The Basics
Score:  No. 1 North Dakota State 9, No. 4 South Dakota 8
Records: North Dakota State (36-13), South Dakota (15-37)
Location: Ellig Sports Complex – Fargo, N.D.

FARGO, N.D. – Top-seeded North Dakota State rallied to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat No. 4 South Dakota 9-8 in The Summit League Softball Championship Thursday afternoon at the Ellig Sports Complex.

Maritza Lopez-Portillo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two out to bring in the game-winning run. NDSU (36-13) has now won its last 31 contests against league opponents, including postseason play, dating back to 2015.

South Dakota (15-37) hit six home runs in the ballgame, setting a new league tournament record, two of which were hit by senior first baseman Yvon Minogue. Her second of the game was a three-run shot that gave the Coyotes an 8-6 lead going into the final inning. Minogue hit three homers in Wednesday's game to give her five home runs and 10 runs batted in in the two games.

Katie Shoultz started off the seventh inning with a single and advanced to second base after a Logan Moreland ground out. Cheyenne Garcia drew a walk and with two runners on, junior catcher Alyssa Reina doubled down the right-field line, scoring Shoultz, for NDSU's first run of the inning.

Julia Luciano tied the game with a single to left, however, Reina was thrown out at the plate trying to score the game-winning run. Back-to-back walks given up by USD starting pitcher Madison Frain loaded the bases with two out and Lopez-Portillo to the plate. Frain's 3-0 pitch to the right-handed batter struck her in the back, driving in the game-ending run.

Bre Beatty hit her first career home run in the third inning and Garcia hit a pair of home runs for the Bison. In addition to Minogue, USD got homers from Jessica Rogers, Shelby Keil, Taylor Steinfeldt and Jamie Holscher.

Turning Point
Maritza Lopez-Portillo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two out to bring in the game-winning run. The top-seeded Bison trailed 8-6 headed into the bottom of the seventh inning, but were able to rally and score three runs to walk off as 9-8 winners over fourth-seeded South Dakota.

Inside The Box Score

• Yvon Minogue of USD drove in a game-high four runs. Giving her 10 RBI in two games. All five of her hits in the tournament have left the yard.
• Steinfeldt and Holscher hit back-to-back home runs for South Dakota in the fourth inning.
• NDSU's Cheyenne Garcia belted a pair of home runs, her first since March 11 vs. Baylor.
• South Dakota hit .091 (1-for-11) with runners on base while NDSU hit .278 (5-for-18).
• USD starting pitcher Madison Frain tossed her second straight complete game, tossing 180 pitches and allowing 11 walks in the game.
• Summit League Pitcher of the Year Jacquelyn Sertic lasted just 3.1 innings for the Bison after allowing four runs on five hits. Freshman KK Leddy pitched the rests of the game in relief and picked up her 13^th win of the season.
• Eight of NDSU's nine starters recorded a base hit in the game.

News & Notes

• South Dakota set a team tournament record with six home runs in the game, breaking the previous record of four. Five of the six were solo home runs and all six runs in the game came via the long ball.
• NDSU has now won 31 straight games vs. league opponents, including the postseason, dating back to 2015.
• North Dakota State is now 3-0 all-time vs. South Dakota in The Summit League tournament.
• Player of the Year Logan Moreland extended her hitting streak to 24 games.
• The Bison are now 24-5 in Summit League tournament play. South Dakota falls to 4-7.
• The No. 1 seed is now 47-27 all-time in The Summit League Softball Championship.

Up Next
No. 1 North Dakota State advances to play No. 2 Omaha Friday at 1 p.m. CT. 

The Basics
Score: No. 2 Omaha 6, No. 6 IUPUI 1
Records: Omaha (30-27), IUPUI (18-34)
Location: Ellig Sports Complex – Fargo, N.D.

FARGO, N.D. – Omaha freshman pitcher Laura Roecker tossed a complete game, striking out a career-high 11 hitters, to give the Mavericks a 6-1 win over IUPUI Thursday afternoon at the Ellig Sports Complex. It is Omaha's first Summit League tournament victory in its first year of postseason eligibility since transitioning to Division I.

Roecker received run support early in the game as the Mavs (30-27) put across three runs in the first inning. That would be more than enough for the all-Summit League pitcher to pick up her 17^th win of the campaign.

