OMAHA, Neb. – The North Dakota State softball team picked up a doubleheader sweep of Western Illinois on Friday at Connie Claussen Field, defeating the Leathernecks 7-0 and 12-1.
Avery Wysong got the Bison (24-17, 6-4 Summit League) offense going in the second inning of game one, as she hit her first of two home runs on the day, hitting a two-run shot to center field.
The run support was more than enough for Paige Vargas, who tossed six scoreless innings in a combined shutout with Mac Schultz. Vargas would strike out five and allow just four hits, while Schulz tossed a scoreless seventh.
Reanna Rudd would bat in three more runs for the Bison. She had an RBI double to right in the fifth inning to extend the NDSU lead to 3-0. Carley Goetschius then hit a two-RBI single up the middle to score two more runs. In the sixth inning, Rudd doubled down the right field line to score the final two runs in game one.
In game two, Western Illinois would strike first, as they scored in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. NDSU would respond in the third, capitalizing on an error to score three runs. After Cameryn Maykut reached on the error and a run scored to tie the game, Rudd hit her second two-RBI double of the game, bringing around Emilee Buringa and Maykut to take a 3-1 lead.
Buringa would start the scoring in the fourth, as the Bison plated nine runs. Buringa worked a nine-pitch bases loaded walk to score the first run of the inning. Dez Cardenas then hit a two-RBI single, followed up by an RBI single from Maykut to extend the lead to 7-1.
Two batters later, with the bases loaded again, Goetschius hit a grand slam to left center to low the game open. Wysong then stepped in and made it back-to-back home runs as she hit her second of the day.
Lainey Lyle tossed a complete game victory as she went five innings. Lyle improved to 4-0 in Summit League play, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts.
The Bison will wrap up the series with Western Illinois on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Connie Claussen Field.
*Ben Dishong, NDSU Athletics
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