March 31, 2018
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) rallied back from a 4-0 deficit and held on to a 7-6 North Star Athletic Association Softball victory over Presentation (S.D.) in the first game of the doubleheader Sunday morning at PC Dome. The Saints closed out the weekend series with a 4-1 win over the Trojans, gaining the NSAA four-game series split.
DSU was the 'home team' in Saturday's doubleheader since the games were unable to play at Thue Softball.
Dakota State is 12-17 overall record and 6-6 record in North Star conference games. The Trojans recorded their seventh win in the last ten games.
DSU is scheduled to host Dordt (Iowa) on Wednesday afternoon at Thue Softball Complex. First game of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. in Madison, S.D.
Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 7, Presentation (S.D.) 6 – FINAL
Trailing 4-0 in the first game of the doubleheader, Dakota State used a pair of big innings of offensive explosion and held off Presentation's comeback bid in the final inning for a 7-6 win.
The Saints earned the first lead of the game in the opening inning, thanks to Cortni Mendoza's lead-off triple. Krystle Schewers recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Mendoza to give PC a 1-0 lead.
Darrian Gibson blasted a 2-run home run to extend PC's lead to 3-0 in the top fourth frame. Schweers hit a two-out double and advanced to third base after a passed ball by DSU. Lenessa Nelson produced an RBI single to score Schweers as the Saints' lead ballooned to 4-0.
Dakota State snapped their scoring drought in the bottom half of the fourth inning, exploding for five runs. Nicole Stewart hit a single with one out. Jasmin Lucero followed up with an RBI double to score Stewart as the Trojans scored its first run of the game (DSU trailed 4-1).
Xitlali Lopez added an RBI double to score Lucero as Dakota State trimmed Presentation's lead to 4-2 in the bottom fourth. Audrey Kosman reached on base by a walk with two outs. A passed ball committed by PC allowed Lopez advance to third base and Kosman to second base. Taylor Poe hit an RBI single to score Lopez, while Kosman and Poe scored on the same play caused by Saints' defensive miscue to give DSU a 5-4 lead.
Presentation answered back with a run scored in the top fifth inning. Amber Ewert hit a single with one out. She advanced to second base after Morgan Plumbtree's ground out. Celia Cerezo recorded an RBI single to score Ewert as the Saints knotted the game at 5-5.
Peyton Brokiewicz drilled a double with one out in the bottom sixth frame for Dakota State. Kosman smashed the go-ahead 2-run home run to put Trojans up at 7-5.
The Saints mounted a comeback in the final inning. Ewert and Plumbtree hit back-to-back singles, followed by Cerezo's walk to set up a bases loaded situation for PC. Gibson recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Ewert as the Saints cut Trojans' lead to 7-6.
Mendoza was hit-by-pitch as the Saints faced a bases loaded situation with two outs. The Trojans survived as they closed the game with a line out to third base, leaving three runners on base for PC.
Kosman had a home run, drove in two runs and reached on base by a walk two times for Dakota State. Melissa Krapf, Brokiewicz, Lopez and Lucero each registered a double. Stewart and Poe each had a hit. Lucero, Lopez and Poe each collected an RBI. Tatum Ronke swiped one base.
Plumbtree was 3-of-4 at the plate with three singles for Presentation. Ewert added two singles and two runs scored. Mendoza, Nelson and Gibson each had two hits. Gibson tallied three RBIs. Schweer had a double and an RBI.
PC outhit DSU 14-7 in the game. The Saints left 11 runners on base compared to the Trojans two runners left on base.
Kelly Drake (W, 4-5) earned a complete game victory in the pitching circle for DSU. She allowed six runs on 14 hits.
Ashlyn O'Keefe (L, 9-8) tabbed the loss, despite pitching a complete game for PC. She gave up seven runs (one unearned) on seven hits. She recorded six strikeouts and issued three walks.
Game 2 – Presentation (S.D.) 4, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL
Both teams were unable to score in the first two innings in the four-game series finale.
Presentation scored twice in the top third inning after a pair of extra-base hits. Gibson hit a single with one out. Mendoza hit an RBI triple to score Gibson as PC earned a 1-0 lead. Nelson followed up with an RBI double to score Mendoza as the Saints expanded their lead to 2-0.
Brokiewicz blasted a solo home run with one out on a 2-0 count in the bottom fourth inning as the Trojans cut Saints' lead to 2-1. It was her fifth home run this season, her eighth career home run at Dakota State.
PC scored twice in the top sixth inning to widen their lead to 4-1. Nelson led off with a single, followed by a double by Kassandra Orozco to advance Nelson to third base. Ewert recorded an RBI bunt single to score Nelson and advanced Orozco to third base. Plumbtree added an RBI sacrifice fly to score Orozco to give Saints a three-run lead.
Dakota State could not make a comeback in the final inning as they left a runner on base (by Kailee McFadden's single), as Presentation secured the victory.
McFadden finished the game by going 3-of-4 at the plate with three singles for DSU. Brokiewicz added a home run, single and an RBI. Krapf and Stewart each had a single. Kosman and Poe each reached on base by a walk.
Mendoza, Nelson, Orozco, Shanice Webb and Gibson each registered two hits for PC. Ewert had a single. Mendoza, Nelson, Ewert and Plumbtree each recorded an RBI. Mendoza and Ewert each swiped one base.
The Saints pound out 11 hits in the game compared to the Trojans seven hits. The Trojans had seven runners left on base, while the Saints had six runners left on base.
Stefani Gollin (L, 2-3) recorded the loss after tossing a complete game for Dakota State. She allowed four runs on 11 hits. She struck out six PC's batters.
Plumbtree (W, 1-5) earned the victory after pitching a complete game for Presentation. She gave up one run on seven hits.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
