BOCA RATON, Fla. – North Dakota State University dropped a pair of games at the FAU/FIU Invitational on Saturday, March 9, as Notre Dame edged the Bison 3-2 and Purdue University defeated NDSU 4-1 at FAU Softball Stadium.
 
North Dakota State (10-11) is scheduled to play Stony Brook at 8 a.m. CT on Sunday, March 10, at FAU Softball Stadium.
 
Notre Dame (11-7) held off a late rally by the Bison in the bottom of the seventh. The Irish led 3-1, but NDSU cut the lead to one with two outs when Zoe Stavrou's single scored Katie Shoultz. Madyson Camacho had three hits and matched her career-high for the sixth time. Shoultz and Stavrou each added two hits.
 
Bonamy went 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Irish, while Sweet and Rochford both had two hits.
 
Kara O'Byrne (0-1) took the complete game loss for the Bison. She issued two walks with no strikeouts. Tidd (5-3) recorded the win for Notre Dame with Holloway notching the final two outs and third save of the season.
 
Purdue (14-6) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the second game. The Boilermakers took advantage of a passed ball and Ryleigh Scott RBI single.
 
NDSU cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth inning. Cara Beatty delivered a RBI single to score Shoultz.
 
Purdue extended the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Kasey Wilhoit had a sacrifice bunt and Madison Douglass added a pinch-hit RBI single. Rachel Becker and Wilhoit both had two hits.
 
Sydney Bates (5-2) worked the first five innings to get the win for the Boilermakers, while Alex Echazarreta had three strikeouts over the final two frames to earn her second save.
 
Paige Vargas (4-4) took the loss. Vargas allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked one.