Saturday, March 23
Fort Wayne, Ind.
11 a.m.
North Dakota State Athletics
at
Purdue Fort Wayne
Photo by: Cat Wofford
NDSU Opens Summit League Play with 3-Game Series at Purdue Fort Wayne
3/20/2019 10:36:00 AM | Softball
NDSU Softball Release.pdf
North Dakota State (18-11) is scheduled to open Summit League play at Purdue Fort Wayne (5-16) for a three-game series this weekend ... The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, March 23, and a single-game at 10 a.m. CT on Sunday, March 24 ... NDSU was No. 47 in this week's NCAA RPI.
Quickly Around the Horn
North Dakota State enters this week with an eight-game winning streak, matching last spring's longest win streak ... NDSU had a 15-game winning streak during the 2013, the longest as a Division I program ... The school record is 27, set during the 2000 national championship season ... North Dakota State is 2-0 in extra innings this season, beating Troy 3-2 in 9 innings on Feb. 22 ... NDSU stands 51-32 in extra innings under head coach Darren Mueller since 2002 ... The Bison are 64-52 in extra innings overall ... Pitcher KK Leddy and catcher Maddie Hansen were named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Session 2 all-tournament team played Feb. 14-16 ... Leddy was 1-2 with a shutout and 2.33 ERA ... Hansen hit .357 with a pair of doubles, home run and two RBI ... Collectively, the Bison are batting .280 with a 3.08 earned run average and are fielding at .970 ... NDSU opponents are batting .237 with a 3.12 ERA and are fielding at .956 ... The Bison are averaging 4.06 runs scored per game, while opponents are averaging 3.41.
Six Players Takes Aim at NDSU Career Charts
On the NDSU career charts, third baseman Julia Luciano is No. 4 in times hit by pitch (15) ... Outfielder Katie Shoultz is No. 4 in fielding (.994), No. 6 in stolen bases (73), and No. 7 stolen base attempts (87) ... Second baseman Zoe Stavrou is No. 7 in sacrifice flies (7) and No. 10 in doubles ... Pitcher KK Leddy is No. 7 in batters faced (2,162), No. 9 in strikeouts (344), Ks/7 IP (5.17) and apperances (95), and No. 10 in wins (40), innings pitched (465.1), games started (75) and complete games (47) ... First baseman Vanessa Anderson is No. 9 with 78 walks and 631 putouts ... Catcher Maddie Hansen is No. 9 in fielding percentage (.990)
Shoultz in NCAA Stats, Active Career Leaders; Leddy Appears
In the NCAA statistics (3-19-19), outfielder Katie Shoultz is No. 30 in stolen bases/game (0.69 / 9-10) ... On the NCAA active career leader list, Shoultz is No. 22 in stolen bases (73-87) ... Last season Shoultz matched the stolen base record of five achieved twice by Bison Athletic HoF/All-America shortstop Nikki Flynn Gregg ... KK Leddy is No. 11 with 4 shutouts, No. 27 with a pair of saves, and No. 36 in strikeouts with 94.
#SpecialK Notches Shutouts, Double-Figure Ks
Righty KK Leddy notched her first career save in the 5-2 win over Montana (3-1-19), picked her second to complete the 1-0 win over Towson (3-15-19) ... Leddy recorded her fourth career double-figure strikeout game with 10 against Stony Brook (3-10-19) ... Her career-high is 13 Ks vs. UTSA (2-9-19) ... Leddy flirted with a no-hitter for 6.2 innings in the 3-0 shutout over Purdue (3-16-19) ... She has four shutouts this season and 11 in her career ... Leddy has compiled a 40-31 record.
Shoultz, O'Byrne Earn Summit League Weekly Honors
North Dakota State senior center fielder Katie Shoultz was named the Summit League Player of the Week on March 18, while sophomore Kara O'Byrne was SL Pitcher of the Week ... It was the first career honor for both ... Shoultz hit .458 over seven games with seven runs, four RBI, five stolen bases and a triple ... O'Byrne was 2-0 with a six strikeouts, one combined shutout and 0.53 ERA ... KK Leddy was named the Summit League Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 18 ... Leddy earned her second career weekly honor.
