February 28, 2015
Photo credit by Scott Voigt
ROSEMOUNT, Minn. – Mayville State (N.D.) raced to a 6-0 lead over Dakota State (S.D.) late Friday night at the Irish Sports Dome in both teams' season-opening softball game. The Trojans outscored the Comets 8-6 in the final three innings but it was not enough as MSU held on to a 12-9 non-conference victory.
Mayville State opened the game with a 2-0 lead. After Onalise Rodriguez started the game with a single, Danielle Sheridan reached on base caused by DSU's defensive error and advanced Rodriguez to second base. Rodriguez swiped to third base and then scored from another Trojans' miscue on Daisy Macias' at-bat to give DSU a 1-0 lead (Sheridan advanced to third base). Sheridan stole for home, extending MSU's lead by two runs.
The Trojans could not convert their first scoring chances in the bottom first frame after Miller recorded two stolen base and stranded at third base.
The Comets added four runs in the top second inning. Monica Gomez led off with a double and advanced to third after DSU's wild pitch. Kiana Ishikawa produced an RBI ground out to score Gomez to give MSU a 3-0 lead.
After Sheridan reached on base by a walk, Macias hit an RBI double to score Sheridan as Comets' lead grew to 4-0. Nina Gurgian added a 2-run home run to make it 6-0 in favor of Mayville State in the second inning.
Dakota State ended their scoring drought with a run scored in the bottom third. With runners on second (Erica Belter) and first (Elizabeth Rubalcava), Brittany Hill recorded an RBI single to score Belter for DSU's first round of the game (MSU leads 6-1).
Mayville State exploded for another four runs in the top fifth inning. Tiffany Soria led off the inning with a walk. Megan Rabe hit an RBI double to score Soria to give Comets a 7-1 lead. After Rabe swiped for third base, she scored on DSU's wild pitch to extend MSU's lead to 8-1.
The Comets added three more walks by Ishikawa, Gomez and Sheridan, Macias added a 2-RBI double to score Ishikawa and Gomez for the biggest lead of the game at 10-1.
The Trojans answered back in the bottom fifth with five runs scored, highlighted by Harely Lindell's 3-run home run. Miller was hit-by-pitch with one out for DSU. Rubalcava hit an RBI double to score Miller, trimming Mayville State's lead to 10-2.
Brittany Hill added an RBI single to score Rubalcava to reduce MSU's lead to 10-3 in the bottom fifth inning. Sara Erickson reached on base by MSU's defensive error and advanced Brittany Hill to second base. Lindell smashed her first home run at Dakota State with a 3-run home run on a 1-2 count. The Trojans trailed 10-6 by the end of the fifth frame.
MSU made it 12-6 in the top sixth inning after Sonja Bilden's 2-RBI double.
Dakota State added a run in the bottom sixth, narrowing down their deficit to 12-7. Belter led off with a single and swiped bases two consecutive times. Rubalcava hit an RBI ground out to score Belter as the Trojans trailed by five runs heading into the final inning.
The Comets could not score in the top seventh inning as they left one runner on base.
DSU opened the bottom seventh with a bases loaded situation. Erickson recorded a single, followed by Lindell's hit-by-pitch and Ariana Duran reaching safely by MSU's defensive error. Shai-Lee Hill, pinch hitting for Ellie Kristensen, earned a 2-RBI ground out to score Erickson and Lindell to cut MSU's lead to 12-9.
The Trojans' comeback fell short as they left one runner on third base, securing the victory for Mayville State.
Lindell collected three RBIs and recorded a home run in the game for Dakota State. Brittany Hill added two singles and recorded two RBIs. Rubalcava had a double and two RBIs. Shai-Lee Hill added two RBIs. Belter had a single.
Kristensen had reached on base twice by walks for the Trojans. Miller, Kristensen and Belter each swiped two bases. Erickson recorded a stolen base.
Mayville State had seven doubles in the game with two doubles coming from Macias. Bilden, Gomez, Sheridan, Rabe and Ishikawa each had a double. Macias produced four RBIs. Bilden added three RBIs. Rodriguez and Gurgian each had a hit.
Sheridan, Rodriguez, Rabe and Macias each had a stolen base for the Comets.
MSU outhit DSU 10-7 in the game. The Trojans committed four defensive errors compared to the Comets' three defensive errors.
Mayville State left ten runners on base. Dakota State had seven runners left on base.
Kristensen (0-1) recorded the loss for the Trojans as she pitched a complete game. She allowed 12 runs (2 unearned) on 10 hits. Kristensen struck out six MSU's batters.
Gomez (1-0) picked up the victory on the pitching mound for the Comets. She worked for 4 1/3 innings and allowed six runs (1 unearned) on six hits. Felicia Gonzales pitched the final 2 2/3 innings in relief, giving up three runs (2 unearned) on three hits.
Dakota State kicks road trip next weekend in Omaha, Neb. The Trojans visit College of Saint Mary (Neb.) in a four-game series at Heritage Park on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. First pitch for both doubleheaders are set for 1 p.m.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
