NDSU Softball Splits with Kansas City to Open Summit League Play

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – North Dakota State softball picked up a doubleheader split with Kansas City Friday afternoon in the Summit League opener, winning 9-1 in six innings in game one, before falling 4-2 in game two.
 
In game one, the Bison jumped out to an early lead with a four-run top of the first. Star Cortez and Savannah Henzler recorded RBIs to put the Bison up 2-0 before Rylee Henderson recorded an RBI single and Jasmyn Yessian added an RBI groundout to cap the scoring in the inning.
 
In the second, Cortez added another RBI with a groundout and Chloe Woldruff followed it up with an RBI groundout to give NDSU a 6-0 lead. Zoe King hit a sacrifice fly in the third and Bella Dean reached on a fielder’s choice RBI in the fourth to put NDSU up 8-0.
 
Kansas City extended the game with a home run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Bison captured a run-rule victory in the sixth inning when Star Cortez picked up her third RBI with a double to left.
 
Piper Reed tossed a complete game, allowing one run on five hits with a strikeout. Dean and Henderson recorded two hits each in the game, while Cortez finished with three RBI. Amai Hanta had two walks, two stolen bases, and scored three runs.
 
In game two, the Bison fell behind in the bottom of the first after a bases loaded walk gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead. NDSU answered back in the third, capitalizing on a couple errors from Kansas City to tie the game. However, Kansas City would go back in front with a two-run fifth inning.
 
NDSU cut the deficit to one with a Henderson single in the sixth, but Kansas City went back up by two with their own RBI single in the bottom half of the inning, before retiring the Bison in order in the seventh.
 
Savy Williams picked up the loss in relief, allowing three runs on eight hits in five innings. Madison Wihlm gave up one run in one inning with the start. Jessica Delatorre was the only Bison to reach safely twice in the game, recording a double and a walk. Hanta recorded two more stolen bases in the game.
 
The Bison and Roos will wrap up the series with the rubber match on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. from Kansas City.