Softball Set for Midweek Games at ECU, Duke

Tuesday, February 13

Greenville, N.C.

3 p.m.

North Dakota State Athletics

East Carolina

Photo by: Rick Claus

Softball Set for Midweek Games at ECU, Duke

2/12/2024 3:35:00 PM | Softball

NDSU Notes

FARGO, N.D. - After opening up the season in Wilmington over the weekend, the Bison will play two midweek games in North Carolina, traveling to East Carolina on Tuesday, before taking on #9/11 Duke on Wednesday. The Bison will face the Pirates (6-0) in Greenville, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. CT. The matchup against the Blue Devils (3-1) is set for a 4 p.m. CT first pitch in Durham.

Game Coverage
Both games during the midweek will have live streaming coverage. Tuesday's game against East Carolina will be streamed on ESPN+, while Wednesday's game against Duke will be streamed on ACC Network Extra. A subscription to ESPN+ and ACCNX will be needed to view the game. Both games will also include live statistics. Links to the stream and stats will be available on the softball schedule page on gobison.com.

North Carolina Bound to Open the Year
For the first time in the program's 49-year history, the Bison are opening up the season in the state of North Carolina, staying for 10 days and 12 games overall. It's the 21st state, plus Mexico, that NDSU has played in to begin the year. It is the sixth trip overall for the Bison in the Tar Heel state, but the first since 2018 when NDSU made the trip for the Duke Inaugural Tournament. After the opening weekend, the Bison have played 34 games in North Carolina, with NDSU holding a 25-9 record overall, including a 15-8 record in the Division I era.

The Series (East Carolina)
Tuesday's matchup with the Pirates will be the third all-time meeting between NDSU and East Carolina and the first since meeting in the shortened 2020 season. The teams have split the all-time series, with the Bison winning 9-8 in eight innings at the Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on February 26, 2012. East Carolina won the second meeting, defeating the Bison 8-6 at the Fresno State Bulldog Classic in California on March 8, 2020.

The Series (Duke)
The Bison will also be facing the Blue Devils for the third time in series history when the Bison take on Duke on Wednesday. The teams also last met in 2020 and have split the series. North Dakota State claimed the first meeting, topping the Blue Devils 10-4 in Durham at the Duke Inaugural Tournament on March 2, 2018. Duke then claimed a 3-0 victory over the Bison in Austin, Texas on February 22, 2020 at the Texas Invitational.

NDSU Coming Off 3-2 Opening Weekend in Wilmington
North Dakota State started the season at the UNC Wilmington Home Weekend event, claiming a 3-2 record over the five-game weekend. The Bison struggled to get the offense going early, falling 4-1 to Furman before a 3-0 defeat to Queens. However, the Bison won the final three matches, starting with a 5-2 win over Northern Kentucky on Saturday, led by a home run from Ella Claus and a complete game from Kaitlyn Dunford. On Sunday, Reanna Rudd, Jasmyn Yessian and Addie Bowers powered the Bison to a 3-2 win over DePaul and a 5-1 win over host UNC Wilmington to wrap the weekend.

Claus, Yessian Hit First Career Dingers
Sophomore Ella Claus and freshman Jasmyn Yessian hit their first collegiate home runs over the opening weekend. Claus hit a three-run shot down the right field line in the top of the seventh, in what proved to be the winning runs of a 5-2 victory over Northern Kentucky. Yessian, making her fourth career start against UNC Wilmington, tacked on some insurance in a 5-1 victory, as she hit a two-run shot over the fence in left.

Freshman Arms Make Strong Debuts
The Bison ran out three freshman pitchers to the circle for three starts and five total appearances over the weekend. Kaitlyn Dunford did not allow a walk or an earned run in a complete game 5-2 victory over Northern Kentucky in her debut.

Addie Bowers pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout in the opener for her debut, before tossing a complete game in a 5-1 victory over UNC Wilmington. Bowers posted a .88 era with four strikeouts and just five hits in eight innings of work.

Madison Wihlm made her debut in relief, going 3.2 scoreless innings against Queens, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts. She then started against DePaul in a no decision, with the Bison claiming a 3-2 win. On the weekend, Wihlm posted a 2.00 era in seven innings, with four strikeouts.

