March 22, 2018
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Dakota State (S.D.) University Trojan Softball team returned back to action Thursday afternoon, visiting NCAA Division II Sioux Falls, S.D. at Bowden Field. The Cougars swept the Trojans, featuring a high-scoring affair in the first game by the score of 18-9. USF also won the second game by the score of 7-2.
Dakota State is 5-14 overall record on the season. Sioux Falls raised their overall record to 15-8.
Dakota State resumes their North Star conference play this weekend, facing Mayville State (N.D.) in a four-game series. It was originally scheduled to be played at Bowden Field, but with poor weather forecast for this weekend has prompted to move the games to Presentation (S.D.) Dome in Aberdeen. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, followed by another doubleheader on Sunday at 10 a.m.
Game 1 – Sioux Falls (S.D.) 18, Dakota State (S.D.) 9 – FINAL
A total of 27 runs scored and 33 hits were registered in the first game of the doubleheader between Dakota State and Sioux Falls. There were a total of three ties and two lead changes in the first three innings.
Dakota State scored at least a run in the first five innings. Sioux Falls did not score in the first inning, but exploded for at least three runs between the second and fifth innings and went on to earn an 18-9 slugfest win over DSU.
Kailee McFadden kicked off the game with a single for the Trojans. She advanced to second base after Melissa Krapf's ground out. Jasmin Lucero hit a two-out single to center field to advance McFadden to third base. Xitlali Lopez produced an RBI single to score McFadden as DSU earned the first lead of the game at 1-0.
Tatum Ronke smashed a two-out solo home run in the top second to extend Trojans' lead to 2-0. It was her fifth home run of the season, increasing her career home runs at DSU with 11.
Emily Miller hit a 2-RBI single as the Cougars tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom half of the second frame, advancing to second base on the throw. She went to third base after DSU's wild pitch. Breanna Black hit an RBI ground out to score Miller as USF overtook the lead at 3-2.
The Trojans hit three straight singles by Jasmin Lucero, Lopez and Peyton Brokiewicz to set up a bases loaded situation with one out in the top third. Taylor Poe hit a two-out RBI single to score Lucero to tie the game at 3-3. DSU regained their lead to 4-3 after another RBI single by Ronke to score Lopez.
Lindsey Mossman led off the bottom third inning with a solo home run as USF tied the game for the third time at 4-4. Jasmine Ragusi added another solo home run to give the Cougars a 5-4 lead.
Sioux Falls continued its scoring outburst with two more runs scored in the bottom third. Kerrigan Hoshaw and Emily Hove each hit a double to extend their lead to 6-4. USF made it 7-4 after an RBI single to score Hove.
Nicole Stewart and Lucero hit back-to-back singles with one out in the top fourth. Lopez drilled a 2-RBI double to score Stewart and Lucero as the Trojans trim Cougars' lead down to 7-6.
With bases loaded situation for USF in the bottom half of the fourth inning, Jasmine Ragusi hit a 2-RBI double to balloon their lead to 9-6. The Cougars added a pair of runs after Hoshaw and Ashley Meyer recorded an RBI ground out for an 11-6 lead.
Poe blasted a solo home run to kick off the top fifth inning as DSU reduced their deficit to 11-7. It was her first home run at Dakota State. With two outs and a runner on second base, Stewart hit a 2-run home run as the Trojans trimmed USF's lead to 11-9. It was Stewart's 13th career home run at Dakota State, the second-most home run in the Trojan Softball record book.
The Cougars produced a walk by Black, four singles by Megan Peterson, Mossman, Sydney Nieveen and Emmie Uitts and a double by Hove to plate five runs in the bottom fifth inning to widen their lead to 16-9.
USF ended the game in the bottom sixth inning with two outs as Nieveen hit a 2-run home run for an 18-9 victory.
Dakota State and Sioux Falls each hit three home runs in the game. Poe, Stewart and Ronke each hit a home run for the Trojans. Mossman, Nieveen and Ragusi each had a home run for the Cougars.
Lopez went 4-of-4 at the plate with a double and drove in three runs for DSU. Ronke was also perfect at the plate after going 3-of-3 and registered two RBIs. Lucero added three hits. Stewart and Poe each had two hits and two RBIs. McFadden and Brokiewicz each hit a single. Krapf swiped one base.
Nieveen, Ragusi and Miller each had two hits and collected three RBIs for USF. Mossman had three hits and two RBIs. Meyer and Hove each tallied two hits and two RBIs. Peterson recorded two singles.
Sioux Falls outhit Dakota State 17-16 in the game. The Trojans left seven runners on base compared to the Cougars three runners left on base.
Audrey Kosman (L, 0-6) recorded the loss in the pitching circle for DSU. She worked for three-plus innings and allowed nine runs on nine hits. Stefani Gollin tossed 2 2/3 innings in relief and gave up nine runs (three unearned) on eight hits.
Black (W, 7-3) earned the victory after pitching four innings for USF. She gave up six runs on 12 hits. Courtney Mathews worked for two innings in relief, allowing three runs on four hits.
Game 2 – Sioux Falls (S.D.) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL
Sioux Falls blasted a total of four home runs in the second game of the doubleheader, completing a sweep with a 7-2 victory over Dakota State.
Mossman was hit-by-pitch for USF in the bottom first inning, followed by back-to-back one-out singles by Meyer and Hoshaw to set up a bases loaded situation. Miller recorded an RBI sacrifice fly as the Cougars earned a 1-0 lead.
The Trojans answered back with a run scored in the top second inning. Lopez hit a single with one out. Brokiewicz followed up with a single and advanced Lopez to second base. Poe smashed an RBI double with two outs and scored Lopez to tie the game at 1-1.
USF hit a pair of solo home runs by Mossman and Meyer to break the 1-1 into a 3-1 lead in the bottom third.
Hoshaw hit a solo home run with two outs as the Cougars extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth inning.
The Trojans snapped their scoring drought with a run scored in the top sixth. McFadden led off the inning with a walk. Krapf followed up with a single and advanced to second base. Lucero produced an RBI single to score McFadden to trim USF's lead to 4-2.
Sioux Falls made it 7-2 in the bottom sixth after a 3-run home run by Meyer.
DSU left a runner on base when the game ended in the top seventh, securing the win for USF.
Poe and Luerco each tallied a hit and an RBI for the Trojans. Krapf, Lopez, Brokiewicz and Kosman each added a single.
Meyer had two home runs, single and drove in a game-high four runs for the Cougars. Hoshaw recorded a home run, single and an RBI. Mossman added a home run and an RBI. Frankie Mickelson had a double. Nieveen had a single.
USF outhit DSU 8-6. The Cougars had six runners left on base, while the Trojans had five runners left on base.
Kelly Drake (L, 1-4) tossed a complete game, despite a pitching loss for Dakota State. She allowed seven runs (three unearned) on eight hits.
Hoshaw (W, 3-3) pitched a complete game victory for Sioux Falls. She gave up two runs on six hits.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
