TAMPA, Fla. – North Dakota State dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 4-ranked Auburn and shutout 7-0 by host University of South Florida on Friday, March 17, during the first day of the USF Spring Classic at the USF Softball Stadium.
 
NDSU (10-17) continues tournament play Saturday, March 18, against Missouri at 11 a.m. and Ohio State at 3:45 p.m.
 
Madi Gipson singled through the right side to score Bree Fornis to lift Auburn (23-3) to the win in the first game.
 
North Dakota State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth on Vanessa Anderson's lead-off home run to right field. It was Anderson's fourth home run of the season. It was also NDSU's first hit of the game.
 
Auburn quickly tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Kasey Cooper hit a solo home run to right field. Cooper led the Tigers with two hits.
 
Stephanie Soriano had a double and Tabby Heinz a single for NDSU.
 
Jacquelyn Sertic (8-12) recorded the loss. Sertic gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked three in 6.1 innings of work.
 
Auburn's Kaylee Carlson improved to 14-0 with the victory. Carlson struck out seven, scattered three hits and walked three.
 
Morgan Gross went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and Bethaney Keen went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI to lead USF (19-12) to the win in game two. Astin Donovan had two hits and scored twice for the Bulls, who finished with 11 hits overall
 
Gross' two-run single helped to extend the USF lead from 3-0 to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Vanessa Anderson had two of the four Bison hits.
 
KK Leddy (2-5) and Sertic pitched for NDSU with Leddy taking the loss. Leddy struck out three and walked two over 5.2 innings pitched.
 
Kalen McGill (6-3) and Cheyenne Eggens pitched for USF with McGill posting the win. McGill struck out five and walked one.