Softball Closes Regular Season Strong with Sweep of South Dakota State

The final week of the regular season brought a rivalry series for the North Dakota State softball team. The Jackrabbits of South Dakota State would come to town for a three-game series at Tharaldson Field.

The Bison entered this series 8-7 in conference play, and South Dakota State entered 5-9. South Dakota State would attempt to boost itself into the fourth seed in the Summit League tournament or at least not drop below Kansas City.

Unless NDSU swept and St Thomas collapsed at the end of the year, the Bison were basically set on being the three seed. This series was about pride and about building momentum heading into the postseason.

It opened up on Thursday afternoon as the Bison and the Jacks would go for an all-time classic. About as much of a slugfest as you could ask for, it started off with a four-spot in the top of the first thanks to a pair of home runs.

The Bison responded with a one-run inning in each of the first three innings, which led the game to be 4-3 heading into the fourth. SDSU’s Amanda Vacanti extended SDSU’s lead to three after homering in the fifth, making it 6-3.

Bria Riebel would tack on a homer of her own, and it would be 7-3 heading to the bottom of the fifth. NDSU rallied for four runs to tie it up in the fifth from hits from King, Claus and Cortez.

After all that momentum, SDSU stole it back with an Amanda Vancanti grand slam, which seemed to be the dagger as SDSU led 11-7 heading to the bottom half of the sixth. Jessica Delatorre hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth, making it 11-9, followed by a Mya Boos solo shot just two hitters later, making it 11-10 heading to the seventh.

Jessica Delatorre would come up with one of the clutchest hits of the season, tying the game at 11 in the seventh inning, sending it to extras. Akayla Baranrd hit a solo shot to right in the top of the eighth, testing NDSU’s bats yet again, and they came through again.

Zoe King tied it with a double at 12-12 before Amani Hanta successfully executed a suicide squeeze to win the game for the Bison, 13-12, and kick off this series. This game locked in the number three seed for the herd heading into the last two games of the regular season.

Game two came quickly as the Bison looked for the series win. Things started off hot as the Bison put up a three-spot in the bottom half of the first, going up 3-0. SDSU quickly came back with a four-spot of their own, taking the lead.

Fortunately for NDSU, Madison Wihlm would shut the door for the rest of the game as the Bison scored 10 unanswered to mercy rule the Jacks in game two, 13-4, in five innings. Following that second inning, Wihlm would not allow another run, and the Bison would get out to a quick 2-0 lead in this series heading into the final game of the regular season on Saturday afternoon.

The hit parade didn’t stop on Saturday as the Bison put up a 13-spot in the bottom of the first inning. An unbelievable start included two home runs from Mya Boos in one inning.

The Bison would tack on another two before South Dakota State responded with a pair of their own. The Bison thrashed South Dakota State 15-2 to sweep the series and head into the playoffs with about as much momentum as you could ask for.

The Bison will get a chance to knock off the Jacks again in the playoffs as they take on South Dakota State right away in the Summit League softball tournament in the Twin Cities on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The Winner will take on St. Thomas at 2 p.m. on Thursday.