Freshman Warren Quickly Finds Role with Hot Start
One of eight true freshman for the Bison this season, Taylinn Warren quickly grabbed a spot in the lineup, appearing in all five games with four starts over the opening weekend. Warren recorded five hits, including a three-hit performance in NDSU's first win over Northern Kentucky. The Santee, California native also had two walks for a .467 on-base percentage, and scored runs in the wins over DePaul and UNC Wilmington, with her run against the Seahawks proving to be the winner.

Claus Has Career Day, Pacing Bison Early
Sophomore Ella Claus had a career day in the win over Northern Kentucky, setting four personal single-game bests in a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a home run, walk and three RBI. Along with it being her first career home run, Claus matched a career best two-hit performance, matched reaching safely three times in a game, and also set a mark with three RBI. Claus leads the Bison after the opening weekend in batting average (.429), RBI (3), on-base percentage (.500), slugging percentage (.857) and ops (1.357).

Speedy Bison Swiping Bags
North Dakota State was aggressive on the base paths over the opening weekend, stealing seven bases, going 7-for-8 overall. Senior Emilee Buringa led the charge for the Bison, going 3-for-3. Freshman Taylinn Warren (2-for-2) and Star Cortez (1-for-1) also joined the mix, along with sophomore Riley Leadstrom (1-for-1).

Rudd On Career Best Run
Senior Reanna Rudd has started off the season hot at the plate with a pair of multi-hit games, as well as a multi-RBI game, driving in the winning run in a 3-2 victory over DePaul. Rudd also drew three walks at the plate over the opening weekend, reaching base safely in all five games. Rudd closed the '23 season reaching safely in seven-straight games and now enters the midweek having reached safely in 12 overall dating back to last season. The mark sets a new personal best, having previously reached in 10-straight games earlier last season.

Buringa On Iron Woman Run
Senior Emilee Buringa made her 100th consecutive start in center field in the final home series last season. She enters the week having started in 109 straight games in center field, starting every game for the Bison in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Buringa has played in 138 career games for the Bison, with 127 starts.

Aguilar-Beaucage Matches Career Best Day for Hits
After a slow start over the first four games, Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage found her hitting form in the win against UNC Wilmington, with a 3-for-3 day at the plate, including a RBI and run scored. The three-hit performance matched a career high for a single game for the senior, a feat she has now down four times.

Spring on the Road, the Bison Way
North Dakota State softball is scheduled to play the first 35 games of the season on the road, traveling to six different tournaments/invitationals in four different states, along with three midweek non-conference games. The non-conference swing includes two 11-day trips to North Carolina and California and will see over 10,000 flight miles. Last year, after moving the first home series due to snow, the Bison played 42 games away from home before their first pitch at Tharaldson Park on April 29.

Bison Return Four All-Summit League Honorees
The Bison had seven all-league recipients last season in the Summit League and bring back four ahead of the 2024 season. Senior Emilee Buringa is the lone returning first-team all-Summit League selection, but NDSU brings back sophomore Bella Dean and senior Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage from the second team, as well as honorable mention junior Chloe Woldruff.

Bison Picked Fourth in Summit League
North Dakota State was picked to finish fourth in The Summit League in 2024 in a preseason poll of the league's seven head coaches. NDSU had received 22 points in the poll, two behind South Dakota (24) in third. South Dakota State had 34 points and four-first-place votes, edging out Omaha, who had 33 and the other three first-place votes. North Dakota (14), Kansas City (10) and St. Thomas (10) rounded out the poll. The Bison have won five regular season crowns and lifted six league tournament titles in the last decade.

Buringa, Aguilar-Beaucage Tabbed Summit League Players to Watch
Seniors Emilee Buringa and Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage were named among 14 players to watch by the Summit League ahead of the season.

Buringa was named to the All-Summit League first team last year after starting all 51 games in center field with 41 hits in 148 at-bats (.277). She recorded 11 multi-hit games, and had seven doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 20 walks for a .397 on-base percentage and.432 slugging percentage.

Aguilar-Beaucage was named to last season's All-Summit League Second Team after 50 starts. She had 44 hits in 148 at-bats (.297), recorded 11 multi-hit games and totaled 74 bases for a .500 slugging percentage. She hit 10 doubles, one triple, and six home runs. She finished with a 13 walks and a.364 on-base percentage.