NDSU Softball Set to Host South Dakota for Home Finale

FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State softball wraps up the home schedule at Tharaldson Park this weekend, welcoming in South Dakota for a three-game Summit League series on Saturday and Sunday. The Bison will take on the Coyotes in a doubleheader on Saturday, with the final game of the series on Sunday. Both days will begin at noon from Tharaldson Park.
 
Game Coverage
All three games of the series between the Bison and Coyotes will be streamed live on The Summit League Network. A Summit League Network subscription is 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.
 
Bison 1660
All three games of the series will be broadcast live on Bison 1660, with the audio simulcast on the Summit league Network stream. Brad Anderson and Andy Rieckhoff will have the call of the action from Tharaldson Park.
 
Ticket and Parking Information
All seating at Tharaldson Park is general admission and tickets can be purchased at the gate on game day. Adult tickets are $10. Youth (3-17 yrs) tickets are $5. Gates open 60 minutes prior to game time. No pets or outside food and beverages are allowed inside the gate at Tharaldson Park. Parking for all Bison softball games is available in Lot NQ and along 17th Avenue, with overflow parking in Lot RP.
 
Series History
North Dakota State and South Dakota have met 101 times in series history heading into the weekend, the third-most played series for the Bison program. NDSU leads the series 68-33, including a 35-13 record in the Division I era. However, South Dakota swept the Bison last season in Vermillion and have taken seven of the last 10 overall.
 
Delatorre, Cortez Have Strong Road Trips
Freshman Jessica Delatorre and sophomore Star Cortez had strong road trips for the Bison. Delatorre led NDSU, hitting .571 at the plate, including her third home run of the season and three extra-base hits. She had two runs scored and also had two walks for a .667 on-base percentage. Cortez had six hits on the week, hitting .500 at the plate. She also drew three walks for a .600 on-base percentage.
 
Turning Two
North Dakota State leads the Summit League and ranks 16th nationally this season with 23 double plays turned by the defense, including 11 in the four Summit League series so far. NDSU’s .53 double plays turned per game also ranks 10th nationally. The Bison turned just 16 double plays last season. 23 double plays turned by the Bison defense is second most in NDSU history. The school record is 28 in 2009.
 
Hanta, Bison Lead League in Stolen Bases
Freshman Amai Hanta has entered league play with a splash, swiping seven bases in the series at Kansas City and four against North Dakota. She has 19 stolen bases on the year, which also ranks 67th nationally. Her stolen base percentage of .950 ranks ninth nationally. NDSU has recorded 40 stolen bases (in 48 attempts) this season, which also leads the league lead. The Bison closed out last season with 44 stolen bases, .815 per game. NDSU is averaging .930 stolen bases per game this season.
 
Tough Outs
The Bison lead the Summit League in fewest strikeouts at the plate this season. NDSU has just 136 strikeouts in 1200 total plate appearances, striking out just 11.3 percent of the time. The league average is 14.9 percent and South Dakota State is the second closest at 160, striking out 11.6 percent of the time. Zoe King also leads the Bison and the Summit League in Toughest to Strikeout Ratio, at one per 30.25 trips to the plate, or 3.3 percent of the time, which also ranks 29th nationally.