NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The North Dakota State softball team won its first two games of the Purple/Gold Challenge on Friday, March 1, defeating Georgetown 9-2 and tournament host Lipscomb 8-1 in the nightcap at Draper Diamond.
 
NDSU's Bella Dean hit her third and fourth home runs of the season against Georgetown and finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored. She hit a solo homer in the first and three-run shot in the third to stake the Bison to a 4-0 lead.
 
Jasmyn Yessian went 2-for-4 with a three-run double in the fifth inning before scoring on a two-out single by Chloe Woldruff to give the Bison an 8-2 lead. Addie Bowers (2-2) pitched the final 3 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to secure the win for NDSU.
 
Dean added three more RBIs against Lipscomb and finished 2-for-5 including a two-run double in NDSU's four-run second inning as the Bison opened a 5-0 lead.
 
That was enough for right-hander Madison Wihlm (1-1), who pitched her first complete game of the season and held Lipscomb to three singles through seven innings of work. She struck out four and walked five.
 
Emilee Buringa was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a stolen base and three runs scored in the leadoff spot as NDSU pounded out a season-high 13 hits against Lipscomb.
 
North Dakota State (8-11) is scheduled to play Murray State at 10 a.m. and Lipscomb at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.