April 12, 2016
Photos credits by Scott Voigt
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) used one inning of offensive explosion in both non-conference softball games Tuesday evening at Thue Softball Complex, fueling to a sweep over Central Christian (Kan.) for DSU's fifth win in the last six games. The Trojans exploded for 10 runs in the second inning of the first game for a 12-4 six-inning victory and scored five times in the fifth inning of the second game to rally back for a 9-7 thriller.
Dakota State completed their six-game home stand with a 5-1 record (with the only setback in the North Star Athletic Association conference game series finale versus Viterbo, Wis. on April 10), raising their overall record to 7-13. Central Christian, a member of the Association of Independent Institution (A.I.I.) conference, fell to 8-29.
Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 12, Central Christian (Kan.) 4 – FINAL/6 innings
The Tigers opened up with a 1-0 lead in the top first inning. Kasi Kraus hit a single with one out. Sydney Nelson added a double to advance Kraus to third base. On the same play, Kraus advanced home caused by DSU's defensive miscue as CCC grabbed its first lead of the game.
Dakota State exploded for ten runs in the bottom second frame, thanks to a pair of home runs by Harley Lindell and April Pisk. Audrey Kosman and Pisk opened up with back-to-back singles, but Kosman was out at third after Tatum Ronke's fielder's choice. Lynnie Angle followed up with a single to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU.
Ariana Duran drilled a 2-RBI double to score Pisk and Ronke as the Trojans earned their first lead of the game at 2-1 in the bottom second. Harley Lindell blasted a 3-run home run to extend DSU's lead to 5-1. It was Lindell's second home run of the season, her fifth career home run at Dakota State.
The Trojans made it 6-1 after Peyton Brokiewicz recorded a triple and scored home on the same play after CCC committed a defensive error in the bottom second.
DSU continued its scoring run in the bottom second as Kylee Pospisil reached on base by Tigers' defensive miscue. Elizabeth Rubalcava followed up with a single and advanced Pospisil to second base. Kosman added a single as the bases became full.
Pisk smashed a grand slam home run as Dakota State's lead grew to 10-1 in the bottom second inning. It was her first home run of the season for the Trojans.
Central Christian trimmed DSU's lead to 10-2 in the top third inning after a defensive error was committed by Dakota State.
Nelson produced a 2-RBI single with two outs as the Tigers added two runs in the top fourth, reducing Trojans' lead to 10-4.
Dakota State answered back with a run scored in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Kosman reached on base by a walk. Pisk drilled an RBI double to score Kosman for 11-4 DSU lead.
DSU closed the game in the bottom sixth after their first three batters reached safely. Pisk led off with a single, followed by Ronke's walk. Angle hit an RBI double to score Pisk as the Trojans secured the victory in six innings.
Pisk went perfect at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a grand slam, double, two singles and produced a season-high five RBIs for the Trojans. She scored three times. Lindell added a home run and drove in three runs. Brokiewicz had a triple and a single. Duran and Angle each had a double and single. Kosman had two hits and scored twice. Rubalcava recorded a hit.
Brokiewicz, Pospisil, Rubalcava, Ronke, Angle, Duran and Lindell each had a run scored for DSU.
Nelson went 2-of-3 at the plate with a double, single and two RBIs for CCC. Kraus, Mandy Jacques, Cristina Insua, Lyssa Ritchhart, Tara Kemp and Kaylynn Taber each had a hit.
DSU outhit CCC 14-8 in the game. Both teams left seven runners on base.
Ashley Olson (W, 2-3) tossed a complete game for Dakota State. She allowed four unearned runs on eight hits.
Kraus (L, 5-12) took the loss in the circle for Central Christian. She started the game and gave up nine runs (two unearned) on eight hits in 1 1/3 innings of work. Mariah Grijalva came in for 2 2/3 innings in relief and allowed one run on one hit. Cheyenne Bouis worked for one inning, giving up one run on five hits.
Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 9, Central Christian (Kan.) 7 – FINAL
Trailing 7-3 before entering the bottom fifth inning, Dakota State stormed back with five runs scored and held off the Tigers for a 9-7 thriller in the nightcap.
After a scoreless first inning, CCC took the first lead of the game in the top second frame. Ritchhart hit a double with one out. Paige Huffman recorded a two-out RBI double to score Ritchhart to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
The Trojans responded with a run scored in the bottom second. Kosman and Pisk led off with back-to-back singles. Duran added a walk to set up a bases loaded situation. Lindell followed up with another walk, recording an RBI to score Kosman as Dakota State knotted the game at 1-1.
Central Christian regained their lead in the top third inning after scoring three runs, highlighted by three straight hits with two outs. Nelson hit an RBI double to score Morgan Hildebrandt, who led off the third inning by reaching first base by a defensive error by the Trojans, for 2-1 CCC lead.
The Tigers made it 3-1 in the top third after Jacques hit an RBI single to score Nelson. Ritchhart added an RBI double to score Jacques as Central Christian extended their lead to 4-1.
Dakota State scored twice in the bottom fourth after a pair of doubles recorded. Lindell hit a double with one out. Pospisil added a single to advance Lindell to third base. Rubalcava produced a 2-RBI double to score Lindell and Pospisil as DSU trailed at 4-3.
CCC put together a three-run fifth inning as their lead grew to 7-3. The Tigers scored the first run of the fifth inning after a defensive miscue by the Trojans. Ritchhart added a 2-RBI double as the Central Christian earned a four-run lead.
The Trojans used a big offensive explosion with five runs scored in the bottom fifth to overtake the lead from the Tigers. DSU opened the inning with four consecutive batters reaching safely with Pisk being hit-by-pitch, Ronke reaching on base by a walk and Angle hitting a single to drive Pisk home as DSU cut their deficit to 7-4.
Duran followed up with another RBI single to score Ronke as CCC's lead had went down to two runs at 7-5 in the bottom fifth. Brokiewicz hit a single to advance Angle to third and Erica Belter (pinch runner for Duran) to second base for a bases loaded situation.
Pospisil hit an RBI single to score Angle as the Trojans' deficit went down to one run at 7-6 in the bottom fifth frame. Rubalacava added an RBI ground out to score Belter as DSU knotted the game at 7-7.
Dakota State earned its first lead of the game at 8-7 after Kosman recorded an RBI single to score Brokiewicz in the bottom fifth inning.
The Trojans made it 9-7 in the bottom sixth inning when Brokiewicz hit an RBI single to score Ronke (who led off with a walk).
After the first out recorded in the top seventh inning for the Tigers, Jacques and Ritchhart hit back-to-back singles. The Trojans closed the game by recording a double play by Pisk and Duran.
Brokiewicz and Pospisil each went 2-of-5 at the plate with two singles and an RBI for Dakota State. Rubalacava had a double and drove in three runs. Kosman added two singles, a stolen base and an RBI. Lindell had a double and an RBI. Duran and Angle each recorded a single and an RBI. Pisk had a hit and swiped one base.
Ritchhart was perfect at the plate by going 4-of-4 with three doubles, a single and produced three RBIs for Central Christian. Jacques added three singles and an RBI. Nelson had a double and two RBIs. Kraus, Insua and Huffman each had a hit.
Both team recorded 11 hits in the game. The Trojans made two double plays, defensively.
Shai-Lee Hill started the game on the pitching mound for DSU. She pitched for four-plus innings and allowed seven runs (five unearned) on eight hits. Claire Fischer (W, 2-3) earned the victory after tossing three scoreless innings in relief. She limited the Tigers to three hits.
Jacques (L, 3-5) recorded the loss after tossing 4 1/3 innings for CCC. She allowed eight runs on nine hits. Insua worked for 1 2/3 innings in relief, giving up one run on two hits.
Dakota State continues their non-conference action Thursday evening as they play at Dordt (Iowa). First game is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. at Open Space Park in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Nick Huntimer, Daktoa State University Sports Information Director
