NDSU softball shocks with regional win

[dbackjon]

Bison survive Norman Regional in their first Division I NCAA tournament

North Dakota State's softball team played its home opener April 28. Four days later, pitcher Andi Padilla and the team's other seniors were honored before the home finale.

Such is life on the diamond in Fargo, N.D., where spring comes late and the thrill of the grass is replaced by the squeak of the gym floor. But despite a late start soaking up sunlight, the Bison are doing their best to make up for lost time. After a stunning win in the Norman Regional, including a 1-0 extra-inning victory against No. 7 Oklahoma in the program's first NCAA tournament game, the Bison are one of college softball's final 16 teams.

Next up is a nationally televised super regional at defending national champion Arizona State, with a spot in the Women's College World Series just two wins away for a program that played in the Division II NCAA tournament as recently as 2004.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/ ... id=4173823

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Bison survive Norman Regional in their first Division I NCAA tournament

North Dakota State's softball team played its home opener April 28. Four days later, pitcher Andi Padilla and the team's other seniors were honored before the home finale.

Such is life on the diamond in Fargo, N.D., where spring comes late and the thrill of the grass is replaced by the squeak of the gym floor. But despite a late start soaking up sunlight, the Bison are doing their best to make up for lost time. After a stunning win in the Norman Regional, including a 1-0 extra-inning victory against No. 7 Oklahoma in the program's first NCAA tournament game, the Bison are one of college softball's final 16 teams.

Next up is a nationally televised super regional at defending national champion Arizona State, with a spot in the Women's College World Series just two wins away for a program that played in the Division II NCAA tournament as recently as 2004.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/ ... id=4173823

i may have said something like this elsewhere, but I'm not sure:

In 2002-2003 while SU was mulling over moving up, I hosted a radio show on campus, I also ghost-wrote columns for the Spectrum, and was generally a campus gadfly. I rode Joe Chapman and Gene Taylor about a year and a half about the "Division I wild goose chase" I mocked them incessantly, and when the announce the move up I panned it as "Chapman's Folly"

After NDSU beat Wisconsin in basketball... I felt a twinge of regret
After NDSU beat Marquette on in Milwaukee to their invitational... I felt sheepish
After beating Ball State and Central Michigan in football, and later Minnesota... I was sorry
and this March, when we went dancing, and America met Ben Woodside... I was proven flat wrong.

so I wrote a letter to Joe Chapman... apologizing for calling the move to D-I folly... it was in point of fact, f-ing visionary. NDSU went from being unknown more than 100 miles in to Minnesota to being a regional powerhouse... I no longer have to say... "no, not the 'Fighting Sioux' school"... people know the difference.

Shit like this... in a minor sport, no doubt... but so early in our time in D-I, really sort of puts me in my place... I really don't know if other fans can grasp this... how exciting all of this... how new all of this attention is, and how gratifying it is that my alma matter's biggest gamble since renaming the school 50 years ago has paid off so big.

[bison95]

Joe needs a statue erected of him at the main gate!!!!

Congrats to the Bison women, we are filled with as much pride over this as with all of the other accomplishments NDSU athletics.

Maybe some day even UNI fans will recognize that we belong in Division 1

[dbackjon]

Joe needs a statue erected of him at the main gate!!!!

Congrats to the Bison women, we are filled with as much pride over this as with all of the other accomplishments NDSU athletics.

Maybe some day even UNI fans will recognize that we belong in Division 1

You guys are D-1?

[bison95]

Joe needs a statue erected of him at the main gate!!!!

Congrats to the Bison women, we are filled with as much pride over this as with all of the other accomplishments NDSU athletics.

Maybe some day even UNI fans will recognize that we belong in Division 1

You guys are D-1?

fuck you!

[dbackjon]

You guys are D-1?

fuck you!

Maybe at my bachelor party...

[bison95]

**** you!

Maybe at my bachelor party...

ay need to gat a 6-pack.....of crown royal.....& rufies

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Maybe at my bachelor party...

ay need to gat a 6-pack.....of crown royal.....& rufies

rufies is a garbage bag brand...

i hope you meant roofies...?

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Bison fall 3-0... hell of a pitching performance by ASU... the bisonville types are, as per usual, bitching about the bias and condescension of the announcers... which bugs the crap out of me... they are ASU, we are NDSU... they in fact ARE a bigger deal than us, it's just a fact.

[dbackjon]

Just back from the game. Good crowd, decent number of NDSU fans.

Well played game. NDSU made some incredible plays to keep it close.

NDSU was over matched at the plate, though.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Just back from the game. Good crowd, decent number of NDSU fans.

Well played game. NDSU made some incredible plays to keep it close.

NDSU was over matched at the plate, though.

If the Twin Cities are NDSU's second home... Phoenix is their third...

we have a HUUUUGE alumni network in Arizona.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

11-0 in the 5th...

they had a good run...

[dbackjon]

They did...no shame in what they did. Great to make it to Sweet 16

[bison95]

Just back from the game. Good crowd, decent number of NDSU fans.

Well played game. NDSU made some incredible plays to keep it close.

NDSU was over matched at the plate, though.

Thanks for making the game! Are the Bison D1 quality even though were still D2?




asshole!