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
Ten 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 623-345 record (.644) 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 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
North Dakota State (18-11) is scheduled to open Summit League play at Purdue Fort Wayne (5-16) for a three-game series this weekend ... The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, March 23, and a single-game at 10 a.m. CT on Sunday, March 24 ... NDSU was No. 47 in this week's NCAA RPI.
Quickly Around the Horn
North Dakota State enters this week with an eight-game winning streak, matching last spring's longest win streak ... NDSU had a 15-game winning streak during the 2013, the longest as a Division I program ... The school record is 27, set during the 2000 national championship season ... North Dakota State is 2-0 in extra innings this season, beating Troy 3-2 in 9 innings on Feb. 22 ... NDSU stands 51-32 in extra innings under head coach Darren Mueller since 2002 ... The Bison are 64-52 in extra innings overall ... Pitcher KK Leddy and catcher Maddie Hansen were named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Session 2 all-tournament team played Feb. 14-16 ... Leddy was 1-2 with a shutout and 2.33 ERA ... Hansen hit .357 with a pair of doubles, home run and two RBI ... Collectively, the Bison are batting .280 with a 3.08 earned run average and are fielding at .970 ... NDSU opponents are batting .237 with a 3.12 ERA and are fielding at .956 ... The Bison are averaging 4.06 runs scored per game, while opponents are averaging 3.41.
Six Players Takes Aim at NDSU Career Charts
On the NDSU career charts, third baseman Julia Luciano is No. 4 in times hit by pitch (15) ... Outfielder Katie Shoultz is No. 4 in fielding (.994), No. 6 in stolen bases (73), and No. 7 stolen base attempts (87) ... Second baseman Zoe Stavrou is No. 7 in sacrifice flies (7) and No. 10 in doubles ... Pitcher KK Leddy is No. 7 in batters faced (2,162), No. 9 in strikeouts (344), Ks/7 IP (5.17) and apperances (95), and No. 10 in wins (40), innings pitched (465.1), games started (75) and complete games (47) ... First baseman Vanessa Anderson is No. 9 with 78 walks and 631 putouts ... Catcher Maddie Hansen is No. 9 in fielding percentage (.990)
Shoultz in NCAA Stats, Active Career Leaders; Leddy Appears
In the NCAA statistics (3-19-19), outfielder Katie Shoultz is No. 30 in stolen bases/game (0.69 / 9-10) ... On the NCAA active career leader list, Shoultz is No. 22 in stolen bases (73-87) ... Last season Shoultz matched the stolen base record of five achieved twice by Bison Athletic HoF/All-America shortstop Nikki Flynn Gregg ... KK Leddy is No. 11 with 4 shutouts, No. 27 with a pair of saves, and No. 36 in strikeouts with 94.
#SpecialK Notches Shutouts, Double-Figure Ks
Righty KK Leddy notched her first career save in the 5-2 win over Montana (3-1-19), picked her second to complete the 1-0 win over Towson (3-15-19) ... Leddy recorded her fourth career double-figure strikeout game with 10 against Stony Brook (3-10-19) ... Her career-high is 13 Ks vs. UTSA (2-9-19) ... Leddy flirted with a no-hitter for 6.2 innings in the 3-0 shutout over Purdue (3-16-19) ... She has four shutouts this season and 11 in her career ... Leddy has compiled a 40-31 record.
Shoultz, O'Byrne Earn Summit League Weekly Honors
North Dakota State senior center fielder Katie Shoultz was named the Summit League Player of the Week on March 18, while sophomore Kara O'Byrne was SL Pitcher of the Week ... It was the first career honor for both ... Shoultz hit .458 over seven games with seven runs, four RBI, five stolen bases and a triple ... O'Byrne was 2-0 with a six strikeouts, one combined shutout and 0.53 ERA ... KK Leddy was named the Summit League Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 18 ... Leddy earned her second career weekly honor.
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
Ten 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 623-345 record (.644) 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 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
Players Mentioned
1B/3B
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/OF
/ Softball
2B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF/OF
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