April 1, 2017
Photos credits by Scott Voigt
FOREST CITY, Iowa – Waldorf (Iowa) won the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Softball four-game series opener by the score of 12-4 in six innings over Dakota State (S.D.) Saturday afternoon at Al Buckley Field. Trailing 5-4 in the second game of the doubleheader, the Trojans exploded for four runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings to snap their six-game losing streak with an 8-5 victory.
Dakota State improved their overall record to 11-18 and 4-8 NSAA record. Waldorf is 10-12 overall record and 5-7 record in the North Star conference games.
Both teams will conclude their four-game series Sunday with a doubleheader, starting at 11 a.m. at Al Buckley Field.
Game 1 – Waldorf (Iowa) 12, Dakota State (S.D.) 4 – FINAL/6 innings
The Trojans grabbed the first lead of the game in the opening inning. Kailee McFadden led off with a walk. She advanced to second base after a wild pitch committed by the Warriors. Nicole Stewart blasted a 2-run home run as Dakota State grabbed its first lead of the game at 2-0.
Waldorf scored three times in the bottom first inning as they overtook a 3-2 lead. Hattie Hupke and Brittani Sanchez opened up with back-and-back singles.
Trista Bures hit an RBI double to extend WU's lead to 4-2 in the bottom second inning.
Dakota State answered back with two runs scored in the top third frame. Lucero hit a single with one out, followed by Tatum Ronke's double to advance Lucero to third base. Peyton Brokiewicz drilled a 2-RBI double to score Lucero and Ronke as the Trojans knotted the game at 4-4.
Taylor Navratil hit an RBI single to score Kaylie Brindley, who had a double, as the Warriors regained their lead at 5-4 in the bottom third inning.
Both teams did not score in the fourth and fifth innings.
The Warriors plated seven runs in the bottom sixth inning, securing the game by 8-run mercy rule after five innings. There were two outs with three runners left on base when the game ended.
McFadden had two doubles, scored twice and recorded a stolen base for the Trojans. Stewart hit a home run and drove in two runs. Brokiewicz collected a double and two RBIs. Ronke had a double. Lucero recorded two singles.
Hupke, Sanchez and Bures each had three hits or the Warriors. Bures drove in five runs. Kennedy Vinchattle had a home run and an RBI. Brindley and Navratil each had two hits and an RBI.
WU outhit DSU 15-8 in the game. Dakota State committed six defensive errors compared to Waldorf zero errors. The Trojans left seven runners on base compared to the Warriors six runners left on base.
Kaysea Luna (L, 5-6) recorded the loss in the game for the Trojans. She tossed 5 2/3 innings and allowed 12 runs (5 unearned) on 15 hits.
Brindley (W, 6-6) earned the victory in the pitching circle for the Warriors. She gave up four runs on eight hits.
Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 8, Waldorf (Iowa) 5 – FINAL
Dakota State grabbed its first lead of the game after plating two runs in the opening inning of the second game. McFadden led off with a walk. Schmell followed up with a single and advanced McFadden to second base. Stewart produced an RBI single to score McFadden to give DSU a 1-0 lead (both Schmell and Stewart advanced one more base after WU's defensive error on the same play).
The Warriors scored once in the bottom first inning after Mattea Lovato hit an RBI single, trimming DSU's lead to 2-1.
The Trojans put together a 2-run second inning to extend their lead to 4-1. Kelly Drake hit a single with one out. Megan Zephier hit a double to advance Drake to third base. Schmell recorded a 2-RBI single to score Drake and Zephier as DSU's lead grew to three runs.
Sanchez answered with a 2-RBI double in the bottom second frame to cut Trojans' lead to 4-3.
Vinchattle hit a 2-run home run in the bottom fourth inning as the Warriors gained their first lead of the game at 5-4.
Dakota State responded back with three runs in the top fifth inning. Ronke led off with a single and swiped to second base. Brokiewicz reached on base by a walk. Emma Marsh blasted a 3-run home run as Dakota State regained their lead at 7-5.
The Trojans added one run in the top sixth inning to widen their lead to three runs. Stewart and Lucero hit back-to-back singles. Both Stewart and Lucero advanced one base after WU's passed ball. Ronke recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Stewart as DSU's lead grew to 8-5.
Waldorf went three-and-out in the bottom seventh inning as Dakota State secured their 11th victory of the season.
Marsh had a home run and drove in three runs for the Trojans. Schmell added two singles and two RBIs. Stewart had two hits and an RBI. Zephier recorded two doubles in the game. Ronke and Lucero each had a hit and an RBI. Drake had a single. Ronke swiped one base.
Vinchattle hit a home run and tallied two RBIs for the Warriors. Sanchez added a double and two RBIs. Lovato added a hit and an RBI.
DSU outhit WU 10-7 in the game. The Warriors recorded four defensive errors compared to the Trojans three defensive errors. Dakota State left eight runners on base while Waldorf had seven runners left on base.
Drake (W, 5-9) pitched a complete game victory for the Trojans. She allowed five runs (two unearned) on seven hits. She recorded four strikeouts.
Briley Sullivan (L, 4-5) tossed four-plus innings and gave up seven runs on eight hits in losing effort for the Warriors. McKenna Marcinkowski worked for three innings in relief, giving up an unearned run on two hits.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
