MACOMB, Ill. – North Dakota State dropped a 1-0 decision in game one, but rallied for an 11-3 win over Western Illinois in the second to split a Summit League softball doubleheader played Saturday, April 22, before 336 spectators at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium. The 11 runs were a season-high for the Bison
 
NDSU (6-5, SL, 19-26) and Western Illinois (10-4, 19-25) are scheduled to close out the Summit League series at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 23.
 
North Dakota State broke a 21-inning scoreless streak in the first inning of game two. Bre Beatty delivered a two-run double to score Zoe Stavrou and Vanessa Anderson. Dani Renner closed out the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
 
Western Illinois cut the gap to 3-1 in the bottom of the first on a lead-off home run from Rachel Beatty. NDSU worked past a bases-loaded jam after that with third baseman Julia Luciano, catcher Tabby Heinz and first baseman Vanessa Anderson turning a 5-2-3 double play.
 
North Dakota State extended the lead to 6-1 in the top of the third. Heinz hit a 2-1 pitch for a three-run home run to right center with two outs. It was the third homer of the season for Heinz.
 
The Bison tacked on three run in the top of the fourth to make it 9-1. Bre Beatty laced her second double of the game, scoring Anderson from first and Luciano stroked a two-run single – all with two outs. Beatty finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBI.
 
NDSU scored twice in the top of the fifth to widen the margin to 11-1. Anderson's ground out chased home Madyson Camacho and Beatty followed with a RBI single.
 
Western Illinois rallied back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Holly Hoelting lifted a sacrifice fly to score Rachel Beatty, while Hailey Duwa's infield single sent Nina Maggio home.
 
KK Leddy (7-7) earned the win for North Dakota State and improved to 4-1 in Summit League action. Leddy allowed six hits, struck out five and walked four. Montana DeCamp, Renner and Camacho each had two hits as the Bison collected 13 overall.
 
Brooke Stulga and Abbott pitched for Western Illinois with Stulga picking up the loss. The pair combined to strike out four and walk four.
 
In the opener, Emily Ira (10-11) struck out the first nine batters she faced and recorded 15 strikeouts overall for Western Illinois. She hit a pair of batters and worked past two Western Illinois errors to secure the shutout.
 
Ira, who issued no walks, allowed NDSU one hit, a one-out single to Stephanie Soriano in fourth inning.
 
Western Illinois scored in the bottom of the sixth. Beatty tripled with one out and scored on Nina Maggio's sacrifice fly to center.
 
Jacquelyn Sertic (12-19) took the loss for North Dakota State. Sertic struck out six, allowed two hits and walked one.