April 10, 2016
Photos credits by Scott Voigt
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) overcame a slow start in the first game of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) softball doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Thue Softball Complex. The Trojans rallied back from a 5-0 deficit versus Viterbo (Wis.) and earned a 10-6 victory. The V-Hawks won the final game of the four-game series 9-2. DSU took three of four games with the VU in the four-game series.
Dakota State is 5-13 overall record and 3-9 NSAA conference record. Viterbo is 8-27 overall record and 2-9 NSAA after snapping their 11-game losing skid.
Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 10, Viterbo (Wis.) 6 – FINAL
The V-Hawks raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening inning. Kelsey Ludwig led off the game with a double to right-center. Sara Obert hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Ludwig to third base. After Anna Lensmire was hit-by-pitch, Lauren Davis hit an RBI single to score Ludwig for VU 1-0 lead.
Bailey Thur recorded a 2-RBI triple to score Lensmire and Davis as Viterbo extended their lead to 3-0. Kirsten Tomlinson followed up with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Thur to make it 4-0 in favor of the V-Hawks.
Viterbo's lead grew to 5-0 after Ludwig's RBI single to score Sarah Throgmorton, who led off the top second with a single.
With bases loaded situation and two outs in the bottom second inning, Harley Lindell produced a 2-RBI single along with another run scored caused by VU's defensive error as the Trojans trimmed their deficit to 5-3.
The Trojans added two more runs in the bottom third. Elizabeth Rubalcava hit a single with one out. April Pisk recorded a single with two outs and advanced Rubalcava to third base. On the same play, the V-Hawks committed a defensive error to score Rubalcava and advanced Pisk to second base (VU leads 5-4).
DSU knotted the game at 5-5 after Tatum Ronke's RBI single to score Pisk in the bottom third frame.
Viterbo regained their lead in the top fifth inning. Lensmire reached on base caused by Trojans' defensive miscue. Davis hit an RBI single to score Lensmire as the V-Hawks earned a 6-5 lead.
The Trojans answered back with two runs scored in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Audrey Kosman reached on base by VU's defensive error. Pisk smashed an RBI triple to score Kosman to tie the game at 6-6. Ronke added an RBI ground out to score Pisk as DSU earned their first lead of the game at 7-6.
DSU added three runs in the bottom sixth frame to widen their lead by four runs. Ariana Duran started the bottom sixth with a double. Lindell followed up with a single to advance Kasey Randall – pinch runner for Duran – to third base. Peyton Brokiewicz recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Randall for 8-6 DSU lead.
Kayla Schmell hit a double and advanced Lindell to third base with one out in the bottom sixth for Dakota State. Rubalcava added a 2-RBI double to score Lindell and Schmell as the Trojans' lead grew to 10-6.
The V-Hawks went 1-2-3 in the top seventh inning as the Trojans secured their third straight NSAA conference victory.
Rubalcava went 2-of-4 at the plate with a double, single and two RBIs for Dakota State. Pisk added a triple, single and an RBI. Lindell collected two hits and two RBIs. Schmell and Duran each recorded a double. Kosman, Ronke and Kylee Pospisil each had a single.
Davis was 2-of-4 with two singles and two RBIs for Viterbo. Ludwig added a double, single and an RBI. Thur had a triple and two RBIs. Throgmorton and Obert each earned a hit and swiped one base.
DSU outhit PC 11-7 in the game. The Trojans left five runners on base while the V-Hawks had three runners left on base.
Claire Fischer started the game in the circle for Dakota State. She worked the first two innings and gave up five runs on six hits. Ashley Olson (W, 1-2) earned her first victory of the season after tossing five innings in relief. She allowed an unearned run on one hit.
Thur (L, 0-3) took the loss for Viterbo. She pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed 10 runs (6 unearned) on 11 hits. Obert worked for the final two outs of the sixth inning.
Game 2 – Viterbo (Wis.) 9, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL
After a 1-1 tie in the first inning, the V-Hawks outscored the Trojans 8-1 in the last six inning to earn the victory in the series finale.
VU scored its first run of the game after the Trojans committed a defensive error for a 1-0 lead.
DSU answered back with a run scored in the bottom first inning as the game was knotted at 1-1. Schmell hit a single but on the same play, the V-Hawks committed a misplayed grounder in the outfield to allow Schmell to score.
Viterbo opened up the top third inning with three consecutive hits and produced two runs. Moira Collins and Kennedy Tebo hit back-to-back singles. Ludwig hit a 2-RBI double to score Collins and Tebo for V-Hawks' 3-1 lead.
VU extended their lead to 5-1 after Tebo's 2-RBI double in the top fourth inning.
Tessa DeSmith led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to put the V-Hawks up 6-1. Collins added an RBI single to make it 7-1 in favor of Viterbo.
Thur blasted a 2-run home run in the top seventh inning as the V-Hawks' lead expanded to 9-1.
The Trojans scored once, but Viterbo secured the victory after DSU left one runner on base. Ronke hit a single. Duran added a single, but the V-Hawks committed a defensive error to allow Ronke to score to cut VU's lead to 9-2.
Schmell, Pisk, Ronke, Pospisil and Duran each had a single for Dakota State. Schmell and Ronke each scored once.
DeSmith went 3-of-4 at the plate with a home run, triple, single and an RBI for Viterbo. Ludwig added a double, single and two RBIs. Tebo recorded a double, single and two RBIs. Thur had a home run and two RBIs.
VU outhit DSU 14-5. The V-Hawks had five runners left on base while the Trojans left four runners on base.
Kosman (L, 3-6) recorded the loss after tossing a complete game for DSU. She allowed nine runs (one unearned) on 14 hits.
Caitlyn Kozik (W, 1-12) earned the victory after pitching a complete game for VU. She gave up two unearned runs on five hits.
Dakota State concludes their six-game home stand Tuesday evening. The Trojans host Central Christian (Kan.) in a non-conference doubleheader. First game is set for 5 p.m. at Thue Softball Complex.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
