FARGO, N.D. (NDSU Athletics) – Senior Sam Koehn drilled a walk-off, two-run double to win Game 1, and sophomore pitcher Lainey Lyle fired a no-hitter in Game 2 to lift the North Dakota State softball team to a doubleheader sweep of South Dakota on Saturday afternoon at Tharaldson Park.
The Bison emerged victorious, 6-5, after a dramatic ending in the opener. NDSU carried a 4-0 lead into the seventh inning, but the Coyotes exploded for five runs to take a 5-4 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Madyson Camacho walked and stole second, Stephanie Soriano singled and took second base on the throw, and Koehn laced a shot down the left field line with two outs to score them.
In Game 2, Lyle fired seven no-hit innings for her first collegiate no-hitter as the Bison won 3-0. The sophomore right-hander from Middleton, Idaho, struck out seven and allowed only two baserunners with a pair of walks – one of which was cut down on the bases by NDSU catcher Avery Wysong attempting to steal second.
The Bison improved to 11-19 overall and 6-4 in Summit League play, running their win streak to four with the sweep Saturday.
NDSU senior Cara Beatty went 4-for-8 with four RBIs in the doubleheader, ripping a two-run home run in both games. Cameryn Maykut added a solo homer in the sixth inning of Game 2.
Camacho finished 4-for-7 on the day, and Soriano was 4-for-8, giving the Bison a powerful one-two punch at the top of the batting order.
Sophomore left-hander Mac Schulz pitched six shutout innings for NDSU in the opener before running into trouble in the seventh inning. Paige Vargas got the Bison out of the inning and earned the win after the Koehn walk-off.
NDSU and USD will play a doubleheader again on Sunday, starting at 11 a.m. at Tharaldson Park.
