NDSU Softball Release (3-8-18).pdf

North Dakota State (9-5) is scheduled to open against Boise State (9-7) at 11 a.m. Central Time Friday, March 9, on the first day of the UCR Classic at the Amy S. Harrison Softball Field in Riverside, Calif. ... The Bison play host UC Riverside (15-6) at 4 p.m. CT on Friday ... The NDSU tournament schedule:

UCR Classic
Amy S. Harrison Softball Field, Riverside, Calif.
Friday, March 9
BISON (9-5) vs. Boise State (9-7), 11 a.m. CT | Live Stats
BISON vs. UC Riverside (14-6), 4 p.m. CT | Live Stats
Saturday, March 10
BISON vs. Colgate (1-9), 11 a.m. CT | Live Stats
Sunday, March 11
BISON vs. Columbia (3-6), 11 a.m. CT | Live Stats

Ticket Information
Ticket information for the UC Riverside Classic can be found at online here ... Ticket office phone number is (951) UCR GOLD (827-4653) and email is highlandertickets@ucr.edu

The Series
This will be the second meeting between North Dakota State and Boise State, members of the Mountain West ... The Broncos leads the series 1-0 ... This will be the second meeting between North Dakota State and UC Riverside, members of the Big West ... The Bison lead the series 1-0 ... This will be the second meeting between North Dakota State and Colgate, members of the Patriot League ... The Bison leads the series 1-0 ... This will be the fourth meeting between North Dakota State and Columbia, members of the Ivy League ... The Bison lead the series 2-1.

Quickly Around the Horn
 In the third NCAA statistics report (3-5-18), North Dakota State is No. 24 in doubles per game (1.64) and No. 34 in fielding percentage (.974) ... Individually, outfielder Bre Beatty is No. 3 with 9 doubles and No. 4 averaging 0.64 doubles per game ... Pitcher Jacquelyn Sertic is No. 22 with 79 strikeouts and No. 34 averaging 8.9 strikeouts per game ... Second baseman Zoe Stavrou is No. 17 in sacrifice hits per game (0.36) ... On the active NCAA DI career leader list, Jacquelyn Sertic is No. 4 with 78 complete games, No. 6 with 659 innings pitched, No. 7 with 712 strikeouts, No. 9 with 96 games started and 61 victories ... NDSU split a pair of nine-inning games at the UNLV Kick Off Classic ... The Bison lost 3-2 to host UNLV on Feb. 9 and beat Utah Valley 2-1 on Feb. 11 ... NDSU is 1-1 in extra innings this season ... The Bison stand 46-32 in extra innings under head coach Darren Mueller since 2002 ... North Dakota State is 59-52 in extra innings overall ... NDSU head coach Darren Mueller reached career win No. 550 with the 3-1 victory at Stetson University (3-10-17) ... Collectively, the Bison are batting .264 with a 2.52 earned run average and are fielding at .974 ... NDSU opponents are batting .234 with a 2.57 ERA and are fielding at .966 ... The Bison are averaging 4.14 runs scored per game, while opponents are averaging 2.93.

Sertic Selected #SummitSB Pitcher of the Week
North Dakota State right-hander Jacquelyn Sertic was named the Summit League Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season on March 5 ... It is the 12th career #SummitSB weekly honor for Sertic ... She compiled a 3-0 record with a 1.29 earned run average ... Sertic struck out 16 batters in 16.1 innings pitched and recorded her first shutout of the season

Trio Take Aim at NDSU Career Charts
On the NDSU career charts, pitcher Jacquelyn Sertic is No. 4 in batters faced (2783); No. 5 in strikeouts/7 IP (7.56 avg.), complete games (78), strikeouts (712) and innings pitched (659); No. 6 in appearances (124) and games started (96); No. 7 in wins (61) and saves (3); No. 8 in opponent batting avg. (.225) , and No. 9 in shutouts (14) ... Third baseman Julia Luciano is tied for No. 4 in times hit by pitch (14) ... Catcher Tabby Heinz is No. 8 in fielding pct. (.990).

The Scientist, Special K Notch Shutouts, Double-Figure Ks
North Dakota State's Jacquelyn Sertic #TheScientist has reached double-figure strikeouts four times in 2018 and 22 times in her career, the last coming with 10 strikeouts vs. Kent State (3-3-18) ... Sertic has one shutout this season vs. Kent State (3-3-18), and has 14 in her career ... Sertic has compiled a 61-39 record with three saves ... NDSU right-hander KK #SpecialK Leddy recorded her first career double-figure strikeout game with 13 against Southern Utah (2-9-18) ... Leddy notched her first shutout of the season vs. Yale (3-3-18) and has four in her career ... Leddy has compiled a 26-18 record.

Bison #SummitSB Preseason Favorite Sixth Straight Year
For the sixth consecutive year, North Dakota State was named The Summit League preseason softball favorite in a poll of the league's head coaches ... The Bison won their fifth-straight tournament title in 2017 ... NDSU earned five first-place votes for a total of 25 points ... NDSU retains a sizable core of its roster, including a league-best seven all-league selections from a year ago ... Jacquelyn Sertic (P) and Montana DeCamp (SS) return from the first team, while KK Leddy (P), Julia Luciano (3B), Bre Beatty (OF) and Stephanie Soriano (OF) round out the second team members ... Sertic was selected as a "Player to Watch" this season.

Eight NDSU Players Easton/NFCA Scholar Athletes
 Eight North Dakota State softball players were recognized as National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar Athletes for work in the classroom during the 2016-17 academic year ... Earning NFCA Scholar Athlete honors were first baseman Vanessa Anderson, shortstop Montana DeCamp, outfielder Courtney Johnson, pitchers KK Leddy and Jacquelyn Sertic, pitcher/outfielder Morgan Olson, second baseman Lauren Reimers and catcher Alyssa Reina ... Collectively, NDSU compiled a 3.746 grade point average and ranked No. 32 on the Easton/NFCA Division I All-Academic Team list.

The Mueller File
The North Dakota State head coach is Darren Mueller (17th season, 24th overall) ... Mueller has compiled a 580-320 record (.644) including 179-42 (.810) vs. Summit League competition (including tournament) ... Mueller reached career win No. 550 at Stetson (3-10-17) ... The Bison had 10 straight 30-plus win season ... Mueller became the program's all-time winningest coach with the 4-1 victory at Western Illinois (4-16-11) ... North Dakota State has won eight Summit League tournament championships (2009-10-11-12, 2014-15-16-17) to advance to NCAA regional play ... The Bison won the NCAA Norman Regional in 2009 and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional at Arizona State ... NDSU has won six Summit League regular season crowns (2008, 2012-13-14-15-16) ... Rounding out the Bison staff are assistant coaches Gerice Olson and Beth Spoehr ... The NDSU coaching staff earned the 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Summit League Coaching Staff of the Year honors ... The NDSU staff earned 2009, 2015 and 2016 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year award ... Mueller was the 2006 and 2007 Division I Independent Coach of the Year.