February 24, 2017
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) began their rare North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Softball conference season with a doubleheader versus two-time defending league's champion, No. 21-ranked Dickinson State (N.D.), Friday morning at Presentation (S.D.) Dome. The Trojans defeated the Blue Hawks 7-5 in the first game and could not complete a doubleheader sweep in the second game as DiSU used a 9-run sixth inning for an 11-6 victory.
Dakota State defeated Dickinson State for the first time in nearly ten years, with the last win coming on April 9, 2007 at Thue Softball Complex in Madison, S.D. The Trojans also halted Blue Hawks' 20-game winning streak in the series meeting.
DaSU is 5-3 overall record, while DiSU is 2-4 overall record. Both teams are 1-1 record in the North Star conference play.
Dakota State continues their NSAA conference play Saturday morning with a doubleheader versus Mayville State (N.D.) at 9 a.m. Dickinson State will play Bellevue (Neb.) Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. All games will be held at Presentation Dome, which will conclude the North Star Cross-Over Tournament on Sunday.
Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 7, (21) Dickinson State (N.D.) 5 – FINAL
The Trojans used a fast start before the Blue Hawks – the NSAA preseason conference favorite to win the league title this season – overtook the lead in the second inning. DaSU answered by scoring five straight runs and held off DiSU by the score of 7-5 in the first game of the doubleheader.
Peyton Brokiewicz led off the game with a double for Dakota State. Nicole Stewart produced an RBI double to score Brokiewicz for the first run of the game. Jasmin Lucero hit a single and advanced Stewart to third base.
Tatum Ronke produced an RBI single with two outs and scored Stewart, extending Trojans' lead to 2-0 in the top first inning.
Dickinson State plated three runs in the bottom second frame to overtake the lead from Dakota State. With bases loaded and one out situation, Hanna Andrysiak recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score McKenna Kostelecky as DiSU trailed 2-1.
McKenzie Bassett added a 2-RBI single with two outs to give the Blue Hawks a 3-2 lead in the bottom second.
The Trojans scored twice to regain their lead in the top fourth inning. Kailee McFadden hit a double with one out. Brokiewicz followed with an RBI single to score McFadden, knotting the game at 3-3.
Kayla Schmell reached on base by a walk and advanced Brokiewicz to second base for DaSU in the top fourth inning. Stewart hit an RBI single to score Brokiewicz to give Dakota State a 4-3 lead.
DaSU piled up three runs in the top fifth inning to expand their lead. Ronke led off with a bunt single. Emma Marsh followed that up with a single and advanced Ronke to second base. Kaysea Luna recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance Ronke to third and Marsh to second base.
McFadden produced an RBI ground out to score Ronke, widening DaSU's lead to 5-3. Brokiewicz blasted an RBI triple to score Marsh to extend Trojans' lead to 6-3.
Dakota State made it 7-3 in the top fifth inning when Schmell hit an RBI single to score Brokiewicz.
The Blue Hawks scored twice in the bottom fifth inning, trimming DaSU's lead to 7-5. Kayla Stephens led off with a walk, followed by Rachael Dillon's double to advance Stephens to third base. Brianna Grayson recorded an RBI ground out to score Stephens (DiSU trailed 7-4). Bassett added an RBI single to score Dillon as the Blue Hawks reduced their deficit by two runs.
Dakota State prevented Dickinson State from scoring in the bottom sixth frame. The Blue Hawks left runners on third and first bases when the sixth inning ended.
The Trojans shut down the Blue Hawks in the bottom seventh inning, with DaSU's pitcher Audrey Kosman striking out the final two batters of the game.
It was Dakota State's fourth straight victory. It was the first time since April 25 through April 26, 2013 that DaSU had won four straight games.
Brokiewicz went 3-of-4 at the plate with a triple, double, single and drove in two runs for the Trojans. Ronke was also 3-of-4 at the plate with three singles and an RBI. McFadden, Stewart and Lucero each had two hits. Schmell, Kosman and Marsh each tallied a single. Stewart registered two RBIs. Schmell and McFadden each registered an RBI.
Kostelecky and Andrysiak each had two hits for the Blue Hawks. McKenzie Kenobbie, Mariah Gamoba, Dillon and Bassett each added a hit. Gamboa drove in two runs.
DaSU outhit DiSU 15-8 in the game. Both teams left eight runners on base.
Luna started the game in the pitching circle for Dakota State. She worked for 1 2/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits. Kosman (W, 1-1) recorded the victory after tossing 5 1/3 innings in relief. She gave up four runs on six hits. She struck out four DiSU's batters.
Abigail Brooks (L, 1-3) took the loss on the pitching mound for Dickinson State. She pitched for four innings and allowed four runs on 11 hits. Jalen Creech worked for three innings in relief, giving up three runs on four hits.
Game 2 – (21) Dickinson State (N.D.) 11, Dakota State (S.D.) 6 – FINAL
With the Trojans leading 3-2 before heading into the sixth inning in the second game of the doubleheader, the Blue Hawks exploded for nine runs in the top half of the inning to earn an 11-6 victory.
Dakota State took the first lead of the game in the bottom second inning. Kosman and Ronke hit back-to-back singles. Kelly Drake reached on base by a walk to set up a bases loaded situation for the Trojans with two outs, McFadden hit an RBI single to score Kosman for DaSU 1-0 lead.
Dickinson State broke their scoring drought with two runs scored in the top fourth inning, thanks to Grayson's 2-run home run to give the Blue Hawks a 2-1 lead.
The Trojans answered back with a run scored in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Kosman was hit-by-pitch to open up the bottom fourth inning. Kasey Randall, pinch runner for Kosman, swiped to second base. After Marsh's ground out to third to advance Randall to third base, Drake hit an RBI single to score Randall as DaSU tied the game at 2-2.
Dakota State broke the 2-2 tie into a 3-2 lead after Stewart blasted a solo home run in the bottom fifth inning. It was her third home run of the season.
Dickinson State exploded for nine runs in the top sixth inning to take an 11-3 lead. The Blue Hawks had six hits in the inning, while the Trojans committed three defensive errors.
Ronke led off the bottom sixth inning with a home run for the Trojans, cutting DiSU's lead to 11-4. It was her second home run of the season.
Drake and McFadden hit back-to-back singles with one out for DaSU in the bottom sixth. Schmell added a single to set up a bases loaded situation with two outs. The Trojans scored two runs caused by DiSU's defensive errors as DaSU trailed 11-6 by the end of the sixth inning.
Both teams did not score in the final inning. The Blue Hawks ended the game by a double play in the bottom seventh inning.
Stewart had a home run and registered three RBIs for the Trojans. Ronke added a home run, single and an RBI. McFadden was perfect at the plate by going 3-for-3 with three singles and an RBI. Marsh and Drake each had two singles. Schmell and Kosman each had a hit. Randall swiped one base.
Dillon was 3-of-4 at the plate with a home run, double, single and drove in two runs for Dickinson State. Gamoba added three singles. Kayla Stephens, Grayson, Bassett and Kelsey Craig each had a hit. Kenobbie and Grayson each registered two RBIs.
The Trojans left eight runners on base compared to the Blue Hawks three runners left on base. DaSU outhit DiSU 12-10 in the game.
Drake (L, 1-2) pitched a complete game loss for the Trojans. She allowed 11 runs (2 unearned) on 10 hits.
Creech (W, 1-0) earned the victory after tossing 5 2/3 innings. She gave up five runs (2 unearned) on 11 hits. Brooks tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief, allowing one unearned run on one hit.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
