Srinath Kandooru

NOTES: Hawks Begin Conference Play in Brookings with Three-Game Series Against South Dakota State

3/27/2026 5:41:00 PM | By: Corey Lichtman, FightingHawks.com

All three games will be on the Summit League Network.

North Dakota (22-11, 0-0 Summit League) vs. South Dakota State (17-20, 2-1 Summit League)
101st career meeting | SDSU leads series 69-31 | Last meeting, May 3, 2025 | SDSU 2, UND 1

Brookings, S.D. (Jerald T. Moriarty Field) | March 28 – March 30
Watch: Midco Sports Plus / Summit League Network
Full Game Notes are here

BROOKINGS, S.D. – The North Dakota softball team opens up Summit League play this weekend, in a three-game series at South Dakota State from Jerald T. Moriarty Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with a 2:30 start slated for Monday.

It is the 101st all-time meeting between the two teams, with South Dakota State leading the all-time series 69-31. The Jackrabbits have won the last 15 matchups, last beating the Hawks on May 3, 2025 by a score of 2-1 in Grand Forks.

NoDak sits at 22-11 on the season, coming off a doubleheader sweep over Dakota State on Wednesday in its home opener. UND won the first game 9-0 and the second game 8-0, both via run-rule in five innings.

The Hawks allowed just one hit in 10.0 innings pitched as a staff, striking out 20 batters. Tehya Armstrong threw a no-hitter in the second game, tossing 5.0 innings, with two walks and 10 strikeouts. Makenna Alexander and Chloe Bethune both hit home runs on the evening, good for their third homer of the season each.

Scouting the Opposition
SDSU enters this game with a 17-20 record overall and 2-1 tally in Summit League play, taking 2-of-3 from South Dakota last week in Vermillion.

The Jackrabbits lean on their offense, with a .306 batting average and 48 home runs as a team (both second in the Summit League). Akayla Barnard leads the charge with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs, hitting .313, while Amanda Vacanti has a .398 batting average with nine home runs and 23 RBIs.

The Jacks own a 5.14 team ERA, led by Barnard (4.51 ERA, 10 starts) and Madi Mangulis (3.88 ERA, 9 starts).

Pregame Notes

The Hawks are 19-4 in their last 23 games
UND is 8-1 in one-run games this season
In the 100 previous contests with eachother, 27 of those games have been decided by one-run (UND is 8-19 in those games)
The Jackrabbits are second in the Summit League in home runs hit (48), while the UND pitching staff has given up the second least home runs in the conference (12)
UND owns a 65-128 record in conference play under Jordan Stevens
Jaedyn Valdez is hitting .387 on the season, good for sixth in the Summit League
North Dakota is 1-of-2 teams in the conference to have two pitchers with an ERA under 3.00 (St. Thomas)
Unity Nelson owns a 2.58 ERA (sixth in the Summit League) and Tegan Livesay has a 2.93 ERA (eighth in the Summit League)
When scoring a run this season, UND owns a 22-4 record