Setting the Scene

• NDSU softball will travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo., for a single game against Southeast Missouri State Tuesday, March 18, before traveling to Columbia, Mo., to participate in the University of Missouri Mizzou Tournament Friday, March 21 through Sunday, March 23.
• The Bison will face Ball State and Kansas City on day one of the Mizzou Tournament Friday before taking on Ball State again and the host Missouri Tigers Saturday. NDSU will round out the tournament with a game against Oklahoma State Sunday.
• NDSU is coming off a 2-1 weekend at the Illinois Fighting Illini Classic. The Bison defeated Saint Louis, 7-3 and Illinois, 7-4, before falling to Western Michigan, 3-2.
• NDSU trailed 4-1 going into the top of the 7th inning in the game against Illinois and proceeded to score six runs to take a 7-4 lead. The Bison worked around a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh to seal the come-from-behind win.

 
Series History

• Southeast Missouri State:  NDSU enters Tuesday's game at Southeast Missouri State with a 1-0 lead over the Redhawks in the all-time series. The lone meeting occurred back in 1981 with the Bison defeating Southeast Missouri State, 3-1.
• Ball State: NDSU's pair of games against Ball State in the Mizzou Tournament will be the fourth and fifth meetings in the all-time series. The Bison lead the series, 2-1, with the Cardinals. The last meeting, a 3-1 Bison victory, occurred in 2007.
• Kansas City:  The Bison's game against Kansas City Friday in the Mizzou Tournament will be the 23rd meeting in the all-time saga. NDSU holds a commanding 20-2 lead in the series. The last meeting between the two teams was in The Summit League tournament in 2013 with the Bison defeating the Roos, 6-5.
• Missouri: The Bison and Tigers will meet for the 10th time on the softball field Saturday in the Mizzou Tournament. NDSU has struggled against the Tigers and is winless in the all-time series (0-9). NDSU and Mizzou last met in the 2011 season with the Tigers defeating the Bison, 11-2 , Columbia.
• Oklahoma State: NDSU and Oklahoma State will meet for the first time Sunday in the Mizzou Tournament.

Scouting the Opponents

• Southeast Missouri State: The Redhawks enter the week with a record of 5-8. SEMO, an Ohio Valley Conference member, is led by Savannah Carpenter (.487 avg., 19 H, 39 AB, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .872 SLG%). The primary pitchers for Southeast Missouri State are Keaira Schilling (5.69 ERA, 1-3, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 32.0 IP, 42 H, 26 ER, 18 BB, 25 SO, .311 b/avg.) and Aubrey Denno (7.25 ERA, 2-4, 2 CG, 28.0 IP, 38 H, 29 ER, 11 BB, 16 SO, .314 b/avg.).
• Ball State: Ball State begins the week with an overall record of 14-9. The Cardinals, a MAC member, are paced by Jennifer Gilbert (.352 avg., 25 H, 71 AB, 6 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 29 RBI, .845 SLG%), Taylor Rager (.392 avg., 29 H, 74 AB, 12 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 21 RBI, .703 SLG%) and Audrey Bickel (.357 avg., 25 H, 70 AB, 9 2B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, .614 SLG%. The main pitcher for Ball State is Kelsey Schifferdecker (4.16 ERA, 7-3, 5 CG, 1 SHO, 67.1 IP, 85 H, 40 ER, 29 BB, 32 SO, .304 b/avg.).
• Kansas City: Kansas City enters the week at 8-11 overall. The Kangaroos, a WAC member, are led by Katie Kelly (.321 avg., 17 H, 53 AB, 5 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .528 SLG%) and Caitlin Christopher (.231 avg., 12 H, 52 AB, 3 HR, 14 RBI, .404 SLG%). The Roos' primary pitcher is Katie Kelly (3.99 ERA, 3-4, 5 CG, 1 SHO, 47.1 IP, 50 H, 27 ER, 25 BB, 35 SO, .262 b/avg.).
• Missouri: The Tigers enter the week with an overall record of 16-7 and are ranked 16th in the latest NFCA/USA Today Top-25 Poll. MU, an SEC member, is paced by Emily Crane (.419 avg., 31 H, 74 AB, 7 2B, 3 HR, 26 RBI, .635 SLG%, 9-10 SB) and Mackenzie Sykes (.271 avg., 19 H, 70 AB, 3 2B, 4 HR, 20 RBI, .486 SLG%). The primary pitchers for Mizzou are Tori Finucane (2.00 ERA, 7-3, 5 CG, 3 SHO, 66.2 IP, 63 H, 19 ER, 23 BB, 50 SO, .253 b/avg.) and Casey Stangel (2.32 ERA, 7-4, 6 CG, 1 SHO, 63.1 IP, 55 H, 21 ER, 27 BB, 35 SO, .231 b/avg.).
• Oklahoma State: The Cowgirls begin the week with an overall record of 17-10. Oklahoma State, a Big 12 Conference member, is led by Tiffany Mikkelson (.338 avg., 26 H, 77 AB, 7 2B, 3 HR, 23 RBI, .545 SLG%). The Cowgirls' main pitcher is Simone Freeman (1.38 ERA, 12-5, 12 CG, 4 SHO, 1 SV, 116.2 IP, 69 H, 23 ER, 40 BB, 159 SO, .165 b/avg.).

