PHOTO GALLERY vs. Montana (2-28-15)STOCKTON, Calif.--North Dakota State scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to storm past host University of the Pacific 5-1 and used a pair of four-run innings to club the University of Montana 10-3 on Saturday, Feb. 28, during the second day of the Libby Matson Tournament at Bill Simoni Field.
NDSU (11-3), which is 4-0 this weekend, is scheduled to close out tournament play against Montana (1-11) at 10:30 a.m. Central on Sunday, March 1. Host Pacific edged the Grizzlies 7-6 in Saturday's final game.
North Dakota State found itself down 1-0 with two outs in the top of the seventh against Pacific. However, freshman
Katie Shoultz drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on
Alex Sobrero's single to tie the game at 1-1. Sobrero, who broke an 0-for-8 streak at the plate with the hit, moved into scoring position on the throw to the plate.
Logan Moreland singled to left to knock in Sobrero, put the Bison ahead 2-1 and open the floodgates.
NDSU proceeded to hit three straight doubles.
Cheyenne Garcia ripped a double to left center to score Moreland.
Alyssa Reina drilled a double to center to drive in Garcia.
Amanda Grable doubled to right center to send Reina across the plate and extend the lead to 5-1. The Bison collected five of their 10 hits in the seventh inning.
Pitcher
Krista Menke (7-1) was the beneficiary. Menke shut the door in the seventh to complete her third two-hitter of the season and 17th of her career. She struck out eight, walked one and hit a batter.
Pacific pitcher Dani Bonnet matched Menke for six innings, allowing only five hits and carrying a shutout into the seventh. Bonnet struck out six, walked three and had defensive help. The Tigers turned a double play to snuff out a NDSU threat in the third inning and also erased a runner at the plate in the sixth.
Garcia led the Bison with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate including a pair of doubles and a run batted in. Moreland and Reina each went 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI. Sara Anderson and Molly Bourne each had a hit for Pacific.
Maritza Lopez-Portillo went 2-for-3 with four RBI as North Dakota State used a pair of four-run innings, in the fourth and the sixth innings to pull away from Montana in the opener. Reina was busy, going 2-for-3 with four runs scored.
The Grizzlies used a hit batter and an error, along with MaKenna McGill's RBI single in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead.
NDSU rallied behind a pair of two-run doubles, the first off the bat of Lopez-Portillo to center and the second from
Jenna Isbel to center, to put the Bison on top 5-2. Lopez-Portillo hit a sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 6-2 in the fifth inning.
North Dakota State blew the game open with four runs in the top of the sixth inning. The Bison took advantage of three walks, an error and passed ball. Garcia and Lopez-Portillo each added run-scoring singles.
Back-to-back doubles from Delene Colburn and Bethany Olea accounted for Montana's final run. Colburn had two hits, both doubles.
Jacquelyn Sertic (4-2) recorded the complete game win for NDSU. Sertic struck out five, allowed four hits and walked one. Kenzie Cole (0-5) picked up the loss for the Grizzlies. Cole walked eight and struck out five.
