VERMILLION, S.D. – North Dakota State softball scored 21 unanswered runs to top South Dakota 21-2 Saturday afternoon in Summit League play at Nygaard Field, claiming the series with the series finale set for Sunday.
 
South Dakota would score two runs in the first to take the lead, but Madison Wihlm settled in and allowed just two hits the rest of the way. The Bison offense would get rolling in the third, as NDSU scored seven in the third, four in the fourth and a season high 10 runs in the fifth.
 
Amai Hanta and Jessica Delatorre each went 3-for-4 with a home run at the plate. Both Hanta and Delatorre homered in the fourth inning. Hanta and Delatorre were part of four Bison to score three runs in the game, joined by Star Cortez and Lileigh Nieto. Delatorre was one of three Bison to have three RBI, joined by Cortez and Taylinn Warren.
 
Five Bison recorded multi-hit games and six Bison had multi-RBI games, as NDSU had 10 different Bison reach safely with a hit in the game and 12 different Bison scored a run.
 
NDSU's 21 runs is the second most in the Division I era for the Bison and the most since a 25-1 win over Jackson State in 2009. It is tied for the fifth most runs in program history and is just the second time NDSU has scored 20+ runs since moving to Division I.
 
21 runs are the most by a Summit League team in a league game since South Dakota defeated North Dakota by the same 21-2 score line on April 15, 2022.
 
The Bison, who has won the first two games of the series, will wrap up the series with the Coyotes and look for a series sweep on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Nygaard Field.