FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State softball will make the short bus trip to Minneapolis this weekend for the Gopher Indoor Classic hosted at U.S. Bank Stadium.
 
The Bison will face Long Island and Central Michigan on Friday, in back-to-back games beginning at 9 a.m. NDSU will then close the trip on Saturday against Iowa State and host Minnesota. The Bison till take on Iowa State at 2 p.m., before facing Minnesota at 7 p.m.
 
Gopher Indoor Classic Coverage
All games at the Gopher Indoor Classic will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus. NDSU's games against Iowa State and Minnesota will have live commentary. All four games at the Gopher Indoor Classic will include live statistics. Links to video, audio and stats will be available on the softball schedule page on gobison.com.
 
Series History - Long Island
North Dakota State will meet Long Island for the first time on the softball diamond.
 
Series History - Central Michigan
The Bison meet Central Michigan for the second time in program history. NDSU won the only meeting 13-4 in five innings at the San Diego State Campbell/Cartier Classic on February 13, 2015.
 
Series History - Iowa State
NDSU faces Iowa State for the 13th time in series history, but just the third time in the last 10 years. The Bison trail in the series with the Cyclones holding, a 4-8 record all-time against Iowa State.
 
The teams are 1-1 in neutral site games, including an 8-6 win in nine innings for the Bison last year at the Rebel Invitational in Oxford, Mississippi.
 
Series History - Minnesota
The Bison face the Gophers for the 33rd time in series history, with Minnesota leading the series 30-2. NDSU has dropped 11-straight meetings dating back to a 5-4 win for NDSU over the No. 10 Gophers in Minneapolis on April 22, 2015.
 
Minnesota won both meetings last season at the Gopher Indoor Classic, winning 3-1 and 10-1 in six. NDSU is 2-24 all-time against the Gophers in Minneapolis.
 
NDSU Ties Come-From-Behind Record
In the first game against Maine at the Hatter Classic, the Bison matched a program record for largest come-from-behind victory, as NDSU stampeded back from a 5-0 deficit to defeat the Black Bears.
 
It is the third time the Bison program has come back from a five-run deficit to win in the Division I era. The most recent occurrence prior to February 13 was a 5-0 deficit after the top of the second inning on February 10, 2019 vs. Abilene Christian, as the Bison won 6-5 in San Marcos, Texas. The only other occurrence came in Summit League play on March 13, 2009 at Southern Utah, as NDSU trailed 5-0 after two innings and won 9-7.
 
Dean Hits 30/30 Club
Last week in the Hatter Classic, Bella Dean recorded her 30th career multi-hit game with a three-hit performance at Stetson. During the opening weekend of the season at North Florida, Dean recorded her 30th multi-RBI game of her career. Dean has 24 career two-hit games and six career three-hit performances. She has 16 two-RBI games, along with nine three-RBI games and five games with four RBIs.
 
Rounding the Bases
Ella Claus hit her first home run in nearly two years against Stetson at the Hatter Classic with a solo shot for her fourth career home run.
 
Macy Fry also homered in the Hatter Classic finale, hitting her first career home run with a lead off shot in the fifth inning against Maine.
 
On opening weekend, Mya Boos hit her first career home run with a two-run shot to lead NDSU to victory over Colgate.
 
Throwing Out Runners
Jessica Delatorre threw out three Wildcats base runners at Bethune-Cookman, the most by a Bison since Alyssa Reine caught four base runners at DePaul on March 18, 2015. Delatorre had never thrown out more than one base runner in a game prior. She has thrown out three of four stolen base attempts this season.
 
Doubling Down
The Bison hit five doubles at the Hatter Classic against Stetson, the most in a game since hitting five in a 10-0 win over Kansas City on March 25, 2023. NDSU has 18 doubles this season, 41st most in the NCAA and second most in the Summit League. Nine different Bison have at least one double this season, led by Bella Dean with four.
 
Hanta Matches, Sets Career Highs in Florida
Amai Hanta matched a career high with a three-hit performance in the come-from-behind win over Maine at the Hatter Classic. It is the second three-hit performance for the sophomore, also getting three hits at Southern Miss last season.
 
Hanta also hit safely in all five games at the Hatter Classic, setting a new career long hit streak at five games. At Bethune-Cookman and the Hatter Classic, Hanta finished 8-for-18 at the plate with two doubles, three runs and three RBI. Hanta also finished with three walks, posting a .524 on-base percentage and added four stolen bases.
 
McClary Sets Freshman Bison Records
Over the first two weeks of the season, Jocelyn McClary started off the season by setting an NDSU freshman record, tossing 19.0 scoreless innings to begin her collegiate career. McClary went 14.2 scoreless innings on opening weekend to smash the previous NDSU Division I freshman record for scoreless innings to start a career, which was held by Lainey Lyle at 4.2 in 2020.
 
McClary also became the first Bison pitcher in the Division I era to throw a complete game shutout in their first start for NDSU. In her first start, she struck out six with just one walk allowed at North Florida. She scattered eight hits and tossed a complete-game shutout against the program that won two games in the NCAA Tournament last season and run-ruled Auburn earlier in the week.
 
Star is Shining Bright
Junior Star Cortez started every game in center field last season, earning all-league honors. Cortez has picked up right where she left off, starting all 10 games in 2026, leading NDSU at the plate, hitting .400 with five walks for a .486 obp. Cortez has a triple, two RBI and eight tuns scored. She also has a pair of stolen bases.
 
Tough Outs
Through the opening two weeks of the season, Bella Dean has zero strikeouts and Zoe King has just one, with both having 39 plate appearances. Taylinn Warren also has no strikeouts in 22 plate appearances.
 
In 2025, the Bison led the Summit League in fewest strikeouts per plate appearance, striking out just 11.7 percent, or 3.32 times per game. The league average was 14.4 percent.
 
King led the Bison and the Summit League in Toughest to Strikeout Ratio, at one per 23.8 trips to the plate (4.2 pct), which also ranked 66th nationally. Dean was second in the league and 150th nationally at one per 17.4 trips to the plate (5.7 pct).
 
Nieto Jumps on Opportunity
In limited at bats last season, Lileigh Nieto had just seven hits and three walks in 2025 as a freshman. Over the first two weeks of the season, Nieto has 10 hits and four walks, along with three stolen bases. Nieto is hitting .313 in her first season as an everyday starter with the Bison. She has recorded three RBI with five runs scored, along with one extra-base hit.
 
Swiping Bags
NDSU leads the Summit League this season in stolen bases (15) and stolen bases per game (1.50). The Bison led the Summit League in stolen bases and stolen bases per game last season, swiping 43 bags and averaging .86 per contest.
 
Last Week
North Dakota State wrapped the season-opening trip to Florida with a 3-2 weekend at Bethune-Cookman and the Hatter Classic in DeLand, Florida. The Bison dominated Bethune-Cookman 7-1 to start the week before a narrow 1-0 loss to open up the Hatter Classic against host Stetson.
 
NDSU then recorded a come-from-behind win over Maine in a split on day two of the Hatter Classic, falling to Stetson again, 7-8. The Bison wrapped up the week with a 6-1 victory over Maine to close out the two-week trip to Florida with a 6-4 record.
 
Next Up
Following the trip to Minneapolis, the Bison will head back east, traveling to Boiling Springs, North Carolina for the Spring in The Springs Invitational hosted by Gardner-Webb February 27-March 1. The Bison will face New Haven and Lafayette twice and host Gardner-Webb once.