that."

North Dakota State trailed 5-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning against Washington (15-4). Alex Sobrero walked, Logan Moreland singled to right and wild pitch moved both into scoring position. Following another base on balls to Cheyenne Garcia, the second wild pitch of the inning scored Sobrero and advanced each runner. Reina delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field to tie the score at 5-5.

Menke, who improved to 6-1, retired the last seven batters she faced in picking up the complete game win. The 5-foot-11 senior from Friend, Neb., struck out 10 batters to reach double-figures for the fifth straight game, the sixth time of the season and 13th of her career. She scattered six hits and walked four.

Garcia doubled down the left field line to start the NDSU rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Amanda Grable singled through the right side, advanced to second on the throw and moved Garcia to third. Maritza Lopez-Portillo received an intentional walk to load to the bases to set the stage for Renner.

Washington jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Kylee Lahners two-out solo home run in the first. The Bison answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Grable led off with a solo home run to left, her first of the season and 30th of her career. Lopez-Portillo followed with a double to center, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error.

The Huskies tied the game at 2-2 in the top of third on Courtney Gano's RBI-single and took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on Kelli Suguro's run-scoring infield single.

Washington extended the lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth inning on pitcher Casey Stangel's two-run double to right center.

North Dakota State outhit the Huskies 11-6 as five different players – Moreland, Garcia, Reina, Grable and Lopez-Portillo each finished with a pair of hits. Left fielder Lopez-Portillo, second baseman Garcia and catcher Reina turned in an important defensive play, cutting a runner at the plate for the final out in the third inning.

Stangel (3-1) and Hailey Hator pitched for Washington with Stangel recording the loss. Stangel struck out three and walked three.

North Dakota State scratched out single runs over the first three innings and used the long ball to pull away from host Pacific in the second game. The top of the order combined for seven of the 10 Bison hits and all but one run against the Tigers.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Pacific's Nicole Zapotoczny hit a two-run home run to left field to give the Tigers a brief 2-1 lead.

North Dakota State took advantage of lead-off walks and a pair of wild pitches in the second and third innings to push across runs to tie the game and take the lead. Grable scored in the second inning on Joei Samper's run-scoring single. Moreland moved around the bases and scored on Grable's RBI ground out in the third.

NDSU extended the lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth frame. Sobrero led off with a single and Moreland connected for a two-run home run to left field. It was Moreland's first homer of the season.

The Bison closed out the scoring in the top of the seventh. Sobrero and Moreland started the inning with singles, and then Garcia belted a three-run home run to dead center. The 4-foot-11 Garcia has a team-high five homers. That trio went 7-for-11 with seven runs scored and five RBI.

Jacquelyn Sertic (3-2) worked the first 4-1/3 innings to pick up the win. Menke entered in the fifth inning, retiring all eight batters faced to earn her second save of the season. She now ranks No. 5 all-time with six career saves. Menke recorded five strikeouts and Sertic one.

Cassidy Gustafson (1-1) went the distance for Pacific. She walked four and struck out three. Molly Bourne went 2-for-4 to lead the Tigers.