February 18, 2018
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Trailing 5-4 before entering the final inning in the third game of the Presentation (S.D.) Softball Dome Tournament Sunday evening, Dakota State exploded for four runs and held off Mount Marty (S.D.) by the score of 8-7.
It was the second straight victory for the Trojans after opening their season with four straight defeats (2-4 overall record. DSU finished the day with a 2-1 record Sunday. Mount Marty fell to 2-2 overall record, their second straight defeat of the day on Sunday (lost to North Star's fellow Jamestown, N.D. earlier in the day).
The Lancers opened up the game by scoring four times in the bottom first inning for a 4-0 lead.
Peyton Brokiewicz led off with a solo home run as Dakota State cut Mount Marty's lead to 4-1 in the top second frame.
The Trojans added two runs in the top fourth inning. Xitlali Lopez kicked off the inning with a single. Brokiewicz followed up with an RBI double to deep center, scoring Lopez as DSU trailed 4-2.
Taylor Poe was hit-by-pitch in the top fourth for Dakota State. Audrey Kosman reached on base by a fielder's choice (Brokiewicz was forced out on third base and advanced Poe to second base). Kailee McFadden recorded a walk to set up a bases loaded with two outs situation for DSU. Melissa Krapf hit an RBI single to score Poe as DSU trimmed MMC's lead to 4-3.
Bianca Minor answered with a solo home run in the bottom fourth to extend Lancers' lead to 5-3.
Jasmin Lucero led off with a single in the top fifth for Dakota State. Brokiewicz drilled an RBI double to score Lucero as the Trojans cut Mount Marty's lead to 5-4.
DSU mounted with a furious rally in the top seventh inning, thanks to a four-run explosion. Lopez led off by drilling a double to deep right-center. Brokiewicz followed up with a 2-run home run blast to deep center to give Trojans its first lead of the game at 6-5.
Kosman reached on base by MMC's defensive error with one out in the top seventh for Dakota State, advancing to second base. McFadden hit a single with two outs and advanced Kosman to third base. Pinch hitter Hailey Gukeisen reached on base by a walk. Stewart followed up with a 2-RBI single to score Kosman and McFadden as DSU's lead ballooned to 8-5.
The Lancers answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning. Kylie Sondermann led off with a single, but was tagged out at second base after a fielder's choice by Paige Kramer. Amber Writer hit a single and advanced Kramer to second base.
MMC's Jennifer Mitera hit a double to right, but Kramer was tagged out at home (Writer advanced to third base). Richert Melissa registered an RBI single to score Writer as the Lancers cut DSU's lead to 8-6. On the same play, Mount Marty added another run caused by DSU's defensive error as the Trojans' lead went down to 8-7.
The Trojans halted the Lancers' comeback with a runner left on third base after Kelsey Mitera's line-out to first base.
Brokiewicz went perfect 4-of-4 at the plate for Dakota State. She had two home runs in the game and two doubles. She drove in a game-high five runs. Krapf added a double, single and an RBI. McFadden had two singles and two walks. Kosman had two singles. Stewart had a single and two RBIs. Lopez had two hits.
Kramer, Writer and Mitera each tallied two hits for Mount Marty. Melissa and Dani Lowe each had a hit and an RBI. Minor had a home run and two RBIs.
DSU outhit MMC 14-11 in the game. The Trojans left 11 runners on base compare to the Lancers four runners left on base.
Lopez (W, 1-1) tossed a complete game victory for Dakota State. She allowed seven runs (four unearned) on 11 hits.
Minor worked for six innings and gave up five runs (one unearned) on 12 hits. Jill Orwig (L, 1-1) recorded the loss after coming in the seventh inning. She allowed three runs on two hits.
Dakota State returns back to Presentation Dome for the third straight weekend. The Trojans open up a rare North Star conference season opener, facing Bellevue (Neb.) on Friday and Waldorf (Iowa) on Saturday. Both opponents will play a doubleheader, starting at 10 a.m. on each day.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
