WAHPETON, N.D. — The No. 1-ranked North Dakota State College of Science softball team played from behind in both games of the district championship series Tuesday, storming back to sweep Joliet by scores of 11-3 and 6-4, punching their ticket to the NJCAA Division III World Series in New York.
Trailing 3-1 in the third, NDSCS got on the board in game one with a solo homer down the left field line off the bat of Blythe Proulx.
Katie Edmonds supplied three singles from the No. 8 spot in the lineup and Rayelle Cooley bashed a double off the top of the fence in right center. Edmonds, Ava Howard and Jessi Matthews tallied two RBIs each.
The Wildcats racked up nine stolen bases in the opener.
NDSCS exploded for six runs in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead and ended the game via mercy rule after six innings.
Emma Johnson earned the win after pitching four solid innings with five strikeouts.
Joliet jumped ahead once again in game two, but the Cats scored three runs in the fourth to regain the lead.
Grace Folkema earned the win after firing four innings with six punchouts. Heeley Taylor got the hold with 2 ⅓ innings and one strikeout. Ella Stewart slammed the door shut with a two-out save, punctuated by a game-sealing strikeout of the leadoff batter.
NDSCS heads to the national tournament with a 49-13-1 record.
