Bison vs. Weber State Photo Gallery
Bison vs. Minnesota Photo Gallery

SEATTLE, Wash.--Jacquelyn Sertic struck out 12 and three players hit home runs as North Dakota State eliminated Weber State 5-2 in the second game at the NCAA Seattle Regional on Saturday, May 21 at Husky Softball Stadium, but No. 19-ranked Minnesota rallied for a 7-5 win to advance to Sunday's championship game against No. 11 seed and host Washington.

With the victory over Weber State, NDSU has won at least one NCAA tournament game in three straight appearances and its last four overall (2016, 2015, 2014 and 2012). The Bison finished the season with a 39-15 record.

Sertic, a sophomore right-hander from Sparks, Nev., rebounded from Friday's loss to Minnesota and limited Weber State to five hits in going the seven-inning distance. She struck out 12 batters to reach double-figures for the sixth time this season and walked two batters. Sertic finished the season with a 24-7 record.

North Dakota State took an early 2-0 lead when Maritza Lopez-Portillo launched an 0-1 pitch for two-run home run over the left field fence. Lopez-Portillo, who went 3-for-3 with her eighth homer of the season and double.

Weber State (37-19) cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the third on Aubrey Whitmer's sacrifice fly.

NDSU increased the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third on Cheyenne Garcia's solo home run to center. It was Garcia's fifth home run of the season.

The Bison widened the margin to 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jackie Stifter went opposite field and lined a home run to left center in leading off the frame. Garcia reached on an error and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Weber State made things interesting in the top of the seventh. Alyson Kulp lined a RBI double to left center, putting runners at second and third with two outs. However, Sertic recorded her 12th strikeout to end the game.

Kirtlyn Bohling (17-9), Bailey Seek and Tatiana Su'esu'e pitched for the Wildcats with Bohling picking up the loss. The trio combined to scatter six hits, strike out three and walk three.

North Dakota State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead against Minnesota (43-13) after the first two innings. Bre Beatty and Zoe Stavrou had RBI singles in the first, while Garcia laced an RBI double to right center.

However, the Gophers erupted for five runs in the top of the third to take the lead for good. Sydney Fabian drilled a three-run home run to left to highlight the uprising.

Minnesota increased the lead to 7-3 in the top of the fourth inning. Taylor LeMay hit a RBI single up the middle and Maddie Houlihan scored on a Bison throwing error.

NDSU cut the deficit to 7-5 in the bottom of the fourth. Jenna Isbel scored on a Minnesota error and Beatty knocked in her second run of the game on a single to right. Beatty went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

Minnesota finished with 10 hits led by Danielle Parlich's 3-for-4 effort at the plate. Kayla Wenner and LeMay both had two hits.

KK Leddy (14-8) and Sertic worked on the mound for the Bison. Leddy struck out two and walked five in six innings.

Nikki Anderson, Kylie Stober (4-3) and Sara Groenewegen pitched for the Gophers with Stober recording the win and Groenewegen earning her second save of he season. Groenewegen struck out five, walked one and allowed one hit over the final four innings.