# 2022 North Dakota State Bison softball team

The 2022 North Dakota State Bison softball team was an American college softball team that represented North Dakota State University during the 2022 NCAA Division I softball season. The Bison were led by Darren Mueller in his twenty-first season, and played their home games at Tharaldson Park. They competed in the Summit League.
The Bison finished the season with a 30-23 record, and a 10-8 record in Summit League play. NDSU made it to the Summit League Tournament as the 3 seed. They defeated North Dakota and Omaha, before falling to South Dakota State and Omaha in the elimination game to be eliminated from contention.

## Previous season

The Bison finished the 2021 season 11–12 in Summit League play and 16–29 on the season. They entered the Summit League tournament as the 3 seed but lost to North Dakota in the first round, 5–6 in 10 innings.

## Schedule

2022 North Dakota State Bison softball game log :
Regular Season (28–21) :
February (10–4) :
| Date Time | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Summit League Record |
| February 11 11:30 AM | Utah State | Campus Diamond Santa Barbara, CA | 10-3 | Vargas (1-0) | Reynolds (0-1) | None | 175 | 1-0 | – |
| February 11 1:30 PM | at UC Santa Barbara | Campus Diamond | 17-2$^{(6)}$ | Schulz (1-0) | Mills (0-2) | None | 140 | 2-0 | – |
| February 12 11:30 AM | Utah State | Campus Diamond | 4-6 | Reynolds (1-0) | Williams (0-1) | Toone (1) | 176 | 2-1 | – |
| February 12 4:00 PM | at UC Santa Barbara | Campus Diamond | 3-4 | Snyder (1-0) | Vargas (1-1) | None | 123 | 2-2 | – |
| February 13 10:45 AM | Utah State | Campus Diamond | 15-9 | Williams (1-1) | Millemon (0-2) | None | | 3-2 | – |
| February 19 9 AM | UT Martin | Eagle Field Statesboro, GA | 10-0$^{(5)}$ | Vargas (2-1) | Dreiling (0-1) | None | 50 | 4-2 | – |
| February 19 4:30 PM | Maine Black Bears | Eagle Field | 12-2 | Williams (2-1) | Gruitch (0-1) | None | 84 | 5-2 | – |
| February 20 8 AM | Maine Black Bears | Eagle Field | 8-2 | Vargas (3-1) | Reid (0-1) | None | 50 | 6-2 | – |
| February 20 10:30 AM | at Georgia Southern | Eagle Field | 5-0 | Schulz (2-0) | Belogorska (0-1) | None | 269 | 7-2 | – |
| February 25 1:30 PM | Buffalo | Lobo Softball Field Albuquerque, NM | 6-3 | Vargas (4-1) | Tarantino (2-3) | None | | 8-2 | – |
| February 25 6:30 PM | at New Mexico | Lobo Softball Field | 4-6 | Guindon (4-1) | Schulz (2-1) | Linton (2) | | 8-3 | – |
| February 26 11 AM | UTEP | Lobo Softball Field | 8-9 | Collins (1-1) | Williams (2-2) | Alarcon (2) | | 8-4 | – |
| February 26 1:30 PM | Tarleton | Lobo Softball Field | 8-4 | Vargas (5-1) | Ellett (0-1) | None | | 9-4 | – |
| February 27 11 AM | Tarleton | Lobo Softball Field | 9-1 | Williams (3-2) | Chism (3-2) | None | | 10-4 | – |
March (9–11) :
| Date Time | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Summit League Record |
