Softball Opens Home Schedule With St. Thomas

Friday, March 29

Fargo, N.D.

3:30 p.m.

North Dakota State Athletics

St. Thomas

Photo by: Zachary Lucy

Softball Opens Home Schedule With St. Thomas

3/28/2024 3:37:00 PM | Softball

NDSU Notes

FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State softball will welcome in St. Thomas for the home-opening series this week in Summit League play. The series, which was adjusted from the original schedule, is set to begin on Friday with a first pitch set for 3:30 p.m. at Tharaldson Park, before Saturday's doubleheader.

Game Coverage
All three games of the series between the Bison and Tommies will be streamed live on The Summit League Network and will also include live statistics. A subscription to the Summit League Network will be needed to view the games. Links to the streams and stats will be available on the softball schedule page on gobison.com.

Tickets
All seating is general admission and tickets can be purchased at the gate on game day. Adult General Admission tickets are $10. Youth General Admission (3-17 yrs) tickets are $5. Gates will open at Tharaldson Park 60 minutes prior to game time. No pets or outside food or beverage are allowed in the complex.

Parking
Parking for softball all softball games at Tharaldson Park will be available in Lot NQ and along 17th Avenue, with overflow parking available in Lot RP.

On the Xtra
Friday's game against St. Thomas will be televised live on WDAY Xtra with Dom Izzo on the call. Check GoBison.com for full channel listings and coverage areas.

Bison 1660
Saturday's doubleheader will also be broadcast live on Bison 1660. Andy Rieckhoff will call the action from Tharladson Park.

The Series
North Dakota State softball has faced St. Thomas eight times in program history, including a pair of three-game series since the Tommies joined the Summit League ahead of the '22 season. The Bison lead in the all-time series 6-2, which dates back to April 17, 1992, when St. Thomas won 8-7 in nine innings at the NDSU Invitational. The Bison would claim an 8-3 win on March 30, 1996 at the Augustana Invitational, before taking 2 of 3 from the Tommies in May of '22 in Fargo in the first meeting as league foes. The Bison swept the Tommies last season.

The Last Time Against the Tommies
The Bison had a dominant weekend in late April last season in St. Paul, sweeping the Tommies in their first trip to St. Thomas. The Bison opened up the series with 5-0 and 9-0 (6 inn.) victories in a double header, before coming back to sweep the series with a 6-2 win in the final game. Bella Dean homered twice in the series, while Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage and Emilee Buringa also hit home runs. Dean recorded seven RBI, while Aguilar-Beaucage had six and Buringa finished with four.

The Bison Migration to Fargo Is Complete
North Dakota State softball wraped up a 35-game road swing to begin the season last weekend in Omaha. The Bison traveled to six different tournaments/invitationals in four different states, along with three midweek non-conference games. The non-conference swing included two 10+ day trips to North Carolina and California. 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.

The Bison Set for First Pitch at Tharaldson
The Bison are a perfect 4-0 in home openers at Tharaldson Park. NDSU is 38-9 overall in home openers and have won the last five and 27 of 29 overall.

Buringa Leads League in Stolen Bases
Senior Emilee Buringa has 11 stolen bases so far this season, going 11-for-12. Buringa's 11 stolen bases not only leads the Bison, but also leads the Summit League.

Woldruff Hits First Home Run
Junior outfielder Chloe Woldruff hit her first career home run at Omaha, with a two-run shot against the Mavericks. Woldruff became the fifth different Bison to hit their first home run this season, joining sophomore's Ava Chavarria, Ella Claus and Zoe King, and freshman Jasmyn Yessian.

Home Run Numbers Up from '23
The Bison have hit 20 home runs this season, led by Bella Dean with six. Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage has four and three other Bison have a pair of home runs. In total, nine Bison have hit homers. Through the first league weekend in 2023, NDSU had 18 home runs. The Bison had 13 in non-conference play last year compared to 19 this season. Dean is fourth in the Summit League in home runs, just one behind the league leaders.

Speedy Bison Swiping Bags
North Dakota State has been aggressive on the base paths over the opening two months of the season, stealing 34 bags already The Bison's 34 stolen bases leads in the Summit League, while 34-for-42 (.809) overall is up from a 37-for-53 (.698) campaign last year.

Fry Finding Success in Pinch-Hit Role
Freshman Macy Fry picked up her first career hit in California against Loyola Marymount, hitting a triple. Since then, Fry has had three pinch hit opportunities and has successfully reached with three singles. Fry is 3-for-5 in pinch-hit opportunities this season, while NDSU is 4-for-17 as a team.

Rudd Tough to Strike Out
Senior Reanna Rudd has also been good at putting the ball in play with nearly every at bat this season. Rudd has just four strikeouts in 81 official at bats (.049), which ranks at the top of the Summit League.

Buringa On Iron Woman Run
Senior Emilee Buringa made her 150th appearance for the Bison earlier this season and continues her run of consecutive games started, entering the week having started in 139-straight games in center field, starting every game for the Bison in the '22, '23 and now '24 seasons. Buringa has played in 168 career games for the Bison, with 157 starts.