March 28, 2015
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Dakota State University (S.D.) softball team continued their busy schedule Saturday as they compete in the Morningside (Iowa) Tournament at SYA Complex. The Trojans fell short in the first game to host-team Morningside 5-3. Trailing 6-0 in the second game versus Briar Cliff (Iowa), Dakota State roared back and outscored 10-1 in the final three innings for a 10-7 eight-inning thriller for DSU's first victory of the season.
Dakota State snapped their 12-game losing skid, lifting their overall record to 1-12. Morningside and Briar Cliff were 11-7 overall records after the game versus DSU.
Morningside (Iowa) 5, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL
The Mustangs raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening inning and held off Trojans' late rally.
MC scored four runs in the top first inning. McKenzie Anderson had an RBI double. Mara Amsberry added a 2-RBI double while the Mustangs scored another run caused by DSU's defensive error.
Morningside added a run in the top fourth inning for a 5-0 lead after Anderson hit an RBI double.
The Trojans ended their scoring drought with a pair of runs in the bottom sixth frame. Erica Belter led off with a single. Sara Erickson produced an RBI double to score Belter as DSU trimmed MC's lead to 5-1. Elizabeth Rubalcava recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Erickson as the Trojans still trail at 5-2.
Dakota State mounted a comeback in the last inning. After recording the first two outs in the bottom seventh, the next four DSU batters reached safely. Lexy Miller hit a single. Shai-Lee Hill, pinch hitter for Ellie Kristensen, reached on base by a walk. Belter added a single to set up a bases loaded situation for the Trojans.
DSU reduced their deficit to 5-3 after Erickson recorded an RBI single to score Belter. The Mustangs secured the game after Rubalcava hit a pop-up to first base.
Erickson was 3-of-4 at the plate with a triple, two singles and collected three RBIs for the Trojans. Belter added two singles. Miller had a hit and recorded a stolen base. Rubalcava earned an RBI.
Anderson had two doubles and two RBIs for the Mustangs. Elin Landgren and Amsberry each had two hits. Amsberry recorded two RBIs. Anna Milone had an RBI.
MC outhit DSU 8-6 in the game. The Mustangs left 11 runners on base compared to the Trojans 6 runners left on base.
Kristensen took the loss on the pitching mound for Dakota State. She allowed five runs (four unearned) on eight hits.
Faith Schmidt (5-5) threw a complete game victory for Morningside. She gave up three runs on six hits. Schmidt struck out seven DSU's batters.
Dakota State (S.D.) 10, Briar Cliff (Iowa) 7 – FINAL
The Trojans' offense struggled early in the game, trailing 6-0 to Briar Cliff in the second game Saturday. Dakota State stormed back in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, rallying back for a 10-7 thriller over the Chargers.
Deanna Ayala hit a 3-run home run to give BC a 3-0 early lead in the bottom first inning.
The Chargers added a run in the bottom third frame to extend their lead to 4-0. Ayala led off with a double, followed by Amy Anderson's single (Ayala advanced to third). Jessica Bastian recorded an RBI fielder's choice to score Ayala for BC's four-run lead.
Briar Cliff scored two runs in the bottom fourth inning for a 6-0 lead.
Dakota State snapped their scoring skid, exploding for three runs in the top sixth. With bases loaded situation for DSU (Rubalcava's single, an error by the Chargers to reach Brittany Hill safely to first and Ariana Duran's single), Lynnie Angle produced an RBI single to score Brittany Hill for the first run of the game (BC 6-1). Miller added an RBI fielder's choice to score Duran to cut BC's lead to 6-2.
The Trojans made it 6-3 in the top sixth after Shai-Lee Hill reached safely after the Chargers committed a defensive error, scoring Angle.
DSU roared back with three runs in the top seventh inning. Erickson led off with a double, followed by Rubalcava's single to advance Erickson to third base. A passed ball by the Chargers allowed Erickson to score, trimming DSU's deficit to 6-4 (Rubalcava advanced to second base).
Duran hit an RBI double to score Rubalcava to put the Trojans within one run in the top seventh. Harley Lindell reached on base by a walk. After Angle fielder's choice (Lindell to second base), Miller produced an RBI single to score Lindell as the Trojans tied the game at 6-6.
Briar Cliff left one runner on base in the bottom seventh inning and did not score, extending the game into extra innings.
With Kristensen on second base according to the international tiebreaker to kick off the eighth inning, DSU's Belter reached on base by a walk. Erickson reached on base by BC's defensive miscue and scored Kristensen for Trojans' first lead of the game at 7-6.
DSU's offensive explosion continued in the top eighth frame as Rubalcava hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation. Brittany Hill recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Belter to extend DSU's lead to 8-6. Duran added an RBI single to score Erickson, followed by Lindell's RBI single to score Rubalcava. The Trojans completed a four-run eighth inning with the lead expanding to 10-6.
Katlin Briley led off the bottom eighth inning with an RBI single to score Nicole Romero as BC trailed 10-7. The Trojans' defense held on to earn their first victory of the season as the Chargers left two runners on when the game ended.
Rubalcava was 3-of-5 with three singles and scored twice for Dakota State. Duran added three hits and collected two RBIs. Erickson added a double and single with two runs scored. Miller was 2-of-4 at the plate with a double, single and two RBIs. Brittany Hill earned an RBI. Lindell and Angle each had a hit and an RBI.
Ayala recorded a home run, double and produced three RBIs for Briar Cliff. Briley and Danielle Ishil each had two hits and an RBI. Brooke Lyman had a hit and an RBI. Anderson, Abby Thomsen and Miranda Ross each recorded a hit.
DSU had 12 hits in the game compared to BC 10 hits. The Trojans committed six defensive errors, while the Chargers had five defensive miscues.
Briar Cliff left 11 runners on base. Dakota State had 10 runners left on base.
Kristensen (1-7) earned her first victory of the season for the Trojans. She tossed five innings, including the bottom eighth inning, allowing seven run (two unearned) on seven hits. Shai-Lee Hill pitched three innings in relief and limited BC to three hits.
Ciara Dotzler started the game for the Chargers, working for six innings. She allowed five runs (two unearned) on seven hits. Jessica Bastian worked for one out in relief. Hannah Hustad (3-4) recorded the loss as she allowed five runs (one unearned) on four hits. Kelsey Lewis worked 2/3 shutout innings in relief.
Dakota State continues their action in the Morningside Tournament Sunday afternoon. The Trojans play the Mustangs at 12 noon and Hastings (Neb.) at 2 p.m. Both games will be held at SYA Complex in Sioux City.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
