FARGO, N.D. – Getting an opportunity to make a statement in a big time matchup, the IUPUI softball team (13-20, 3-0) will face the reigning Summit League champion North Dakota State Bison (15-21, 3-0) in a weekend series (April 8-9) beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. EST in Fargo. The Jags opened league play with a sweep of South Dakota State, and will look to build on their spotless start against another undefeated league opponent.
After winning seven-straight games, the Jags have seen their groove derailed in recent contests, as the team has fallen in three-straight non-conference bouts. The Jags suffered defeats at the hands of Butler, Valparaiso and Indiana State after IUPUI picked up a pair of Summit League Pitcher of the Week awards during their winning stretch. For the season, the team has a .269 batting average and a team 4.48 ERA, all while averaging 3.8 runs on offense.
Maggie Good continues to be a leader on the team and in the Summit League, clubbing a team-best .340 batting average while hitting eight homeruns with 30 RBIs.
Nickole Finch is second-best in the league with nine wins this season, throwing 13 complete games in 17 starts with 27 appearances. Through 122 innings, Finch has 90 strikeouts and 60 walks.
The Bison have won four-straight and five of their last six, as the team is showing signs of their former dominance after a rough tournament schedule. North Dakota State faced four top-25 opponents during the early parts of the season, including the top-ranked Florida Gators. The Bison swept Fort Wayne to begin the Summit League schedule, picking up three wins in a combined 19-4 score. Despite just a .222 team batting average, the Bison have showed balance on offense with 24 homeruns and 22 stolen bases. The ace of the pitching staff, Jacquelyn Sertic has been stellar from the circle, picking up a league-high 11 wins with a 2.74 ERA. She's thrown 21 complete games in 24 starts, striking out 210 batters in 176 innings. The fourth and fifth innings have been a weak spot for North Dakota State, as the team has a -25 run differential in those frames. Overall, the team averages 3.1 runs per game.
The Jags were swept by the Bison in their series last season, as North Dakota State defeated IUPUI in the championship game of the Summit League Tournament. The Jags made an improbable run at the league title last year after holding the lowest seed in the tournament. IUPUI helped eliminate three teams by defeated Western Illinois, South Dakota and Omaha.
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