MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – No. 4/5-ranked Minnesota defeated North Dakota State by the scores of 3-1 and 6-0 to sweep a non-conference doubleheader played on a cold and overcast Wednesday, April 26, at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
 
NDSU (7-5, SL, 20-28) is scheduled to host South Dakota State (4-8 SL, 17-30) in a three-game Summit League series on April 29-30 at the Ellig Sports Complex.
 
In the opener, Maddie Houlihan put Minnesota (45-3) ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run double to left center.
 
Allie Arneson led off the bottom of the sixth to extend the Gophers lead to 3-0. Sam Macken, Houlihan and Arneson each had two hits.
 
North Dakota State broke up the shutout bid in the top of the seventh. Zoe Stavrou cracked a RBI single to score pinch-runner Courtney Johnson from second with two outs. Stephanie Soriano and Stavrou both collected two hits for the Bison
 
Sara Groenewegen improved to 23-2 for Minnesota with the win. Groenewegen struck out 12, allowed five hits and walked two.
 
KK Leddy (7-8) took the loss. Leddy gave up nine hits, walked four and struck out two. Leddy was able to work out of trouble in several innings, but alert defense from Julia Luciano at third and Stavrou at second.
 
Minnesota jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in game two on Sydney Dwyer's two-out, two-run single, and tacked on another run in the third when Houlihan scored on Sara Groenewegen's fielder's choice.
 
The Gophers, which finished with nine hits, widened the margin to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth. Dwyer hit a sacrifice fly to score Erika Rozell. Dwyer finished with three RBI.
 
Kendyl Lindaman completed the scoring with a two-run home to left in the bottom of the sixth. Lindaman went 3-for-4, while MaKenna Partian added a pair of base hits.   
 
Amber Fiser (11-0) earned the win for Minnesota. Fiser struck out nine, allowed five hits and issued no walks. She retired 11 batters in a row between the second and third innings.
 
Jacquelyn Sertic (13-20) took the loss. Sertic struck out six and walked four.
 
Stavrou went 2-for-3 to lead NDSU and completed the doubleheader 4-for-7.