Bison vs. Minnesota Photo Gallery
#19 Minnesota 7, NDSU 2 (Box Score).pdf

SEATTLE, Wash.--Sara Groenewegen struck out 11 batters and Paige Palkovich went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs batted in to lead No. 19-ranked Minnesota to a 7-2 win over North Dakota State University in the NCAA Seattle Regional played Friday, May 20, before 1,083 at the University of Washington's Husky Stadium.

NDSU (38-14) is scheduled to play the loser of Weber State-Washington in an elimination game at 5:30 p.m. Central Time Saturday, May 21, at Husky Stadium.

North Dakota State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when freshman Zoe Stavrou hit her first of two home runs. Stavrou smacked a 0-1 pitch to dead center.

Minnesota (42-12) tied the game in the bottom of the third when Sam Macken singled home Sydney Fabian.

The Gophers took the lead for good with two runs in the fourth inning.  Kayla Wenner and Sydney Dwyer belted back-to-back doubles with two outs. Dwyer advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch  to make it 3-1.

North Dakota State missed a golden opportunity in the top of the fifth inning when Julia Luciano led off with a double, Jackie Stifter was hit by pitch for the 18th time this season and Maritza Lopez-Portillo reached on an infield single. Groenewegen then struck out the next three batters.

And then Minnesota's offense widened the margin to 7-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning including Palkovich's line drive two-run home run to left. It was her seventh home run of the season.

Stavrou struck again in the top of the sixth with a line drive to left center. Stavrou became the 14th NDSU player to tie the single-game record for home runs in a game. She has four homers this season.

Jacquelyn Sertic (23-7) recorded the loss. She struck out five, walked one and hit one batter.

Groenewegen improved to 31-5 for Minnesota. She scattered three hits before being relieved by Nikki Anderson for the final two innings.