NDSU Softball Fixing Team Chemistry After Disappointing 2021 Season

Bison did not win Summit League for first time since 2013

FARGO, N.D — North Dakota State softball is happily turning the page to a new chapter after a 2021 season to forget that produced both a losing record for the first time in four years and no Summit League championship for the first time in eight years.

A rough start made it hard to recover as the Bison won two of their first 10 games then just two series  in league play before getting eliminated in the conference tournament by North Dakota in the first round.

One important trait a team needs to have success is chemistry and players never thought it was a strong area. That became a point of emphasis in the offseason and now into the the first pitches of 2022.

“It wasn’t fun for us to lose but being around each other needed to be one thing. A family,” senior catcher Avery Wysong said. “That’s what we talked about this year. Being that family. Wanting to be around each other will be the first thing that’ll help us.”

“We’ve done a lot of team bonding and a lot of one on one dates as well,” senior infield Dez Cardenas said. “That’s definitely helped in getting to know each other individually and really build up that team chemistry.”

“Were definitely coming in with a mindset of playing relaxed and just having fun with it because if you’re not having fun with it, there’s no point in playing,” senior Paige Vergas said. “Were just going in having a determination in every game to win every game as much as we can.”

The Bison get it going out west  starting Friday against Utah State and UC-Santa Barbara.