STARKVILLE, Miss. – Paige Vargas tossed a one-hit shutout to lead North Dakota State softball to a 2-0 victory over Mississippi State Tuesday afternoon at Nusz Park.
 
Vargas was dominant in the circle, as Mississippi State (18-8), who is receiving votes in both major polls, could only get two baserunners on, with a Bulldog reaching on an error in the second and a double in the third. Following the double, Vargas would retire 14 straight Bulldogs to end the game. Vargas finished with seven strikeouts and no walks allowed.
 
It is the fourth one hitter for Vargas, but the first seven inning one hitter of her career and also the first where she didn't allow a walk. All three of her previous were five inning run-rule victories for NDSU. Her most recent came on February 14, 2020 as she allowed one hit and one walk against Southeast Louisiana in Gainesville, Florida. She also had ones against South Dakota and North Dakota as a freshman in 2019.
 
Both pitchers were dominant early, but the Bison (14-10) took the lead in the fourth inning. Emilee Buringa led off the inning with a single and then moved to second on a ground out. After a passed ball allowed Buringa to reach third, Reanna Rudd hit an RBI base hit back up the middle to score Buringa.
 
The single from Rudd extended her hit streak to nine games and reached base streak to 10 games, both career longs. Rudd would also have a walk in the sixth inning that helped lead to the second run for NDSU.
 
The Bison threatened again in the sixth after Buringa led off the inning with another single. After Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage replaced Buringa on first with a fielder's choice, Rudd's walk put two runners on with two outs. Kaylee Moore then stepped in and hit an RBI single to right field, bringing in Aguilar-Beaucage from second.
 
The Bison finished with five hits overall, as Chloe Woldruff added a single in the fifth. Faith Daehlin pinch ran for Woldruff and picked up a stolen base in the inning.
 
With the victory, NDSU improves to 2-1 all-time against Mississippi State, as the teams split two games in the NCAA Tucson Regional in 2019.
 
The Bison will be back in action tomorrow at Nusz Park, taking on Purdue for the first of two games in two days. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. against the Boilermakers.