The University of North Dakota softball team lost to the University of Minnesota on Apr. 21 by a score of 6-2 at Jane Sage Crowles Stadium. The Fighting Hawks now have a record of 25-19, while the Gophers improved to 15-30.
Despite outhitting Minnesota nine to five, North Dakota could not recover from an early deficit. Eight different UND players recorded hits, with Chloe Bethune leading the team with two hits and one run batted in. Other players contributing hits included Camryn Lasota, Quincie Chunestudey, Katelyn Neumayer, Jaedyn Valdez, Brooklyn House, Arianna Robillard—who also had an RBI—and Brooklyn Morris.
Pitcher Tehya Armstrong took the loss for North Dakota after pitching two innings and allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out three batters. Unity Nelson relieved Armstrong for three innings and allowed just one hit and one run but walked six batters and struck out two. Lasota pitched a scoreless inning with no hits allowed and one strikeout.
Minnesota took an early lead by scoring once in the first inning before adding four more runs in the second after capitalizing on three hits and two errors by North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks scored their first run in the fourth inning when Bethune singled home Chunestudey. In the sixth inning, Robillard drove in another run for UND as they loaded the bases but failed to capitalize further.
North Dakota will return home for a series against Omaha starting Thursday at 6 p.m., beginning a stretch of five games over four days.
