NDSU Softball Opens Summit League Play at Kansas City

FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State softball will open up the Summit League schedule this weekend with a three-game series on the road at Kansas City. In a series that was originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, the Bison will play the Roos in a doubleheader Friday beginning at noon, with a single game to close out the series Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
Game Coverage
All three games of the series between the Bison and Roos will be streamed live on The Summit League Network. A subscription to the Summit League Network will be needed to view the games. All games will also include live statistics. Links to the streams and stats will be available on the softball schedule page on gobison.com.
 
Series History
The Bison and Roos have met 41 times in series history entering the weekend, with the first meetings coming in April of 2005. NDSU holds a commanding 30-11 lead in the series, but Kansas City took two of three in the series in Fargo last season and eliminated the Bison from the Summit League Championship a few weeks later.
 
Last Time in Kansas City Against the Roos
North Dakota State took a three-game sweep against Kansas City the last time the two teams met in KC, which was also the opening of Summit League play in 2023. The Bison shut out the Roos 10-0 in the opener, as Paige Vargas tossed a one hitter. The Bison won 4-1 to wrap the opening day doubleheader and then won 11-1 in the series finale. NDSU hit five home runs in the series.
 
Bison Sit Atop League In Stolen Bases
NDSU has recorded 22 stolen bases (in 28 attempts) this season, which is tied for the league lead with South Dakota (22-for-31) entering league play. The 28 stolen bases are even with last season when NDSU also began league play with 22 before closing out the season with 44.
 
Tough Outs
The Bison lead the Summit League in fewest strikeouts at the plate this season. NDSU has just 83 strikeouts in 875 total trips to the plate, striking out just 9.5 percent of the time. The league average is 14.7 percent and South Dakota State is the second closest at 107, striking out 11.5 percent of the time. Zoe King also leads the Bison and the Summit League in Toughest to Strikeout Ratio, at one per 41 trips to the plate, which ranks 25th nationally.
 
Turning Two
North Dakota State leads the Summit League and ranks 30th nationally this season with 12 double plays turned. The Bison turned just 16 double plays last season.
 
Woldruff’s Streak Ends at 13
Chloe Woldruff’s career long hit streak (13) and reached base streak (15) came to an end in NDSU’s loss at No. 2 Ole Miss last week. Woldruff’s hit streak of 13 games is tied for ninth longest in NDSU’s Division I era. During the streak, Woldruff hit a blistering .486 with three doubles, a triple, nine RBI, six runs scored and also had three walks to help to a .527 on-base percentage.
 
Triple Threat
The Bison lead the Summit League in triples this season with seven, which is also ranked in the top 50 nationally heading into the weekend. Amai Hanta leads the way for the Bison in triples with four, which also leads the league and is ranked 13th nationally.
 
Sacrifice Flies
NDSU has had 12 sacrifice flies this season, which leads the Summit League and is 23rd nationally. Bella Dean has been a leader in sac flies, with four, which has her ranked 11th in the nation and just two off the national lead entering the week.
 
Hanta Swiping Bags and Scoring Runs
Freshman Amai Hanta enters league play with a team and league best eight stolen bases on the season. She has come around to score 23 runs on the season, which leads the Bison and is fourth in the Summit League. In NDSU’s 13 wins this season, Hanta has scored the winning run seven times.
 
Henderson, Woldruff, Warren On Hot Streak Since Mexico
Rylee Henderson, Chloe Woldruff and Taylinn Warren have been dominant at the plate over the last month, since returning from Mexico, with all three hitting over .400. Warren leads the group, hitting .432 and has five RBI and 13 runs scored. Woldruff is hitting .417 with 12 RBI, seven runs and a team best .482 on-base percentage. Henderson is hitting .407 and has a team best 15 RBI along with seven runs. After the first two weeks, the trio had a combined six hits (.130 avg) with no RBI and just one run scored.
 
Dean Producing At Plate
Bella Dean continues to produce at the plate as an RBI machine, leading the Bison and ranking fourth in the Summit League with 22 RBI. Dean also has five home runs on the season and is recording extra-base hits in 45 percent of her hits this season.
 
Extra Innings

With an 8-6 win in nine innings over Iowa State on March 14, the Bison improved to 1-1 in extra innings this season. NDSU fell 4-3 to East Texas A&M in eight innings on February 22 in the other game to go to extras. NDSU was 4-2 in extra-inning games last year. Five games ended in the eighth inning and one went to the ninth. NDSU is 47-38 all-time in extras in the DI era.
 
Bison Picked Sixth in Summit League
NDSU was picked sixth in the Summit League preseason poll, receiving 13 points, two behind Kansas City in fifth (15). Omaha had 35 points and five-first-place votes, edging out South Dakota State, who had 32 and two first-place votes. South Dakota (21) and St. Thomas (18) were picked third and fourth. North Dakota was picked even with the Bison in sixth on 13 points to round out the poll.