RALEIGH, N.C. – North Dakota State softball split day two of the Marucci Classic hosted by North Carolina State, falling to Elon 7-5 in extra innings in game one, before defeating Campbell 7-2.
Elon would take the lead in the top of the first, capitalizing on an error from the Bison to take a 1-0 lead. However, the Bison would answer back with back-to-back hits to lead off the bottom of the first, before
Bella Dean hit her first home run of the season to give NDSU a 3-1 lead.
In the fourth, both teams would score again. Elon scored three runs, with two coming by way of another Bison error, to take a 4-3 lead. In the bottom half,
Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage hit her second home run against Elon in two days, hitting a two-run shot to put the Bison back in front 5-4.
Elon's Mauri Murray would then hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to tie the game at 5-5, ultimately forcing extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Murray hit her second home run of the game, giving Elon a two-run lead and a 7-5 win.
Aguilar-Beaucage and Dean were the only Bison with multiple hits, finishing with two each. Eight of the nine players in the lineup had at least one hit or walk.
Addie Bowers picked up the loss in relief, allowing two runs in 2.1 innings.
Against Campbell, the Bison took the lead in the second with a solo home run to lead off the inning from
Reanna Rudd. Rudd, who also had a hit in game one, extended her reached base streak to 18 games overall, including all 11 games this season.
In the third, the Bison would capitalize on an error for a second run and then Dean homered for the second time on the day, hitting a two-run shot to put NDSU up 4-0. The Bison would then get an RBI single and a sacrifice fly from
Rylee Henderson and
Ella Claus in the fourth inning. Rudd then added an RBI single in the fifth to give the Bison a 7-0 lead.
Campbell would score two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Bison would hold the Camels scoreless the rest of the way.
Kaitlyn Dunford picked up the win, going four innings, allowing just one run on two hits. Dean and Rudd finished with two hits, two RBI and a run scored each. Seven different Bison scored the seven runs in the game.
The Bison will wrap up the Marucci Classic on Sunday against UConn. First pitch between the Bison and Huskies is set for 8:30 a.m.
