MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – North Dakota State softball recorded a split on day one of the Gopher Indoor Classic at U.S. Bank Stadium, topping Long Island 9-0 in five innings before falling to Central Michigan 9-0 in five innings.
The Bison struck quickly against Long Island scoring four in the top of the first. With two runners on,
Zoe King doubled to score
Amai Hanta from second and put NDSU in front.
Two batters later,
Lileigh Nieto hit an inside the park home run past a diving left fielder, scoring King and
Bella Dean on the play. It was Nieto's first career home run. It is the first inside the park homerun for NDSU since Madyson Camacho on February 26, 2021 against Southeast Missouri State in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
NDSU then loaded the bases in the second inning, starting with a triple from Hanta. Later in the inning,
Mya Boos worked a five-pitch walk to extend the Bison lead to 5-0. The Bison would strand the bases in the inning. LIU also loaded the bases in the second with no outs, but
Madison Wihlm recorded two strikeouts and a pop out to get out of the jam.
Wihlm would go on to get two more strikeouts in the third and fourth to tie her career high of six in a game. The victory is the second complete game shutout for Wihlm in her career.
In the top of the fifth, NDSU added four more runs, first on a two-RBI triple down the right field line from
Taylinn Warren. Warren then scored on a squeeze play bunt single from
Ella Claus.
Star Cortez capped the scoring with a triple down the right field line to score Claus from second after a stolen base.
The three triples for the Bison is a Division I era record for NDSU and the first time NDSU has had three triples in a game since a 2-0 win over Morningside on April 7, 2001.
In game two, Central Michigan jumped out to an early leading, scoring six runs in the top of the first, led by a three-run home run. The Chippewas would add two more in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Cortez, Dean and Nieto finished with the three Bison hits in the game.
Jocelyn McClary picked up the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits with one strikeout.
Piper Reed allowed three runs in 4.2 innings with a strikeout.
The Bison will return to action on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium, taking on Iowa State at 2 p.m., before facing host Minnesota to wrap up the weekend at 7 p.m.
