March 30, 2018
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) returned back to North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Softball action Friday afternoon, visiting Presentation (S.D.) at PC Dome in a four-game series. The Saints shut down the Trojans 5-0 in the first game. DSU bounced back in the winning column as they held on to a 2-1 win in the second game.
Dakota State is 11-16 overall record and 5-5 record in North Star contests. Presentation is 12-19 overall record and 3-7 record in league play.
Both teams concludes their North Star's four-game series Saturday morning with another doubleheader. The first game is set for 9 a.m.
Game 1 – Presentation (S.D.) 5, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL
Presentation limited Dakota State to two hits in the North Star's four-game series opener, propelling to a 5-0 shutout victory. The Saints pound out 11 hits in the game.
The Saints earned its first lead of the game in the bottom second frame. Amber Ewert was hit-by-pitch. Morgan Plumbtree hit a single and advanced Ewert to second base. Ewert scored home caused by DSU's defensive miscue for PC 1-0 lead.
PC produced five hits and scored four runs in the bottom sixth inning, ballooning their lead to 5-0. Cortni Mendoza's 2-RBI double highlighted the inning for the Saints.
Dakota State left two runners on base in the final inning, sealing the win for Presentation.
Nicole Stewart and Audrey Kosman each had a single for the Trojans. Kailee McFadden added a walk.
Mendoza registered a double and drove in two runs for the Saints. Plumbtree, Celia Cerezo and Darrian Gibson each added two singles. Lenessa Nelson, Kassandra Orozco, Shanice Webb and Ewert each had a hit. Cerezo and Gibson each recorded an RBI.
PC left six runners one base compared to DSU five runners left on base.
Xitlali Lopez (L, 6-3) tabbed the loss on the pitching mound for the Trojans. She gave up five runs on 11 hits.
Ashlyn O'Keefe (W, 9-7) tossed a complete game victory for the Saints. She limited DSU to two hits and struck out four batters.
Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 2, Presentation (S.D.) 1 – FINAL
Dakota State scored all of its runs in the opening inning of the second game and held off Presentation's comeback for a 2-1 victory.
The Trojans exploded for two runs in the top first inning. McFadden started the game with a single. She swiped to second base. Melissa Krapf hit a ground out and advanced McFadden to third base. Stewart produced an RBI single to score McFadden for DSU 1-0 lead.
After Jasmin Lucero's fielder choice, Lopez drilled a double to advance Lucero to third base for DSU in the top first. Peyton Brokiewicz followed up with an RBI single to score Lucero, extending Trojans' lead to 2-0.
The Saints scored their first run of the second game in the bottom fifth frame. Ewert led off with a single and swiped to second base. Plumbtree hit a single to advance Ewert to third base. Gibson recorded an RBI fielder's choice to score Ewert as Presentation trimmed Dakota State's lead to 2-1.
DSU closed out the game by retiring the final three PC batters in the bottom seventh inning, securing the 11th win of the season.
Lopez had a double for Dakota State. Stewart and Brokiewicz each tallied a single and an RBI. McFadden hit a single. Brokiewicz had a walk. McFadden and Brokiewicz each recorded a stolen base.
Plumbtree registered two hits for Presentation. Orozco had a double. Ewert recorded a single and a stolen base. Gibson had an RBI.
Both teams left four runners on base.
Stefani Gollin (W, 2-2) pitched a complete game victory for Dakota State. She gave up one run on four hits and recorded two strikeouts.
Plumbtree (L, 0-5) registered the loss, despite tossing a complete game for Presentation. She allowed two runs on five hits. She had two strikeouts.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
