OMAHA, Neb. - Right fielder Garret Hill hit two home runs to lift North Dakota State to a 4-1 victory over Omaha on Friday, March 15, in the first of a three-game Summit League baseball series at Tal Anderson Field.

Hill, who also made a diving catch to help preserve a one-run lead in the sixth inning, lifted a solo homer to left in the fifth and a two-run shot in the seventh. Those were the first two home runs of his collegiate career.

NDSU left-hander Nolan Johnson pitched seven strong innings with five strikeouts, no walks and five hits to improve to 2-0 on the season. Skyler Riedinger tossed a perfect eighth and Joey Danielson earned his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

Omaha got its only run of the game with a leadoff home run from Grant Sommers in the sixth inning. Noah Griese added two hits for the Mavericks, and James Dunlap had two hits for NDSU.

Charlie Bell took the loss for Omaha. Bell allowed two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts in six innings of work.

Game 2 of the series between the Bison (4-13) and Mavericks (2-14) is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, March 16.