The next stop for the NDSU softball team was close to home as they headed to Minneapolis, Minnesota and the Gopher Indoor Classic. The event was hosted by the University of Minnesota and held at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings. The Bison and Gophers would be joined by the Redhawks of Miami (OH) and the Seahawks of Wagner. North Dakota State would play five games in the Twin Cities, and four of them would be games to forget.
Games one and two would be a nightmare as they would be outscored 12-2 in those two losses as Miami (OH) would rout the Bison 9-1, followed by a 3-1 loss to the Gophers.
Miami would strike in the first then pad their lead with a two-run homer in the second inning to put the Bison behind the eight ball. Reigning Kwik Star Summit League Softball Peak Performer of the Week Rylee Henderson would bring in NDSU’s lone run of the game with an RBI single in the fourth.
The Redhawks would respond with a home run barrage as back-to-back homers in the forth and another in the fifth put the Bison on the ropes. Miami would score two more runs in the sixth to win via run rule. Savy Williams took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits in three and two thirds innings. She would punchout three in her defeat.
Game two would be closer but still end in defeat as Minnesota jumped ahead on a solo home run in the second inning. NDSU would answer in the third as Jasmyn Yessian knocked in an RBI on a single to right even the score. Two Gopher runs in the forth would be the difference was the Bison would be shutout the duration of the contest. Addie Bowers would toss a complete game in the loss. She allowed three runs on six hits while striking out two.
Day two at U.S. Bank Stadium would see two games against the Seahawks of Wagner University. WU would win the opener 9-6 before the Bison finally notched a win at the classic by winning 12-6.
After three scoreless innings Wagner would break through with three runs in the forth. A pair of RBI singles in the fifth would extend the lead to five. The Bison would finally score a couple of runs in the fifth as Star Cortez would hit an RBI triple to score Macy Fry. Cortez would score later that inning on an RBI groundout off the bat of Jasmyn Yessian.
Wagner took no time in responding as a base-clearing double would drive in three runs for the Seahawks. Later that inning a sacrifice fly would give WU a 9-2 lead. Down to their last three outs NDSU would load the bases before Jessica Delatorre hit a two-run double. Rylee Henderson would do the same two batters later. But with two runners on and the tying run at the plate, NDSU would strand those runners and fall to Wagner. Madison Wihlm would take the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in three innings of work.
Game two of the doubleheader would be a surge of offense for the Herd with a four-run first inning where Zoe King, Jasmyn Yessian, and Ella Claus would all hit RBI’s to build the early cushion. Wagner would respond with a run in the third and two in the fourth to cut the lead to one. NDSU would respond with two runs of their own as a sac fly and a steal of home from Yessian put the Bison ahead 6-3. The ‘Hawks would inch closer with a run in the fourth but a three-run response in the fifth would extend the lead as a RBI single from Taylinn Warren, sac fly from Henderson, and a squeeze bunt from King would nearly salt the game away. Two runs from Wagner in sixth were met by a three spot from the Bison in the seventh as Amai Hanta would hit a sac fly RBI, followed by a two-run RBI single to put the capper on a 12-6 Bison win.
Addie Bowers would start the game but after three hits and four runs allowed she was given a no decision after three innings and Kaitlyn Dunford would allow three runs over the final four innings. Each pitcher would strikeout one batter.
NDSU would drop its finale at the Gopher Indoor Classic to the University of Minnesota by the score of 10-1. The Gophers would jump out to a 5-0 lead in the first thanks to a three run home run. NDSU would get on the board in the fifth as a Taylinn Warren RBI single would ge the Bison off the dime.
The Minnesota continued their onslaught in the late innings as a RBI in fifth led to a three run homer in the sixth inning to give the Gophers the win by the run rule. Savy Williams would take the loss for the Bison, allowing five runs in a single inning. Piper Reed tossed three scoreless before allowing five runs in the final inning and a third.
The Bison will leave Minneapolis for Mississippi as they head to the Golden Eagle Classic hosted by Southern Mississippi.