GAINESVILLE, Fla. - North Dakota State, the 2019 Summit League Champions, offense burst for eight runs, on thirteen hits, including a three-hit performance from Stephanie Soriano to lead the Bison to an 8-2 victory over Longwood in the final game of the Bubly Invitational. 

Soriano was a force at the plate for North Dakota State (4-5) as she finished with a game-high three hits, while recording three RBIs and scored two runs herself in the 8-2 victory over Longwood (3-6). NDSU had three Bison join Soriano with a multi-hit performance as NDSU finished with 13 hits in the win. 

Longwood's offense started strong as Lauren Taylor singled through the left side to score Destiny Martinez in the top of the first. Kasey Carr followed Taylor's lead with a single to right-center, allowing Kelly Park to cross the plate in the second inning, as  Longwood and NDSU traded runs in the early innings. Both teams combined for five runs in two innings of play, with NDSU gaining a slight 3-2 advantage entering the third inning. 

The Bison offense pulled away from the Lancers in the fourth with a triple and two singles that scored four runs in the inning, giving NDSU a 7-2 advantage with time running out for Longwood. The Bison offense was not done yet and adding an insurance run in the sixth, securing the 8-2 victory. 

The bottom half of the lineup contributed to half of Longwood's offense as Kelly Park, Nia Green, and Kasey Carr combined for three hits in the loss. Sydney Jacobsen led the Lancers with two hits, and Lauren Taylor extended her on-base streak to eight consecutive games with a single in the first inning.

Four of Longwood's six hits came in the first two innings of play as the Lancers offense was limited in the final innings of the game by NDSU's Paige Vargas. Vargas allowed two runs and scattered six Lancer hits in her 7.0 innings of work in the circle.

Arleigh Wood got the nod to start in the circle for the Lancers and falls to 1-3 on the season after allowing eight runs on 13 hits. Wood struck out two Bison in her 6.0 innings of work for the Lancers. 

Youth is at the forefront for Longwood offensively, with freshman Lauren Taylor continuing to impress from the plate. Taylor is batting .500 (8-of-16) from the plate and has reached base in eight consecutive games for Longwood. Sophomore Sydney Jacobsen leads the Lancers with nine hits and an average of .346 from the plate. The duo combined for eight of Longwood's 26 hits from the Bubly Invitational. 

The loss is the fourth straight for the Lancers as Longwood falls to 3-6 on the season. Three of Longwood's last four losses have come against top competition. NDSU is fresh off a trip to the 2019 NCAA Tournament, with NDSU competing in the Minneapolis regional. 

Longwood returns to the Sunshine State on February 28 to open the UCF Invitational against the Cardinals of Ball State University. The first pitch against the Cardinals is set for 11:30 a.m. at the UCF Softball Complex in Orlando, Florida. 

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