North Dakota State University’s softball team began its 2026 season with a split at the River City Leadoff tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bison dropped their opening game to Colgate, 8-6, before securing a 5-2 win over host Jacksonville University.
In the first game, Colgate took control early by hitting three home runs in the top of the first inning and building a 5-0 lead. North Dakota State responded in the bottom half when Bella Dean hit a solo home run and Lileigh Nieto added an RBI single to score Amai Hanta.
Colgate capitalized on an error in the third inning to extend its lead to 8-2. The Bison started to rally in the fifth with Dean’s second home run of the game. This marked her third career multi-home run game, tying her for most in program history alongside Logan Moreland and Vanessa Anderson.
NDSU narrowed the gap further in the sixth inning with three more runs. Morgan Zimmerman’s single brought home Taylinn Warren and Nieto, aided by an error. Zimmerman later scored on an RBI groundout from Dean.
In their final chance at bat, NDSU loaded the bases with one out but could not complete the comeback as Colgate recorded consecutive strikeouts to end the contest.
Dean finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs while Nieto had two hits and a walk. Warren led all players with three hits. Jocelyn McClary provided relief pitching for NDSU, delivering 4.2 scoreless innings and striking out four without issuing a walk.
The second game saw NDSU take an early lead against Jacksonville after Hanta singled and was driven in by Dean’s RBI double. Jacksonville tied it up following a hit batter and a walk that set up an RBI single.
Bison pitcher Madison Wihlm then held Jacksonville scoreless over four innings as both teams struggled offensively until NDSU broke through in the fifth inning. Jessica Delatorre hit an RBI single after NDSU loaded the bases; subsequent fielder’s choices from Nieto and Mya Boos drove in two more runs for a 4-1 advantage.
Warren extended NDSU’s lead with an RBI groundout in the sixth inning before Jacksonville managed another run in their half of that frame. Wihlm pitched into the seventh before Piper Reed came on to record her first save by retiring two batters, including one via strikeout.
NDSU will continue play Saturday at North Florida’s venue during games three and four of the River City Leadoff tournament. They are scheduled to face Colgate again at 2 p.m., followed by North Florida at 4 p.m., both at UNF Softball Complex.
