With the weather playing its hand in Fargo, the North Dakota State softball team hit the road again for a trip to Omaha. In what was supposed to be a three-game set in Fargo ended up being a Thursday doubleheader as winter weather swept through Omaha.
The Bison and Mavericks split the games Thursday before the rubber match Saturday was cancelled.
NDSU struck early in game one as Jacquelyn Sertic continued her fine form as the Bison won 6-1.
The Bison’s bats were hot from the start. Zoe Stravou, Maddie Hansen, Vanessa Anderson and Tabby Heinz all reached in the first inning. With the bases loaded, Montana DeCamp brought home two to give the Bison the lead.
The next inning, Stravou plated Katie Shoultz to extend the lead. Omaha trailed 4-0 after Bre Beatty crossed the plate on an error.
Four runs were more than enough for Sertic in the early game. The senior held the Mavericks to just a single hit in the first four innings and struck out seven.
Omaha broke off their zero in the run column in the fifth. Emily Klosterman reached on a bunt single and scored on a double by Demi Dobbs.
DeCamp gave NDSU more breathing room in the bottom half of the inning. She hit her first home run of the season, and the two-run blast pushed the score to 6-1.
That was all Sertic needed to get her 16th win of the year. She struck out the side in the sixth to bring her total number of strikeouts to 12. She completed the game in the seventh by putting out the final three batters.
The Mavericks got revenge in game two. A pitchers’ duel broke out, and Omaha sneaked by the Bison 2-1.
Mavericks’ pitcher Sydney Hampton and the Bison’s KK Leddy gave up just a combined four baserunners in the first three innings.
Omaha took advantage of Emma Dargby’s one-out walk. The next hitter, Jessica Nelson reached second as Dargby took third. Klosterman doubled the next at-bat to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead.
The Bison cut the lead in half in the fifth inning. Dani Renner hit the second pitch of the inning over the fence for her second home run of the year.
DeCamp reached on a walk and made her way to third over the course of the inning. She ended up stranded on third as Heinz flied out to end the inning.
Still searching for a run, NDSU got a double in both the sixth and seventh innings. Anderson reached second with two outs in the sixth. Renner struck out two batters later to end the threat.
Stephanie Soriano reached second with a one-out double in the final frame. She came close to getting home, but was thrown out trying to score from second on an error. The out closed the game and gave Hampton a three-hit complete game.
Leddy dropped to 4-5 with the loss as the Bison’s record moved to 21-13.
NDSU was scheduled to host North Dakota Tuesday, but the game was postponed due to weather. The Bison will stay on the road for a three-game series against South Dakota State next weekend.