| March 4 3 PM | CSU Northridge | John C Funk Stadium Riverside, CA | 2-1 | Vargas (6-1) | Jamerson (0-1) | None | 53 | 11-4 | – |
| March 4 8 PM | California Baptist | John C Funk Stadium | 9-4 | Lyle (1-0) | Castaneda (0-1) | None | 309 | 12-4 | – |
| March 5 1 PM | at UC Riverside | Amy S. Harrison Field | 2-3 | Barbarick (1-0) | Lyle (1-1) | None | | 12-5 | – |
| March 5 3:30 PM | at UC Riverside | Amy S. Harrison Field | 7-9 | Heinlin (1-0) | Schulz (2-2) | None | 205 | 12-6 | – |
| March 6 12 PM | Oregon State | John C Funk Stadium | 1-3 | Stepto (1-0) | Vargas (6-2) | None | 143 | 12-7 | – |
| March 11 1 PM | Portland State | Jane Sanders Stadium Eugene, OR | 0-9(9) | Grey (1-0) | Vargas (6-3) | None | | 12-8 | – |
| March 11 3:30 PM | Oregon State | Jane Sanders Stadium | 4-11 | Haendiges (1-0) | Schulz (2-3) | None | | 12-9 | – |
| March 12 3 PM | at #11 Oregon | Jane Sanders Stadium | 1-14$^{(5)}$ | Kliethermes (1-0) | Lyle (1-1) | None | | 12-10 | – |
| March 12 5:30 PM | at #11 Oregon | Jane Sanders Stadium | 2-10$^{(6)}$ | Hansen (1-0) | Vargas (6-4) | None | 1,883 | 12-11 | – |
| March 13 1 PM | Portland State | Jane Sanders Stadium | 9-0$^{(5)}$ | Schulz (3-3) | Frost (0-1) | None | 57 | 13-11 | – |
| March 13 3:30 PM | at Oregon State | Jane Sanders Stadium | 1-3 | Stepto (1-0) | Lyle (1-2) | None | 171 | 13-12 | – |
| March 15 4 PM | at Virginia | Palmer Park Charlottesville, VA | 2-0 | Vargas (7-4) | Houge (0-1) | None | 521 | 14-12 | – |
| March 18 10:45 AM | Binghamton Bearcats | Maryland Softball Stadium College Park, MD | 5-4 | Williams (4-2) | Howard (0-1) | Vargas (1) | 121 | 15-12 | – |
| March 18 3:15 PM | at Maryland | Maryland Softball Stadium | 3-2 | Vargas (8-4) | Wyche (0-1) | None | 334 | 16-12 | – |
| March 19 8:30 AM | Army | Maryland Softball Stadium | 6-5$^{(9)}$ | Vargas (9-4) | Farris (0-1) | None | 200 | 17-12 | – |
| March 19 10:45 AM | Monmouth | Maryland Softball Stadium | 6-1 | Vargas (10-4) | Gletow (0-1) | None | 170 | 18-12 | – |
| March 20 9:00 AM | at Maryland | Maryland Softball Stadium | 3-5 | Schlotterbeck (1-0) | Schulz (3-4) | None | 250 | 18-13 | – |
| March 26 12 PM | at South Dakota | Nygaard Field Vermillion, SD | 4-5 | Edwards (1-0) | Vargas (10-5) | None | | 18-14 | 0-1 |
| March 26 2 PM | at South Dakota | Nygaard Field | 7-1 | Lyle (2-2) | Marquez (0-1) | None | 75 | 19-14 | 1-1 |
| March 27 11 AM | at South Dakota | Nygaard Field | 1-8 | Edwards (2-0) | Vargas (10-6) | None | 55 | 19-15 | 1-2 |
April (6–4) :
| Date Time | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Summit League Record |
| April 2 12 PM | at Omaha | Connie Claussen Field Omaha, NE | 0-4 | Meyer (1-0) | Vargas (10-7) | None | 243 | 19-16 | 1-3 |
| April 2 2 PM | at Omaha | Connie Claussen Field | 7-2 | Lyle (3-2) | Hampton (0-1) | None | 392 | 20-16 | 2-3 |
| April 3 11 AM | at Omaha | Connie Claussen Field | 0-1 | Meyer (1-0) | Vargas (10-8) | None | 139 | 20-17 | 2-4 |
