STOCKTON, Calif.—Krista Menke struck out a career-high 16 batters and Cheyenne Garcia went 3-for-3 with a double, one triple and three RBI as North Dakota State University held off the University of Montana for an 8-6 win on Sunday, March 1, at Bill Simoni Field. NDSU completed the University of the Pacific Libby Matson Tournament with a 5-0 record.

North Dakota State (12-3) is scheduled to play Brigham Young University (13-6) at 11 a.m. Central on Thursday, March 5, in the opening game of the University of Tennessee Tournament in Knoxville.

Menke, a 5-foot-11 senior from Friend, Neb., need all 16 strikeouts against Montana (1-12). The Grizzlies rallied from a 7-1 deficit with five runs in the top of the sixth inning to tighten things up.

Montana took advantage of an error, a Gabby Martinez single and Bethany Olea's two-run double to right field to cut the deficit to 7-3. Then Tori Lettus lifted a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run home run as the Griz closed to within 7-6. Menke recorded her 14th strikeout to end the inning.

North Dakota State added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Logan Moreland led off with a single down the right field line. Garcia followed with a single, misplayed by the left fielder to score Moreland.

Menke recorded a pair of strikeouts to finish with the career-high 16 strikeouts and improve to 8-1 on the season. It was the seventh time this season she reached double-figure strikeouts and 14th time in her career. Menke gave up five hits, walked one and hit a batter.

Garcia, a 4-foot-11 junior second baseman from Vista, Calif., finished 3-for-3 with a double, triple and three runs batted in. Her two-out, two-run double highlighted a four-run second inning that put the Bison ahead 4-0. Katie Shoultz and Alex Sobrero each had infield RBI base hits in the frame.

NDSU increased the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the third. Jackie Stifter belted her second of two doubles during the contest and scored on Bre Beatty's two-out RBI single.

Montana's Delene Colburn hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the fourth inning to cut the margin to 5-1.

North Dakota State answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Moreland led off with a single and scored on Garcia's triple to right center. Garcia then scored on Amanda Grable's infield single. Moreland ended the game 3-for-3 with three runs scored.

The Bison finished with a season-high 15 hits. Sobrero, Grable, Stifter and Shoultz each had two hits to join Garcia and Moreland in the multi-hit category.

Meggie Reitz (1-2) worked the first 5-1/3 innings and picked up the loss for Montana. Colburn led the Grizzlies with two hits.