- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
DeLand Today
By the People, for the People
NDSU Softball Splits Day Two of Hatter Classic
Bison rally from 5-0 deficit to defeat Maine, fall to host Stetson
Published on Feb. 14, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
North Dakota State softball picked up a split on day two of the Hatter Classic, defeating Maine in a record-tying come-from-behind 9-5 victory, before falling to host Stetson 8-7. The Bison rallied from a 5-0 deficit against Maine, scoring six runs in the fifth inning to take the lead. In the second game, NDSU jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over Stetson, but the Hatters scored four unanswered runs to take the lead. The Bison fought back to go up 6-4, but Stetson scored four more runs, including three unearned, to win 8-7.
Why it matters
The split keeps NDSU's record at .500 on the young season, as they continue to compete in the Hatter Classic tournament. The come-from-behind win against Maine tied a program record, showcasing the team's resilience and ability to battle back from large deficits.
The details
Against Maine, the Bison fell behind 5-0 after the top of the fourth inning, but responded with six runs in the fifth to take the lead. Cortez, Hanta, and Boos all drove in runs in the big inning. In the second game, NDSU jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but Stetson scored four unanswered runs to go ahead. The Bison battled back to take a 6-4 lead, but the Hatters scored four more runs, three of them unearned, to win 8-7.
- NDSU matched a program record for largest come-from-behind victory on February 14, 2026.
- The previous record-tying comeback was on February 10, 2019 against Abilene Christian, when NDSU rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win 6-5.
- The only other time NDSU overcame a 5-0 deficit to win was on March 13, 2009 at Southern Utah, when they trailed 5-0 after two innings but won 9-7.
The players
North Dakota State
The NDSU softball team that competed in the Hatter Classic tournament.
Maine
The opposing team that NDSU defeated 9-5 after rallying from a 5-0 deficit.
Stetson
The host team that defeated NDSU 8-7 in the second game of the day.
What’s next
NDSU will wrap up the Hatter Classic on Saturday with a game against Maine. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. CT from Patricia Wilson Field.
The takeaway
NDSU's softball team showed impressive resilience and the ability to mount big comebacks, tying a program record for the largest deficit overcome in a victory. The split keeps them at .500 on the season as they continue to compete in the Hatter Classic tournament.