 
Catching-up with the Bison: NDSU enters the week at 15-9 overall after going 2-1 in the Illinois Fighting Illini Classic this past weekend in Urbana, Ill. The Bison are led by Amanda Grable (.333 avg., 23 H, 69 AB, 5 2B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, .536 SLG%), Cheyenne Garcia (.370 avg., 27 H, 73 AB, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 18 RBI, .507 SLG%) and Alex Sobrero (.365 avg., 27 H, 74 AB, 7 2B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, .541 SLG%). The Bison's primary pitchers are Krista Menke (2.04 ERA, 10-3, 10 CG, 3 SHO, 2 SV, 92.2 IP, 77 H, 27 ER, 41 BB, 78 SO, .228 b/avg.) and Tabby Bayers (4.92 ERA, 3-4, 2 CG, 48.1 IP, 49 H, 34 ER, 27 BB, 44 SO, .266 b/avg.).
 
Balanced Production: Through 24 games, NDSU has eight players with at least eight RBI.
 
Power Hitters: The Bison have hit a combined 18 home runs in their first 24 games. Cheyenne Garcia, Brandi Enriquez, and Dani Renner each have one long ball while Alex Sobrero, Logan Moreland and Jenna Isbel have gone yard twice. Amanda Grable, Jenina Ortega and Maritza Lopez-Portillo lead the team with three round-trippers each. 
 
Base Stealers: NDSU has eight players who have stolen at least two bases through 24 games. Cheyenne Garcia leads the team, going 10-for-11 in stolen base attempts, while Logan Moreland is second with five successful attempts in eight tries. Amanda Grable (4-4), Brandi Enriquez (3-3), Jenna Isbel (3-3) Alex Sobrero (3-5), Jenina Ortega (2-2), and Presley Glaser (2-3) round out the Bison with at least two stolen bases.
 
Bison in The Summit League Statistics
Relevant Team Statistics:

• Batting Average: 3rd (.299)
• Home Runs: 2nd (18 HR)
• RBI: 3rd (116)
• Stolen Bases: 3rd (34 SB)
• Slugging Percentage: 2nd (.444)
• Innings Pitched: 4th (152.2 IP)
• Hits: 3rd (140)
• Earned Runs: T-4th (69)
• ERA: 4th (3.16)
• Strikeouts: 3rd (126)

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.
 
Up Next
       The Bison begin Summit League play with three games at IUPUI March 28 and 29. NDSU will play a doubleheader March 28 and a single game on the 29.