NDSU Softball: Bison Recount 2017 NCAA Tournament Win over Oklahoma Before Matchup with Mississippi State

This will be the herd's sixteenth NCAA appearance in the program's history

FARGO, N.D. — NDSU  softball is twenty-four hours away from the NCAA Tucson Regional tournament.

This will be the herd’s sixteenth NCAA appearance in the program’s history. Nine of those trips have taken place in the last ten years, so the Bison are no stranger to the big stage.

NDSU is also quite familiar with being overlooked by tournament teams… a mistake Oklahoma made last year. The Bison upset the Sooners in the regional tournament in 2017. After that loss, Oklahoma went on to win the national championship.

Now heading into the matchup with Mississippi State tomorrow, the herd is using 2017 as a lesson to never doubt the underdog.

“We’ve always believed that anyone can beat anyone on any given day and that could mean anyone could give it to us, that also means we that we could give it to anybody as well,” said right fielder Bre Beatty. “We played Arizona last year. We know that they’re not going to make the mistake that Oklahoma did by looking over us, so we know that we need to give them hell if we face a game against them this year.”

“Taking advantage of any opportunity we’re given that’s a huge thing,” catcher Tabby Heinz added. “Them underestimating us last year I think that was a big learning lesson for us to never underestimate our opponent and them to never underestimate us.”

Friday is game day against Mississippi State. It will be televised on ESPN 2.