BROOKINGS, S.D. — Jacquelyn Sertic matched a career-high with 14 strikeouts in game one and Zoe Stavrou hit a grand slam in the second to highlight North Dakota State University's 7-2, 8-2 Summit League softball doubleheader sweep of South Dakota State University on Friday, April 15, at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium.
 
NDSU (26-13, 8-0 SL) and SDSU (14-28, 2-6 SL) are scheduled to close out the three-game series at noon Saturday, April 16.
               
Sertic, a sophomore right-hander from Sparks, Nev., reached double-figures in strikeouts for the third time this season. She had three strikeouts in the first and third innings.
 
Sertic improved to 18-6 overall and 5-0 in league play. She allowed only three hits, walked four and hit two batters.
 
The Bison broke into the scoring column in the top of the third inning when Alyssa Reina's single scored Jenna Isbel. Isbel sparked the NDSU offense and went 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
 
NDSU extended the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth inning. An error led to Julia Luciano crossing the plate, while Logan Moreland stroked a two-run single to left center to chase Maritza Lopez-Portillo and Isbel home.
 
Two of South Dakota State's hits were home runs – one by Ali Herdliska in the bottom of the fourth and the other by Lyndsey Crist in the sixth. Bryana Clark (7-11) suffered the loss. Clark walked six and struck out six.
 
 Isbel scored on another SDSU error in the sixth, while Lopez-Portillo delivered a two-run single with two outs and the bases-loaded in the seventh.
 
North Dakota State started the second game with a bang. Stavrou, a freshman from Long Beach, Calif., belted a grand slam to left center. It was the fourth grand slam of the season for the Bison and Stavrou's second home run of the season.
 
NDSU didn't hit the scoreboard until the fifth inning and widened the margin to 6-0. Cheyenne Garcia led off with a single and scored on Reina's double. Reina scored on a passed ball.
 
The Bison closed out the scoring in the top of the seventh. Reina's ground out scored Moreland, while a wild pitch sent Garcia across the plate. NDSU banged out 11 hits led by Katie Shoultz, Moreland and Garcia, who each had two.
 
South Dakota State averted the shutout on Mallory McQuistan's two RBI single. McQuistan led the Jackrabbits with two hits.
 
Kaitlyn "KK" Leddy worked the first six innings to record the win for the Bison and even her record at 7-7. Leddy allowed three hits, struck out two and walked two. Sertic gave up one hit in an inning of relief.
 
South Dakota State's Ashlyn Bender (6-16) picked up the loss. Bender struck out two and walked three.