MACOMB, Ill. – Freshman shortstop Montana DeCamp delivered the eventual game-winning single with two outs in the top of the eighth as North Dakota State came back from a three-run deficit to defeat Western Illinois 5-4 in a Summit League softball game played Sunday, April 23, at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium.
 
NDSU (7-5, SL, 20-26) is play at No. 5-ranked Minnesota (42-3) in a 4 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday, April 26, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium in Minnesota. The Bison host South Dakota State for a three-game Summit League series on April 29-30.
 
Taking advantage of a dropped foul ball, Bre Beatty doubled with two outs. Montana DeCamp then singled on the next pitch to knock in Beatty. DeCamp went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double as the Bison outhit the Leathernecks 11-4.
 
North Dakota State tied the game 4-4 in the top of the seventh. DeCamp led off with a single, Dani Renner doubled with one out and Madyson Camacho came through with a two-out, two-run single to tie the game.
 
Western Illinois (10-5 SL, 19-25) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on Hailey Duwa's two-run home run. Duwa finished with two hits.
 
The Leathernecks extended the lead to 3-0 on a Kelsey Marlow sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third.
 
North Dakota State cut the deficit to 3-1 in the top of the fourth on Julia Luciano's RBI single, while Tabby Heinz hit her fourth home run of the season to cut the gap to 3-2 in the top of the fifth. Luciano and Camacho each had two hits.
 
Western Illinois added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-2 when Nina Maggio scored on a NDSU error.
 
Jacquelyn Sertic (13-19) earned the win for the Bison. Sertic struck out nine, walked four and allowed four hits.
 
Emily Ira (10-12) took the loss for Western Illinois. Ira allowed nine hits, struck out five and issued no walks. She tossed a one-hitter and struck out 15 in Saturday's 1-0 win over NDSU.