OMAHA, Neb.—Krista Menke tossed a three-hitter and Alyssa Reina went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and a double as North Dakota State University defeated the University of Nebraska-Omaha 5-1 in a Summit League softball game played at Westfield Field at Westbrook. The Bison won 2-of-3 three games to take the league series.
 
North Dakota State (25-6, 5-1 Summit League) is scheduled to play the University of Nebraska (18-14, 6-2 Big Ten) in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln.
 
NDSU bounced back from the second game loss on Saturday. The Bison struck with three runs in the top of the third inning. Alex Sobrero led off with a double and scored on Logan Moreland's single to center. Moreland advanced to second on the throw, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Cheyenne Garcia's base hit. Reina hit a solo home run, her team-leading eighth of the season, to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Omaha (16-15, 4-2 Summit League) threatened in the second but Reina threw out a baserunner attempting to steal third. NDSU snuffed out another rally in the bottom of the fifth when the Mavs had runners on first and third, but Menke put up a stop sign with a strikeout.
 
The Bison tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Garcia singled and Reina doubled to put runners in scoring position with one out. Garcia scored on an error and Reina crossed the plate on Maritza Lopez-Portillo's squeeze bunt single.
 
Omaha averted the shutout in the bottom of the seventh when Megan May hit a solo home run with one out. Menke struck out the final two batters to end the game.
 
Menke (18-2) picked up her second win in the series. She struck out 10, walked three and hit one batter. Menke reached double-figure strikeouts for the 16th time this season and 23rd in her career.
 
Omaha used Jaylee Hinrichs (7-5) and Kat Barrow on the mound with Hinrichs taking the loss. Barrow worked the final 4-2/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk.
 
NDSU finished with 12 hits led by Moreland's 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Jackie Stifter, Sobrero and Reina each finished with two hits.