(NDSU Athletics) ST. PAUL, Minn. – The North Dakota State softball team picked up a pair of shutouts on Sunday in a doubleheader sweep of St. Thomas at South Field. The Bison won 5-0 in game one before picking up a 9-0 victory in six innings in game two.
Paige Vargas was dominant in game one, as she matched a career high with 14 strikeouts to lead the way in her fifth shutout of the season. Vargas reached a milestone with her first strikeout, hitting the 500-mark for her career.
Vargas would have two strikeouts in each of the first three innings before striking out the side in the fourth. After just one strikeout in the fifth, the senior would strikeout the side again in the sixth inning before a final strikeout in the seventh.
Bella Dean would give the Bison the lead in the top of the fourth. After a walk from Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage, Dean hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season with a shot to left.
The Bison would add three more in the seventh with RBI singles from Aguilar-Beaucage and Dean, before a sac bunt RBI from Reanna Rudd. Dean finished 3-for-4 with three RBI.
In game two, Lainey Lyle picked up her third shutout in league play, as she scattered four hits and three walks with a couple strikeouts in six innings.
Emilee Buringa gave the Bison the lead with a two-RBI single in the second inning. The Bison would extend the lead in the fourth, as Chloe Woldruff tripled down the right field line to score Kaylee Moore.
In the next two at bats, Buringa and Carley Goetschius would hit back-to-back home runs to extend the Bison lead to 6-0. The Bison would then load the bases in the sixth inning for Aguilar-Beaucage, who hit a bases clearing double to center to cap the scoring.
Buringa finished game two 3-for-4 with four RBI. Moore and Woldruff also finished the game with two hits and two runs each.
The Bison will wrap up the series on Monday with the final game against the Tommies. The series finale is set for 2 p.m. at South Field.
