The North Dakota State softball team went 2-3 this past weekend in the Amy S. Harrison Classic. They started out hot, winning their first two games. However, they went on to lose their last three games.

In game one on Friday, the Bison beat Cal State Northridge 2-1. Even after recording a season-low in runs and hits, NDSU was able to escape with the victory.

The Herd scored both their runs in the first inning as Emilee Buringa started the game off with a triple. Two batters later, Dez Cardenas brought her home with a fielder’s choice groundout.

After a stolen base from Cardenas, Camryn Maykut picked up an RBI double to give the Bison a 2-0 lead.

CSUN would score their lone run in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on an error to score an unearned run.

Paige Vargas had an excellent game pitching for the Herd. She pitched a complete game, giving up zero earned runs while striking out nine batters.

In game two on Friday, NDSU beat California Baptist 9-4.

Once again, the offense got off to a hot start as Cardenas picked up an RBI double to give NDSU a 1-0 lead after one inning.

In the second, Buringa added to the Bison lead with a two-run double, bringing home Reanna Rudd and Skylar Padgett.

California Baptist tied the game in the bottom of the inning after a Tianna Patrick three-run home run.

Carley Goetschius would respond for the Herd with an RBI double in the top of the third to give NDSU the lead. Rudd would follow that up with a two-run single to give the Bison a three-run lead.

Then, NDSU blew the game open as Buringa hit a three-run homer, her third of the season to give NDSU a 9-3 lead. She would finish the game with a career-high five RBIs.

Mac Schulz got the start for the Herd, pitching three innings and giving up three runs. Lainey Lyle pitched four innings in relief as well, going four innings, striking out four and giving up a single run.

In game one on Saturday, the Bison lost in walk-off fashion to UC Riverside 3-2.

The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the sixth inning before UCR would take a 1-0 lead after an RBI single.

The Bison would respond in the top of the seventh as with the bases loaded, Rudd would drive in Cardenas to tie the game. Unfortunately, that was all they got out of the inning.

NDSU would score a run in the top of the eight after a Nicole Licea RBI single to give the Bison a 2-1 lead.

However, UC Riverside would load the bases in the bottom of the inning and tie the game with a single before a bases-loaded walk ended the game.

Savy Williams had a good start for the Herd, pitching three scoreless innings. Lyle took the loss, giving up one run in 0.2 innings.

In game two on Saturday, NDSU would once again lose in walk-off fashion, falling 9-7 to UC Riverside.

The Bison jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first after a Maykut RBI single and then Molly Gates would add a sacrifice fly to give the Herd a 2-0 lead.

After having two outs in the bottom of the third, NDSU failed to get out of the inning. UC Riverside would hit three two out doubles to score four runs in the inning to give UCR a 4-2 lead.

NDSU loaded the bases in the top of the fourth but only came away with one run after a Maykut walk.

The Bison regained the lead in the fifth inning with a two-run triple from Gates. She would then end up scoring on a wild pitch to give the Bison a 6-4 lead.

UC Riverside would answer in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. However, Rudd would give the Bison back the lead with a solo home run, her fourth of the season.

In the bottom of the seventh, UCR would hit a walk-off three-run home run to give UC Riverside the 9-7 win.

On Sunday, NDSU lost to Oregon State 3-1 in their final game in the Amy S. Harrison Classic. The Bison offense would collect just one hit on the day, while the Beavers would have just four.

Maykut would drive in the lone run for the Bison in the first inning to bring in Buringa.

Oregon State would answer in the top of the second with a two-out RBI double followed by a two-run single to give the Beavers a 3-1 lead.

Oregon State pitcher Tarni Stepto would go on to retire the final 20 Bison batters, including nine strikeouts.

Vargas would get the loss for NDSU, pitching seven innings while giving up three runs and striking out five. Her record is now 6-2 on the season.

The Bison’s record is now 12-7 on the season after their performance in the Amy S. Harrison Classic.

Up next, NDSU will head to Eugene, Ore. to play in the Oregon/Oregon State Invitational starting on Friday.