MACOMB, Ill.--Freshman pitcher Jacquelyn Sertic picked up a pair of wins and centerfielder Alex Sobrero went 5-for-8 with four extra base hits as North Dakota State University swept Western Illinois Univeristy by the scores of 5-2 and 14-1 on Saturday, March 21, in the Summit League opening series for both teams at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium. The Bison have won eight straight games.

NDSU (22-5, 2-0 Summit League) and the Fighting Leathernecks (8-9, 0-2 Summit League) close out the series with an 11 a.m. single-game Sunday, March 22.

Sobrero, a senior from Paradise, Calif., was a catalyst from the start of the day for North Dakota State. The Bison took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Sobrero led off with a double and scored on an error.

NDSU extended the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. Jenna Isbel and Sobrero each belted RBI doubles to knock home the runs. Sobrero went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.

The Bison tacked on single runs over the final two frames. Amanda Grable delivered a run-scoring single in the sixth and Logan Moreland added a RBI single in the seventh.

Western Illinois made things interesting with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh highlighted by Teagan Walsh's RBI double. Walsh went 2-for-4.

Sertic, a righthander from Sparks, Nev., entered game one in relief of starter Krista Menke with one out in the fourth inning. Sertic allowed three hits, walked three and struck out one over 3-1/3 innings to pick up the win. Menke re-entered the game in the seventh to get the final out and record her third save of the season.

Kaycee Hart (4-3) picked up the loss for Western Illinois. Hart allowed eight hits, struck out six and issued no walks.

North Dakota State collected a season-high 16 hits including nine for extra bases to storm past the Fighting Leathernecks in game two.

It started in the first inning when the Bison busted out with four runs. Sobrero and Moreland each connected for doubles, NDSU took advantage of an error, Alyssa Reina and Grable pulled off the double steal and Maritza Lopez-Portillo added a RBI single.

Cheyenne Garcia took care of the scoring in the second with a solo home run, her seventh of the season, to extend the lead to 5-0.

NDSU then batted around and erupted for six runs in the top of the third to break the game open at 11-0. Jackie Stifter and Isbel each stroked run-scoring doubles. Garcia smacked a base-clearing three-run double to left field. Grable closed out the scoring with a RBI double. Garcia finished 3-for-4 with four RBI, three runs scored. Sobrero went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Moreland added three runs scored.

The Bison closed out the scoring with three runs in the top of the seventh. Sobrero led off with a triple, Moreland knocked her in with a base hit, and Reina had a two-run single.

Sertic (7-3) recorded her second win of the afternoon. She allowed six hits and one unearned run, while striking out three with no walks.

Kayla Kirkpatrick (2-5) and Brooke Stulga pitched for Western Illinois with Kirkpatrick picking up the loss. The pair combined to strike out four and walk three. Karissa Kouchis went 2-for-2 at the plate to pace WIU.