North Dakota State
Tennessee Tech
Bison Softball Begins 2014 Season at Auburn Plainsman Invite Feb. 7-8
2/6/2014 12:42:00 PM | Softball
| 2014 Auburn Plainsman Invitational |
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Friday, Feb. 7: North Dakota State vs. Morehead State 3:30 p.m. | Auburn, Ala. Friday, Feb. 7: North Dakota State at Auburn 6 p.m. | Auburn, Ala. Live Stats Saturday, Feb. 8: North Dakota State vs. Tennessee Tech 11 a.m. | Auburn Ala. Saturday, Feb. 8: North Dakota State vs. Notre Dame 1 p.m. | Auburn, Ala. |
| Social Media: @NDSUAthletics | @NDSUsoftball |
| Complete Game Notes (PDF) |
Setting the Scene
- North Dakota State softball begins the 2014 season Feb. 7-8 at the Auburn Plainsman Invite.
- NDSU returns 13 players and all nine position starters from a team that went 33-16 last season and 17-1 in Summit League play and captured the league's regular season title for the third time in program history.
- The Bison will face two teams receiving votes in the NFCA Preseason Top-25 in host Auburn and Notre Dame.
- NDSU will also battle Morehead State and Tennessee Tech.
- The Bison are the preseason favorite to win The Summit League as chosen by the league's coaches.
Series History
- The Bison will meet Morehead State, Auburn and Tennessee Tech for the first time in program history in the Auburn Plainsman Invite.
- NDSU's contest against Notre Dame will mark the fourth meeting all-time with the Bison trailing in the series, 1-2.
Scouting the Opponents
Morehead State
Morehead State is coming off a 2013 season that saw them go 24-25 overall and 10-14 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Eagles return three position players and two pitchers from last season's team.
The head coach for Morehead State, entering his third season, is David Williams.
Auburn
The Auburn Tigers finished the 2013 campaign with an overall record of 30-23 and were 7-17 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They are receiving votes in the NFCA Preseason Top-25 poll.
Auburn returns 11 position players and all four pitchers from last season's team.
The head coach for the Tigers is Clint Myers. He is entering his first season at Auburn.
Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles are coming off a 2013 season that saw them post a 22-28 overall record and an 11-11 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play.
Tennessee Tech welcomes back seven position starters and three pitchers from last season's team.
The Golden Eagles are led by second season head coach Bonnie Bynum.
Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame went 43-15 last season and finished first in the Big East Conference with a record of 19-3.
Notre Dame advanced to the 2013 NCAA Regionals and posted a 0-2 record.
The Fighting Irish return 13 Monogram Winners to the 2014 team. Notre Dame is receiving votes in the NFCA Preseason Top-25 poll.
Notre Dame's head coach is Deanna Gumpf, who is entering her 13th season.
Catching-up with the Bison
The Bison are coming off a 2013 season that saw them go 33-16 overall and an impressive 17-1 in Summit League play. NDSU captured its third league regular season title.
NDSU welcomes back 13 players from last season's squad, including all nine position starters and two pitchers.
All-Summit League first-team selection Jenina Ortega, along with second-team honorees Brandi Enriquez, Amanda Grable and Cheyenne Garcia all return for the Bison in 2014.
Bison Tabbed First in Summit League Softball Preseason Poll
Two-time defending regular season champion, North Dakota State was tabbed as the favorite to win the 2014 Summit League Softball Championship in a poll of the league's seven head coaches.
The Bison tallied 33 total points and four first-place votes after winning their second-consecutive regular season title and third in the last six years.
NDSU returns 13 players from last season's team that went 33-16 and 17-1 in league play, including first team all-league honoree Jenina Ortega and second team selections Brandi Enriquez, Amanda Grable and Cheyenne Garcia.
Omaha was picked second and received one first-place vote. The Mavericks welcome back a quartet of all-league members, including the 2013 Summit League Freshman of the Year Campbell Ditto. Joining Ditto are Dana Elsasser, Amber Lutmer and Allie Matthewson.
Fort Wayne, the 2013 Summit League Tournament champion, was tabbed third and collected two first-place votes. The Mastodons return four all-league performers in Alex Bousquet, Ashleigh Bousquet, Larissa Franklin and Miranda Kramer.
South Dakota and Western Illinois tied for fourth while IUPUI and South Dakota State rounded out the poll at sixth and seventh.
Record Watch
Senior catcher Jenina Ortega currently ranks sixth in career putouts at NDSU with 776 entering the 2014 campaign. Junior third baseman Amanda Grable is ninth in most home runs entering the season with 19. Junior pitcher Krista Menke currently sits in ninth place for most complete games in a career with 42. She also ranks seventh in most strikeouts per seven inning games with an average of 5.8 per game and seventh in lowest opponent batting average, holding opposing batters to a .219 average.
Experience Matters
Entering the 2014 season, five of the nine Bison returning position starters started at least 40 games last season.
Up Next
The Bison travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to take part in the Florida State Renegade Classic Feb. 14-16.