| April 9 12 PM | Kansas City | Tharaldson Park Fargo, ND | 1-0 | Vargas (11-8) | Hoveland (0-1) | None | | 21-17 | 3-4 |
| April 9 2 PM | Kansas City | Tharaldson Park | 4-1 | Lyle (4-2) | Stout (0-1) | None | | 22-17 | 4-4 |
| April 10 11 AM | Kansas City | Tharaldson Park | Canceled, Rain | | | | | 22-17 | 4-4 |
| April 15 12 PM | Western Illinois Series Relocated - Weather | Connie Claussen Field Omaha, NE | 7-0 | Vargas (12-8) | Carlin (0-1) | None | | 23-17 | 5-4 |
| April 15 2 PM | Western Illinois | Connie Claussen Field | 12-1$^{(5)}$ | Lyle (5-2) | Rodriguez (0-1) | None | 78 | 24-17 | 6-4 |
| April 16 11 AM | Western Illinois | Connie Claussen Field | 10-1$^{(5)}$ | Vargas (13-8) | Carlin (0-2) | None | 81 | 25-17 | 7-4 |
| April 23 12 PM | South Dakota State | Tharaldson Park | 1-8$^{(10)}$ | Glanzer (1-0) | Vargas (13-9) | None | | 25-18 | 7-5 |
| April 23 2 PM | South Dakota State | Tharaldson Park | 1-8 | Kniesche (1-0) | Lyle (5-3) | None | | 25-19 | 7-6 |
| April 24 11 AM | South Dakota State | Tharaldson Park | Canceled, Weather | | | | | 25-19 | 7-6 |
| April 30 12 PM | at North Dakota | Apollo Park Grand Forks, ND | Canceled, Weather | | | | | 25-19 | 7-6 |
May (3–2) :
| Date Time | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Summit League Record |
| May 1 11 AM | North Dakota Doubleheader Relocated-Field Conditions | Tharaldson Park Fargo, ND | 10-11 | Jones (1-0) | Williams (4-3) | None | | 25-20 | 7-7 |
| May 1 1 PM | North Dakota | Tharaldson Park | 7-3 | Lyle (6-3) | Albrecht (0-1) | None | 121 | 26-20 | 8-7 |
| May 6 12 PM | St. Thomas | Tharaldson Park | 2-0 | Vargas (14-9) | Crawford (0-1) | None | | 27-20 | 9-7 |
| May 6 2 PM | St. Thomas | Tharaldson Park | 3-0 | Lyle (7-3) | Baniecke (0-1) | None | | 28-20 | 10-7 |
| May 7 11 AM | St. Thomas | Tharaldson Park | 1-2 | Crawford (1-1) | Schulz (3-5) | None | 413 | 28-21 | 10-8 |
Post-Season (2–2) :
Summit League Tournament (2–2) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Summit League Tournament record |
| May 12 | (6) North Dakota | (3) | Jackrabbit Softball Stadium Brookings, SD | 5-2 | Vargas (15-9) | Jones (0-1) | None | 151 | 29-21 | 1-0 |
| May 13 | (2) Omaha | (3) | Nygaard Field Vermillion, SD | 2-0 | Vargas (16-9) | Meyer (0-1) | None | 150 | 30-21 | 2-0 |
| May 14 | (1) South Dakota State | (3) | Nygaard Field | 0-2 | Kniesche (1-0) | Vargas (16-10) | None | | 30-22 | 2-1 |
| May 14 | (2) Omaha | (3) | Nygaard Field | 2-3 | Meyer (1-0) | Lyle (7-4) | None | 120 | 30-23 | 2-2 |
Win  Loss  PostponementBold: Bison team memberReference: Rankings from NFCA:(#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. :

## Awards and honors

First Team All-Summit League
* Dez Cardenas
* Cameryn Maykut
Second Team All-Summit League
* Paige Vargas
* Emilee Buringa
* Reanna Rudd
Summit League All-Tournament Team
* Paige Vargas
* Skylar Padgett
* Nicole Licea