FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State softball team fell to the University of St. Thomas 2-1 on Saturday in the regular season finale and senior day at Tharaldson Park.
 
St. Thomas scored two runs in the fourth, with one coming off of an error, to take the lead over the Bison, who were held hitless into the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
NDSU stranded two runners in the first and the second innings and were not able to get a run until the bottom of the seventh when Molly Gates hit a triple down the left field line to score senior Avery Wysong from second. The Bison would fly out in the next at bat to strand the tying runner at third.
 
Senior Mac Schulz got the start for the Bison and allowed two runs, one earned, in 3.1 innings of work. She allowed six hits with one strikeout. Fellow senior Paige Vargas tossed the final 3.2 innings in the circle, allowing one hit with three strikeouts.
 
Gates, senior Cameryn Maykut and Chloe Woldruff had the three hits for the Bison. Maykut, Wysong and senior Nicole Licea had walks for the Bison.
 
Despite the loss, North Dakota State clinched the three seed for the upcoming Summit League Championship next week. The Bison will play either Western Illinois or North Dakota on Wednesday, May 11. An official bracket for the Summit League Championship will be released Sunday evening.