IUPUI (18-34) hit .083 (1-for-12) with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners stranded on base in the ballgame. Roni Patterson doubled to score to Ali Mosier in the seventh inning, but that is all the Jaguars would be able to get off Roecker.

Lia Mancuso hit two solo home runs for Omaha, her fourth and fifth of the season, and went three-for-three on the day. Omaha moves on to play host and top-seeded North Dakota State Friday at 1:00 p.m. CT.

Turning Point
Omaha never trailed in the game, plating three runs in the home half of the first inning. Lia Mancuso would add a pair of insurance home runs in the fourth and sixth innings to give Omaha the 6-1 victory.

Inside The Box Score

• Omaha starting pitcher Laura Roecker tossed a complete game, striking out a career-best 11 hitters and allowed just one run on the day.
• IUPUI used three pitchers on the day with starter Brooke Boetjer lasting just one inning and receiving the loss. Jaguar reliever Kaitlynn Moody tossed four innings, striking out eight Mavericks.
• UNO center fielder Lia Mancuso was three-for-three on the day with a pair of solo home runs.
• Roni Patterson drove in the Jags' only run of the game with a double in the seventh inning. She had two doubles in the game.
• The teams combined to hit .091 (2-for-22) with runners in scoring position.

News & Notes

• Omaha collected its first-ever Summit League tournament win in its first year of postseason eligibility.
• The Mavs are now 3-0 against IUPUI this season and reach the 30-win mark for the third time in the last four seasons.
• The No. 2 seed has an all-time tournament record of 45-28.

Up Next
Omaha moves on to face No. 1 North Dakota State Friday at 1 p.m. CT.

The Basics
Score: No. 6 IUPUI 12, No. 4 South Dakota 5
Records: IUPUI (19-34), South Dakota (15-38)
Location: Ellig Sports Complex – Fargo, N.D.

FARGO, N.D. – Sixth-seeded IUPUI exploded for 12 runs to defeat No. 4 South Dakota 12-5 in The Summit League Championship Thursday evening at the Ellig Sports Complex. The Jaguars (19-34) advance to play Friday afternoon while the Coyotes' (15-38) season ends.

Ashley Ousley hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning that gave the Jags a 4-3 lead, a lead they would never relinquish, on their way to the scoring five unanswered runs in the win. IUPUI hit four home runs in the game and Brooke Boetjer pitched five innings of relief to collect the win.

South Dakota first baseman Yvon Minogue continued her torrid tournament by leading off the game with a solo home run. It was the senior's sixth long ball in three games in the tournament and her 11^th run batted in.

The Coyotes took a 3-2 lead in the third inning when Sydney Hancock and Christy Warnock hit back-to-back home runs, the 11^th and 12^th home runs hit by USD in the championship tournament.

IUPUI then rattled off five unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-3 lead into the sixth inning. USD plated two more runs but the Jaguars responded with a five-run sixth inning, putting the game away.

Turning Point
Ashley Ousley hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning that gave the Jags a 4-3 lead, a lead they would never relinquish on their way to the 12-5 win.

Inside The Box Score

• Yvon Minogue of South Dakota hit her sixth home run of the tournament in three games. She hit eight homers during the regular season to finish her season with 14. She drove in 11 runs in the three games.
• As a team, South Dakota hit 12 home runs in this year's Summit League Championship.
• IUPUI pitcher Brooke Boetjer picked up her second win of the tournament after pitching five innings of relief, striking out five.
• South Dakota combined to use three pitchers on the day, with starter Rachel Cue giving up six runs in four innings.
• The Jaguars had four players with a multiple-RBI day: Taylor Chitwood (3), Maggie Good (2), Roni Patterson (2) and Ashley Ousley (2).
• Sydney Hancock led the Coyotes with three runs batted in,

News & Notes

• IUPUI becomes the first No. 6 seed to win multiple Summit League tournament games since 1994. Overall, the six seed is 5-8 in tournament play.
• South Dakota swept all three regular-season meetings with the Jaguars. IUPUI now holds a 2-1 advantage in postseason play.

Up Next
IUPUI will face the loser of Friday's North Dakota State and Omaha matchup with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT.