NDSU Softball Release.pdf
North Dakota State (4-4) is scheduled to play in the Auburn Tiger Invitational on Feb. 22-24 at Jane B. Moore Field (2,316) ... The Bison will play No. 22/21-ranked Auburn (7-3), Troy (7-3), Villanova (3-2) and Eastern Illinois (3-6) ... Friday's game against Auburn will be on SECN+/WatchESPN with Brad Law and Brit Bowen on the call ... The schedule:
Auburn Tiger Invitational
Jane B. Moore Field / Auburn, Ala.
Friday, Feb. 22
BISON (4-4) vs. #22/21 Auburn (7-3), 4:30 p.m. SECN+/WatchESPN
BISON vs. Troy (7-3), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 23
BISON vs. #22/21 Auburn, 4:30 p.m. SECN+/WatchESPN
BISON vs. Villanova (3-2), 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 24
BISON vs. Eastern Illinois (3-6), 9 a.m.
The Series
This will be the fifth meeting between North Dakota State and Auburn, members of the Southeastern Conference ... The Tigers lead the series 3-1 ... This is the first meeting between North Dakota State and Troy University, members of the Sun Belt Conference ... This will be the first meeting between North Dakota State and Villanova, members of the Big East ... This will be the seventh meeting between North Dakota State and Eastern Illinois, members of the Ohio Valley Conference ... The Bison lead the series 5-1.
Quickly Around the Horn
North Dakota State is 1-0 in extra innings this season, beating Texas State 4-3 in 10 innings on Feb. 10 ... NDSU stands 50-32 in extra innings under head coach
Darren Mueller since 2002 ... The Bison are 63-52 in extra innings overall ... Collectively, the Bison are batting .272 with a 4.55 earned run average and are fielding at .955 ... NDSU opponents are batting .265 with a 3.27 ERA and are fielding at .950 ... The Bison are averaging 4.88 runs scored per game, while opponents are averaging 5.12.
Quintet Takes Aim at NDSU Career Charts
On the NDSU career charts, third baseman
Julia Luciano is tied for No. 4 in times hit by pitch (14) ... Outfielder
Katie Shoultz is No. 5 in fielding (.993), and No. 8 in stolen bases (61) and stolen base attempts (78) ... Second baseman
Zoe Stavrou is tied for No. 7 in sacrifice flies (6) ... Pitcher
KK Leddy is No. 9 in strikeouts (281), innings pitched (402.2) and batters faced (1,901) ... Catcher
Maddie Hansen is No. 4 in fielding percentage (.989)
#SpecialK Notches Shutouts, Double-Figure Ks
North Dakota State right-hander KK #SpecialK Leddy recorded her second career double-figure strikeout game with 13 against UTSA (2-9-19), matching the 13 Ks vs. Southern Utah (2-9-18) ... Leddy tossed a three-hit shutout past Northern Colorado (2-13-19), her first of the season and eighth of her career ... Leddy has compiled a 34-28 record.
Bison #SummitSB Preseason Favorite
For the seventh 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 ninth tournament title in 2018 ... NDSU earned four of a possible seven first-place votes for a total of 34 points ... The Bison return three all-Summit League selections including first team second baseman
Zoe Stavrou, and second team pitcher
KK Leddy and first baseman
Vanessa Anderson ... In addition, Stavrou and Anderson were named to the Summit League all-tournament team... Anderson was selected as a "Player to Watch" this season.
Ten NDSU Players Easton/NFCA Scholar Athletes
Eight North Dakota State softball players were recognized as NFCA Scholar Athletes for the 2017-18 academic year: first baseman
Vanessa Anderson, shortstop
Montana DeCamp, catcher
Maddie Hansen, pitcher
KK Leddy, third baseman
Julia Luciano, pitcher
Kara O'Byrne, pitcher/outfielder
Morgan Olson, utility player
Lauren Reimers, pitcher
Jacquelyn Sertic and second baseman
Zoe Stavrou ... Anderson and DeCamp had 4.0 GPAs ... Collectively, NDSU compiled a 3.471 GPA.
Bison Announce 2019 Recruiting Class
North Dakota State head softball coach
Darren Mueller announced shortstop Skylar Padgett (Grants Pass, Ore. / Grants Pass H.S.), pitcher Lainey Lyle (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton H.S.), catcher Kaylee Moore (Cave Creek, Ariz. / Ayala H.S. Calif.) outfielder Dez Cardenas (Hufffman, Texas / Hargrave H.S.) and shortstop Kara Diaz (Indio, Calif. / Shadow Hills H.S.) have all signed National Letters of Intent to attend NDSU and play softball beginning in the fall of 2019.
The Mueller File
The North Dakota State head coach is
Darren Mueller (18th season, 25th overall) ... Mueller has compiled a 609-338 record (.643) including 192-45 (.810) vs. Summit League competition (including tournament) ... Mueller reached career win No. 600 against Western Illinois (G2 5-5-18) ... The Bison had 10 straight 30-plus win seasons from 2007-2016, and have won at least 30 victories in 11 of past 12 seasons ... 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 nine Summit League tournament championships (2009-10-11-12, 2014-15-16-17-18) to advance to NCAA regional play ... The Bison (9-16) won the NCAA Norman Regional in 2009 and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional at Arizona State ... NDSU has won seven Summit League regular season crowns (2008, 2012-13-14-15-16-18) ... Rounding out the Bison staff are assistant coaches
Gerice Olson and
Melissa Chmielewski ... 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.
MUELLER WIN CHART
1 vs. Quincy (Ill.), 3-1-02
100 vs. Southern Connecticut State, 3-20-04
200 vs. South Dakota State, 3-25-07
300 vs. Wright State, 3-12-10
400 vs. Northern Illinois, 3-13-13
500 vs. IUPUI, 5-9-15
600 vs. Western Illinois, 5-5-18
