MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – North Dakota State softball picked up a pair of victories on Sunday to wrap up the Gopher Indoor Classic, defeating Idaho State 4-1, before beating Drake 4-2 at the U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Bison (13-10) needed to come from behind in both games, as NDSU capped off the weekend at 4-1.
In game one, Idaho State (8-15) took the lead in the top of the second with a solo home run to lead off the inning. North Dakota State would respond with a hit and two walks to load the bases in the bottom half of the second, but were unable to get a run across.
However, the Bison would answer back in the third inning, as
Carley Goetschius tied the game with a double to left after
Emilee Buringa led off the inning with a walk. After another walk by
Kaylee Moore,
Zoe King would give the Bison the lead with a double to left center, scoring Goetschius. Moore also scored on an error at the fence in left center, putting NDSU in front 3-1.
Skylar Padgett would lead off the fourth inning with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Buringa to extend the NDSU lead.
Paige Vargas (6-5) would be dominant the rest of the way. After giving up the home run, she retired nine straight and would allow just one more hit and a walk in the complete game victory. She finished with six strikeouts.
King, who produced the winning RBI, was the only Bison with multiple hits, but Padgett also reached safe twice with a double and a walk. Seven of the nine starters in the lineup reached safely at least once.
In a pitching battle early against Drake (6-12) in game two, the Bison would break through for the lead in the top of the fourth. After a walk for
Reanna Rudd,
Bella Dean brought her all the way around from first with an RBI double off the fence in left center.
Piper Reed would toss 4.2 scoreless innings for the Bison, scattering three hits and a pair of walks before she was relieved in a no decision.
In the bottom of the sixth, Drake would lead off the inning with a bunt and a double to tie the game at 1-1. After a sacrifice bunt moved a runner to third, the Bulldogs would take the lead with a sacrifice fly.
The Bison would respond immediately, as Dean hit a leadoff home run to left to tie the game. NDSU would then load the bases, and with two outs,
Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage hit a single to right center bringing in Padgett and
Ella Claus for the go-ahead runs.
Lainey Lyle (6-4) would produce a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh as she picked up the victory in relief, going 2.1 innings with two hits and two runs allowed.
Dean, who drove in the first two runs of the game for NDSU, was the only Bison with multiple hits in game two. The home run was her second of the weekend, as she also homered against Idaho State on Friday, jump starting a come-from-behind victory in that game as well.
Rudd reached safely three times in the second game, with a single and two walks. Buringa also reached multiple times with a single and a walk.
North Dakota State is now set to travel to Starkville, Mississippi, as the Bison will take on Mississippi State on Tuesday at 4 p.m. NDSU will then face Purdue, at Mississippi State, on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
