Following a series win at Kansas City, the NDSU softball team would get to play in Fargo for the first time this season. Their home opening series saw the Omaha Mavericks come to town. The Mavs came to Tharaldson Park 23-9 on the season and had just beaten the Creighton Blue Jays out of the Big East conference. This would be a tall task for NDSU in their home opener as they would score one measly run in a three-game sweep at the hands of the Mavericks.

Games one and two of the series would be dominated by Omaha pitching, as in the first of three Maddia Groff would pitch three perfect innings against the Bison and hold the Herd to just three hits in a six-inning start. Rylinn Groff and Haley Wilwerding would each hit two-run homers in the middle innings, which would be enough to get the win 4-0 over NDSU in the opener. Savy Williams took the loss as she allowed the four runs on nine hits and just one strikeout.

Game two of the doubleheader would continue the onslaught as the Mavs grabbed the lead on a wild pitch in the first, and never looked back. The Mavs scored five runs in the next four innings to lead 6-0 after five complete. Chloe Woldruff would clock her first home run of the season in the fifth, but Omaha would respond with a two-run homer in the seventh to win 8-1. Piper Reed pitched three and a third innings, giving up five runs, four of which were earned, in the loss.

Omaha would complete the series sweep on Sunday afternoon by pounding the Bison 9-0 in six innings. An RBI single in the first put the Mavs in front, then Omaha blasted three home runs to put NDSU away early. The Bison only had four baserunners, as three hits and a hit by pitch were the only offense mustered by Darren Mueller’s offense. Addie Bowers allowed seven runs on five hits in the defeat.

The Bison look to right the ship against the University of North Dakota this weekend in a huge three-game set at Tharaldson Park.