March 10, 2018
Photo credit by Scott Voigt
TUCSON, Ariz. – Dakota State (S.D.) fell short on their final game of the Tucson (Ariz.) Softball Invitational Saturday. The Trojans lost a 7-6 contest to Robert Morris (Ill.) to complete the invitational with a 2-5 record.
Dakota State is 5-12 overall record, while Robert Morris was playing its season opener.
The Eagles gained the first lead of the game in the bottom first inning. Rylie Jay hit a single with one out. Megan Ricketts drilled an RBI double with two outs to score Jay for 1-0 RMU lead.
Robert Morris added a run in the bottom second inning to extend their lead to 2-0. Montana Martinez led off with a double. Alexis Parra produced an RBI single to score Martinez.
Tatum Ronke blasted a solo home run in the top third inning for DSU's first run of the game (Trojans trailed 2-1). It was her fourth home run of the season.
Dakota State added two more runs after Ronke's solo home run in the top third. Melissa Krapf hit a triple, followed by Nicole Stewart's RBI single to knot the game at 2-2. Jasmin Lucero also had an RBI double to score Stewart as the Trojans earned its first lead of the day at 3-2.
The Eagles regained their lead in the bottom half of the third inning after a pair of 2-run home runs by Chrissy Polka and Nicole Abrams for a 6-3 lead.
DSU rallied back to tie the game with three runs scored in the top fifth inning. The Trojans kicked off the fifth inning with three straight hits, including back-to-back singles by Kailee McFadden and Krapf. Stewart followed up with an RBI double to score McFadden to reduce DSU's deficit down to 6-4.
Xitlali Lopez drilled a 2-RBI double to score Krapf and Erin Newbury (pinch runner for Stewart) as Dakota State tied the game at 6-6 in the fifth inning.
Robert Morris scored the go-ahead run in the bottom sixth inning to break the 6-6 tie into a 7-6 lead. Megan Ricketts recorded an RBI single to give Eagles a one-run lead.
Dakota State could not come back in the final inning as they left a runner on first base when the game ended.
Four Trojans players – Poe, Stewart, Lopez and Lucero – hit a double in the game. Lopez and Stewart each tallied two RBIs. Krapf had two hits and scored twice. McFadden, Peyton Brokiewicz and Ronke each had a hit.
Ricketts had three hits and drove in two runs for the Eagles. Jay and Abrams each added two hits. Polka had a home run and two RBIs. Parra and Martinez each had a hit.
Both teams had 10 hits and committed two defensive errors in the game. RMU left eight runners on base, while DSU had six runners left on base.
Stefani Gollin started the game in the pitching circle for the Trojans. She tossed 3 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits. Audrey Kosman (L, 0-5) recorded the loss in relief, giving up an unearned run on two hits in 1 2/3 innings. Lopez worked the final two outs of the bottom sixth inning.
Kelly McCasland (W, 1-0) pitched a complete game victory for the Eagles. She gave up six runs on ten hits.
Dakota State returns back home next Saturday as they are scheduled to host in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.). The non-conference doubleheader kicks off at 1 p.m. at Thue Softball Complex in Madison, S.D.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
