April 15, 2018

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) returned back to Presentation (S.D.) Dome for the fourth straight weekend, facing Valley City State (N.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association Softball 4-game series.  The Trojans opened up with a 2-1 victory over the Vikings, but fell short in the second game by the score of 5-3.

Dakota State is 16-19 overall record, tying for the most overall wins for the first time since 2013.  The Trojans are 10-8 record in North Star conference contests (tied for third place in the NSAA conference standings with Dickinson State, N.D.).  Valley City State, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches Top 25 national poll, is 28-9 overall record.  The Vikings maintain their sole possession for second place in the North Star conference standings with an 11-4 record.

DSU and VCSU concludes their NSAA four-game series Monday with another doubleheader at PC Dome.  First game is set for 10 a.m.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 2, (RV) Valley City State (N.D.) 1 – FINAL

Both Dakota State and Valley City State each scored a run in the opening inning of the NSAA's 4-game series opener.  The Trojans scored once in the fourth inning and held off the Vikings by the score of 2-1, snapping VCSU's nine-game winning streak in the series meeting (last time DSU defeated VCSU was on April 26, 2015 with a 4-1 victory at Thue Softball Complex in Madison, S.D.).

DSU grabbed the first lead of the game in the top first inning.  Taylor Poe was hit-by-pitch with one out.  Nicole Stewart followed up with a single to advance Poe to second base.  Xitlali Lopez produced an RBI single to score Poe as the Trojans gained a 1-0 lead. 

VCSU answered back with a run scored in the bottom half of the first inning.  Joelle Aiello led off with a double.  Kelli Moore hit an RBI single with two outs to score Aiello, knotting the game at 1-1. 

Both teams were unable to score in the second and third innings.

Audrey Kosman led off the top fourth inning with a single for Dakota State.  A wild pitch by the Vikings with one out allowed Kosman to advance to second base.  Autumn Madrigal followed up with an RBI single to score Kosman as the Trojans regained their lead to 2-1.

DSU and VCSU did not score for the rest of the game.  The Vikings left a runner on first base when the game ended, securing Trojans' third straight win.

Stewart was 3-of-4 at the plate with three singles for Dakota State.  Lopez added two singles and an RBI.  Kosman tallied two singles.  Madrigal had a single and an RBI.  Peyton Brokiewicz and Jasmin Lucero each had a hit.  Poe and Kosman each had a run scored.

Aiello led Valley City State with a double and a single.  Moore added two hits and an RBI.  Emily Smith had a double.  Kelsey Hamade and Voni Culp each registered a single.

The Trojans outhit the Vikings 10-7 in the game.  DSU left 11 runners on base compared to VCSU seven runners left on base.  Both teams recorded a double play, defensively (Ronke and Stewart for DSU).

Lopez (W, 7-4) tossed a complete game victory for Dakota State.  She limited the Vikings to one run on seven hits.  She did not issue a walk in the game. 

Haley Butterfield (L, 13-4) recorded the loss in the pitching circle for Valley City State.  She pitched for 3 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits.  Smith tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing five hits.

Game 2 – (RV) Valley City State (N.D.) 5, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL

Valley City State opened up with a 5-1 lead after three innings in the second game of the NSAA four-game series.  The Trojans attempted a comeback in the top sixth inning, but fell short as VCSU held on to a 5-3 victory.

After a scoreless first inning, the Vikings grabbed the first lead of the game in the bottom second frame.  Brittney Manthie reached on base by a walk with one out.  She swiped to second base.  Kadie Anderson produced an RBI single to score Manthie for VCSU's 1-0 lead.

Valley City State made it 3-0 as Tatum Lundin followed up with a 2-run home run blast in the bottom second.

The Trojans answered with a run in the top third inning.  Tatum Ronke led off with a hit-by-pitch.  Kailee McFadden followed up with a walk and advanced Ronke to second base.  Poe was hit-by-pitch to set up a bases loaded situation.

Lopez reached safely on first base with one out after the Vikings committed a defensive error, allowing Ronke to score for DSU's first run of the game (VCSU leads 3-1).

The Vikings continued their scoring surge in the bottom third inning, adding two more runs to their lead.  Hamade led off with a single.  Smith followed up with an RBI double to score Hamade to extend Vikings' lead to 4-1.

Jayme Menard added an RBI single to widen VCSU's lead to 5-1 in the bottom third.

Dakota State rallied back in the top sixth inning after opening up with three consecutive hits.  Stewart started the sixth inning with a single.  Lopez added a single and advanced Reanna Fitzgerald – pinch runner for Stewart – to second base.  Brokiewicz hit an RBI double to score Fitzgearld as the Trojans trailed 5-2 (Katarina Smith, pinch runner for Lopez, advanced to third base).

Lucero recorded an RBI fielder's choice to score Smith as DSU cut VCSU's lead to 5-3 in the top sixth inning (Smith was forced out at second base).

The Trojans could not complete a comeback in the final inning as the Vikings secured the win to earn a doubleheader split.

Stewart extended her hitting streak to a season-high 14 games after recording two singles in the game for Dakota State.  Lopez and Brokiewicz each added a hit and an RBI.  Lucero had an RBI.  McFadden reached on baes by a walk.  Fitzgearld, Smith and Ronke each scored a run.

Lundin had a home run and drove in two runs for Valley City State.  Anderson, Menard and Smith each registered a hit and an RBI.  Aiello, Hamade and Clarissa De La Ossa each had a hit.

VCSU recorded seven hits in the game compared to DSU four hits.  The Trojans left six runners on base while the Vikings had two runners left on base.

Kelly Drake (L, 4-7) took the complete game loss in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She allowed five runs on seven hits. 

Nichole Ree (W, 4-0) remained undefeated after tossing six innings for Valley City State.  She gave up three runs on four hits.  Smith (S, 4) earned the save after pitching a shutout seventh inning in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director