College Softball News

Bison Softball Shuts Down No. 22 Stanford, BYU at Louisville Slugger Classic

(Photo Courtesy of North Dakota State Athletics)

STANFORD, Calif.–North Dakota State University shutout No. 22-ranked Stanford University and Brigham Young University by identical scores of 4-0 on Friday, March 7, on the opening day of the Louisville Slugger Classic played before 354 fans at Smith Family Stadium.

NDSU (12-6) defeated a nationally-ranked opponent in the Cardinal for the fourth-time in the Division I era and for the third season in a row. The Bison won 13-0 at Nebraska in 2013, outlasted Hawai’i 9-7 at the 2012 NCAA Tucson Regional and stunned Oklahoma 1-0 in 11 innings at the 2009 NCAA Norman Regional.

Krista Menke (8-2) took part in both shutouts, spinning the seven-inning shutout of the Cardinal and picking up her second save in relief of Katie Thun against BYU. Menke tossed a four-hitter against Stanford (19-6) with one walk and one strikeout. She allowed two hits with two strikeouts and a walk against the Cougars.

North Dakota State struck for two runs with two outs in the first inning against Stanford. Cheyenne Garcia singled through the right side, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on the first of four Cardinal errors. Jenina Ortega, who went to second on the miscue, scored on Amanda Grable’s run-scoring single.

Menke and the Bison defense turned away Stanford several times. The Cardinal had runners on second and third in the third inning, but a line out to third baseman Grable and pop out to shortstop Logan Moreland ended that threat.

NDSU tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. Alex Sobrero reached and advanced to second on an error. Garcia collected her second hit, a triple to plate Sobrero, and then scored on a wild pitch. Moreland also had two hits.

Madi Schreyer (15-4) went the distance for Stanford. Schreyer struck out 10, scattered seven hits, allowed one earned run and walked one. Kylie Sorenson had a double.

North Dakota State did all its scoring against BYU (8-12) in the third inning. Brandi Enriquez led off with a single, advanced to second on Sobrero’s one out base hit and scored on Moreland’s single. Garcia’s single knocked Sobrero home, while Ortega delivered a two-run double to left center.

Thun (2-1) made her second collegiate start a good one. She worked the first four innings, allowing just two hits with three walks and a strikeout before yielding to Menke in the fifth.

The Cougars made things interesting in the top of the fifth inning, but NDSU turned its ninth double play of the season with the alert play of Sobrero in center and Garcia at second base. BYU had a threat snuffed out in the sixth when Ortega threw a baserunner at third.

Garcia went 2 for 2 with a walk to lead NDSU, which also received a double from Maritza Lopez-Portillo.

Ashley Thompson and Tori Almond worked on the mound for the Cougars with Thompson picking up the loss. Megan Arnold had two of BYU’s four hits.

North Dakota State is scheduled to play BYU at noon and UC Davis at 6:45 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 8.

To Top