Photo by: Bob Nelson
History Made as Bison Defeat St. Cloud State 3-1 for 1999 NCAA DII Regional Title
5/15/2020 9:32:00 AM | Softball
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Shelly Rhein hit her third home run in as many games and pitcher Julie Fromm continued to baffle the opposition in leading No. 10-ranked North Dakota State to a 3-1 victory over St. Cloud State in the NCAA Division II North Central Regional championship game Saturday, May 15 at Augustana College.
North Dakota State (52-10) advanced to its first NCAA Division II National Championship tournament at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
"To win the regional championship on this field brings back memories when we brought a team down here (Sioux Falls) four years ago, a team with four freshman (Mary Gramenz, Sarah Schmitz, Megan Cooper and Amber Miller). It reminds me of all hard work we've put into building the program over the past four years. This is a very special moment," said then North Dakota State head coach Mitch Hanson.
Rhein, a sophomore catcher from Oakdale, Minn., belted a two-run home run with two outs in the third inning to put the Bison ahead 2-0. She hit a home run in each of NDSU's three tournament games and finished the season with a team-leading 15 home runs.
"I was confident Mary (Gramenz) or Shelly (Rhein) could get ahold of one. Big players step it up in the big games, and it's no surprise that Shelly stepped it up. She's a prime time player and she's been there all season for us," said Hanson.
St. Cloud State (44-13), trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the fourth inning.
That's when freshman Fromm got bullish on the Huskies. She retired 12 of the last 13 batters faced including five of her 11 strikeouts. Fromm scattered four hits overall and issued no walks in her 13th straight win.
"We knew when we recruited Julie (Fromm), she was something special," said Hanson.
For the second time in the tournament, Fromm outdueled St. Cloud State's Karissa Hoehn, who guided her ballclub into the title game with a 3-2 win over Nebraksa-Omaha. Hoehn allowed six hits, walked two and struck out seven.
NDSU picked up an insurance run in the sixth inning when junior designated player Gerice Olson delivered a RBI single up the middle with two outs. Olson finished with a double and single in the contest.
Rhein, Fromm and Olson were joined on the NCAA Division II North Central Regional all-tournament team by sophomore right fielder Michelle Wiest. Olson led the Bison with six hits in 10 trips to the plate during the weekend including three doubles. Fromm went 3-0 with a 0.28 ERA. She struck out 29, allowed 16 hits and walked four batters in 25 innings pitched.
North Dakota State (52-10) advanced to its first NCAA Division II National Championship tournament at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
"To win the regional championship on this field brings back memories when we brought a team down here (Sioux Falls) four years ago, a team with four freshman (Mary Gramenz, Sarah Schmitz, Megan Cooper and Amber Miller). It reminds me of all hard work we've put into building the program over the past four years. This is a very special moment," said then North Dakota State head coach Mitch Hanson.
Rhein, a sophomore catcher from Oakdale, Minn., belted a two-run home run with two outs in the third inning to put the Bison ahead 2-0. She hit a home run in each of NDSU's three tournament games and finished the season with a team-leading 15 home runs.
"I was confident Mary (Gramenz) or Shelly (Rhein) could get ahold of one. Big players step it up in the big games, and it's no surprise that Shelly stepped it up. She's a prime time player and she's been there all season for us," said Hanson.
St. Cloud State (44-13), trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the fourth inning.
That's when freshman Fromm got bullish on the Huskies. She retired 12 of the last 13 batters faced including five of her 11 strikeouts. Fromm scattered four hits overall and issued no walks in her 13th straight win.
"We knew when we recruited Julie (Fromm), she was something special," said Hanson.
For the second time in the tournament, Fromm outdueled St. Cloud State's Karissa Hoehn, who guided her ballclub into the title game with a 3-2 win over Nebraksa-Omaha. Hoehn allowed six hits, walked two and struck out seven.
NDSU picked up an insurance run in the sixth inning when junior designated player Gerice Olson delivered a RBI single up the middle with two outs. Olson finished with a double and single in the contest.
Rhein, Fromm and Olson were joined on the NCAA Division II North Central Regional all-tournament team by sophomore right fielder Michelle Wiest. Olson led the Bison with six hits in 10 trips to the plate during the weekend including three doubles. Fromm went 3-0 with a 0.28 ERA. She struck out 29, allowed 16 hits and walked four batters in 25 innings pitched.
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