April 16, 2016
FOREST CITY, Iowa – Waldorf (Iowa) took the first two games of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Softball four-game series at the windy Al Buckley Field Saturday afternoon. The Warriors held on to a 2-1 game win victory and finished with a doubleheader sweep after a 7-5 game two victory.
Dakota State fell to 7-17 overall record and 3-11 NSAA conference record. Waldorf improved to 11-21 overall record and 5-9 NSAA.
Both teams close out the four-game series Sunday with the first game starting at 11 a.m.
Game 1 – Waldorf (Iowa) 2, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL
The Warriors grabbed the first lead in the bottom second inning. Maggie Eden led off with a single. She advanced to second after Brittani Sanchez hit a ground out to pitcher. WU made it 1-0 after Ashton May produced a two-out RBI double to score Eden.
Waldorf's lead grew to 2-0 in the bottom third as Jessica Abrahamson hit an RBI single to score Andrea Hartman, who hit a double to left field with one out.
Dakota State ended their scoring drought in the top fifth inning with a run scored. Kylee Pospisil led off with a walk. Ariana Duran reached safely after recording a sacrifice bunt and defensive error committed by WU, advancing Pospisil to third base.
Harley Lindell followed up with an RBI double to score Pospisil (and advanced Erica Belter – pinch runner for Duran – to third base) as the Trojans trimmed Waldorf's lead to 2-1 with no out in the top fifth frame.
The Trojans could not continue their scoring in the top fifth inning as the Warriors' defense ended with a double play, tagging Belter out at the home plate after Kayla Schmell's bunt ground out for DSU's chance to knot the game.
Waldorf secured the victory as the Trojans went 1-2-3 in the final inning.
Lindell had a double and an RBI for Dakota State. Peyton Brokiewicz also had a double. Schmell and Audrey Kosman each added a single. Kosman and Pospisil each reached on base by a walk.
May tallied a triple, double and an RBI for Waldorf. Hartman added a double and a single. Abrahamson had a single and an RBI. Eden and Kattie Hupke each had a hit.
WU outhit DSU 7-4 in the game. The Warriors left six runners on base compared to the Trojans five runners left on base.
Kosman (L, 3-9) recorded the loss on the pitching mound for DSU. She tossed six innings and gave up two runs on seven hits.
Hartman (W, 3-8) registered a complete game victory for WU. She allowed one run on four hits.
Game 2 – Waldorf (Iowa) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 5 – FINAL
Dakota State was unable to hang on to their 4-3 lead in the second game, as the Warriors used a 4-run fifth inning to earn a 7-5 win.
Both teams were unable to score in the first three innings.
The Warriors scored three times in the bottom third frame to earn a three-run lead. Hartman reached to third base after a dropped fly error committed by the Trojans. After Kaitlin Murphy walked, Abrahamson hit an RBI ground-rule double to score Hartman for WU 1-0 lead (advanced Murphy to third base).
Eden reached safely on base after another dropped fly ball error by DSU, scoring Murphy for a 2-0 Warriors lead in the bottom third. Trista Burres added an RBI sacrifice fly to score Abrahamson to extend Waldorf's lead to 3-0.
Dakota State halted their scoring drought after producing four runs in the top fifth inning. Shai-Lee Hill hit a single with one out. Lindell recorded base-on-balls and advanced Kasey Randell, pinch runner for Hill, to second base. Brokiewicz hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation with no outs for the Trojans.
Schmell followed up with a fielder's choice as Randall was safe at home as WU could not complete their defensive play at home, trailing 3-1 for Dakota State.
DSU continued its scoring surge as Rubalcava drilled a 2-RBI double down the left field line, scoring Lindell as Brokiewicz to tie the game at 3-3 in the top fifth. Kosman hit another RBI single to score Schmell as the Trojans earned their first lead of the game at 4-3.
The Warriors answered back with four runs in the bottom fifth inning. Hartman hit a 2-RBI single as WU regained their lead at 5-4. Bures added an RBI double, followed by Sanchez's RBI single as Warriors' lead grew to 7-4.
Rubalacva blasted a solo home run with one out in the top seventh inning as the Trojans trailed 7-5. It was her fourth home run of the season (most in one season during her four-year career at Dakota State), and sixth career home run.
DSU attempted to continue their rally as Kosman followed up with a double. She advanced to third base after WU's wild pitch. The Warriors' defense held and recorded the last two outs for the victory.
Rubalcava went 3-of-4 at the plate, with a home run, double, single and produced three RBIs for the Trojans. Kosman added a double, single and an RBI. Hill tallied two singles. Tatum Ronke recorded a double. Brokiewicz and April Pisk each had a hit. Schmell recorded an RBI.
Murphy and Bures each had two hits and two RBIs for the Warriors. Sanchez added a single and an RBI. Abrahamson had a double and an RBI. Hartman had a single.
DSU outhit WU 10-8, but the Trojans committed four defensive errors. The Warriors did not commit a defensive error in the game.
Dakota State left seven runners on base, while Waldorf left six runners on base.
Claire Fischer started the game for the Trojans. She pitched three-plus innings and allowed three runs (two unearned) on three hits. Ashley Olson (L, 2-5) recorded the loss in relief after working for six innings. She gave up four runs (three unearned) on five hits.
Maggie Hawley (W, 3-5) earned the victory after tossing 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits for the Warriors. Briley Sullivan (S, 1) earned the save as she worked for the final two outs in the game.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
