LAS VEGAS, Nev. – North Dakota State softball picked up a doubleheader split with UNLV Saturday afternoon at Eller Media Stadium, winning game one 2-1 in nine innings, before falling 8-5 in game two.
 
The Bison would break a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh of game one, as Star Cortez scored from second on a dropped pop up with two outs, giving the Bison the lead. However, UNLV would answer right back with a double and then an RBI single in the bottom half to force extras.
 
In the top of the ninth, Jasmyn Yessian led off the inning with a solo home run, sending a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left center for her third home run of the season to put the Bison back in front.
 
Savy Williams tossed all nine innings for the win, allowing just the one run on eight hits with three strikeouts for her fifth win of the season. Ella Claus was the only Bison with two hits in the game, as the Bison finished with seven overall.
 
In game two, the Lady Rebels jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a home run in the bottom of the first, but Claus sparked a 4-run second for NDSU with an RBI double. Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage followed it up with a RBI bunt to score the second run. NDSU then capitalized on a wild pitch and an error to take the lead.
 
UNLV would retake the lead with two in the bottom of the second, before Zoe King's RBI single tied the game in the fifth. The hosts would re-take the lead in the bottom of the fifth and added a two-run home run in the sixth to go ahead 8-5.
 
Reanna Rudd and King had two hits each for the Bison, who finished with seven in the game. Addie Bowers picked up the loss, allowing eight runs in six innings. She finished with two strikeouts.
 
The Bison and Lady Rebels will play the rubber match of the series on Sunday, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. CT from Eller Media Stadium.