April 27, 2018

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – After playing 43 consecutive games away from Thue Softball Complex, Dakota State (S.D.) played its home opener Friday afternoon against the North Star Athletic Association's conference leader No. 15-ranked Jamestown (N.D.).  The Trojans could not convert their scoring chances on their last play in both games as the Jimmies held on to 9-8 and 1-0 victories.

Dakota State fell to 18-27 overall record and 12-14 record in league.  Jamestown, who is inching closer for the North Star conference regular-season title and No. 1 seed for the upcoming conference postseason tournament, extended their winning streak to 13 to raise their overall record to 37-6 and 20-3 NSAA conference record.

Jamestown will play a doubleheader with Viterbo (Wis.) Saturday at 12 p.m. as part of the North Star triangular at Thue Softball Complex.  Dakota State returns back to action on Sunday at 12 p.m. against the V-Hawks in the regular-season finale.  The Trojans will be honoring their senior Kelly Drake between the first and second games.

Game 1 – (15) Jamestown (N.D.) 9, Dakota State (S.D.) 8 – FINAL

Both teams combined for a total of 30 hits in the first game of the doubleheader.  Jamestown, who leads the North Star conference in batting average, registered 18 hits in the game while Dakota State recorded 12 hits.

Dakota State jumped to a 2-0 lead in the bottom first inning.  Kailee McFadden reached safely to second base after UJ's dropped pop up at shortstop.  Peyton Brokiewicz and Xitlali Lopez hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give Trojans a two-run lead.

Jamestown snapped their scoring drought after producing six runs in the top third frame, thanks to their four extra-base hits with two triples and two doubles.  Mikayla Frost led off with a double.  Morgan Geiszler followed up with an RBI double to score Frost as UJ trimmed their deficit to 2-1.

Tifani Schorzman drilled an RBI triple to score Geiszler as the Jimmies knotted the game at 2-2 in the top third.  Kassi Ward recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Schorzman as UJ overtook a 3-2 lead.

The Jimmies continued their scoring surge with two outs in the top third inning, hitting three straight singles.  Kaitlyn Sassaman hit a single.  She advanced to second base caused by DSU's defensive error.  Sydney Prussia hit an RBI single to score Sassaman for UJ's 4-2 lead.  Miriah Yoder added a single and advanced Prussia to third base.

Jamestown made it 6-2 when Keller hit a 2-RBI triple with two outs to score Prussia and Yoder in the top third inning.

Dakota State stormed back as they plated four runs with two outs in the bottom fifth inning.  After the first two outs were recorded in the bottom fifth, six straight Trojans batters reached safely on base to produce four runs.  McFadden, Melissa Krapf and Brokiewicz each hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation.

Lopez recorded an RBI walk to score McFadden as DSU trailed 6-3 in the bottom fifth.  Jasmin Lucero followed up with a 2-RBI single to score Krapf and Brokiewicz as the Trojans cut UJ's lead to 6-5.  Audrey Kosman added an RBI single to score Erin Newbury (pinch runner for Lucero) as Dakota State knotted the game at 6-6.

UJ answered with two runs in the top sixth inning.  Geiszler hit a single and swiped to second base.  Jamestown regained their lead at 7-6 after Schorzman hit an RBI double to score Geiszler.  Ward added an RBI single to score Schorzman to make it 8-6 in favor of the Jimmies.

Jamestown extended their lead to 9-6 in the top seventh inning.  Geiszler produced an RBI single to score Keller, who hit a triple.

DSU attempted to make a comeback in the bottom half of the seventh inning.  Brokiewicz led off with a single.  Lopez drilled a double to advance Brokiewicz to third base.  Lucero smashed a 2-RBI double to score Brokiewicz and Katarina Smith (pinch runner for Lopez) as DSU trailed by one run at 9-8.

After Trojans' scoring surge with two runs, the Jimmies retired the final three batters to secure the victory.

Lopez was 2-of-3 at the plate with two doubles, two RBIs and a walk for Dakota State.  Lucero added a double, single and drove in a game-high four runs.  Brokiewicz was 3-of-4 with two singles, double, an RBI and scored three times.  Kosman had a single and an RBI.  McFadden and Krapf each recorded a hit.  Taylor Poe and Tatum Ronke each had a hit.  Ronke swiped one base.

Keller had two triples with two RBIs for Jamestown.  Geiszler added four hits and drove in two runs.  Schorzman registered a double, single and two RBIs.  Prussia had three hits and an RBI.  Yoder and Frost each tallied two hits.  Ward had a single and two RBIs.

The Trojans committed five defensive errors in the game compared to the Jimmies two defensive miscues.

UJ left ten runners on base, while DSU had six runners left on base.

Kosman (L, 1-7) took the loss in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She tossed five-plus innings (faced three batters in the top sixth inning) and gave up eight runs on 16 hits.  Kelly Drake pitched two innings in relief, giving up a run on two hits.

Brittany Rheault started the game for Jamestown, working for the first 4 2/3 innings.  She allowed six runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  Jasmine Pipella (W. 9-2) recorded the win, despite recording an out in the bottom fifth and faced off the lead-off hitter in the bottom sixth.  Kat Miska (S, 2) earned the save after giving up two runs on three hits in the final two innings.

Game 2 – (15) Jamestown (N.D.) 1, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL

The second game of the doubleheader saw a pitcher's duel between Jamestown Miska and Dakota State's Stefani Gollin.

The lone run of the game came in the opening inning, thanks to a lead-off triple by UJ's Keller.  Frost recorded an RBI ground out to score Keller to give the Jimmies a 1-0 lead.

DSU was unable to convert their scoring opportunity in the bottom third inning after a lead-off triple by Lopez.

Keller had a double with two outs, while Frost reached safely on first base despite a fielder's choice in the top fifth for UJ.  Dakota State prevented Jamestown from scoring as Geiszler was grounded out to second base.

Lucero smashed a triple to deep right-center in the bottom seventh frame for Dakota State.  The Trojans were unable to score as the Jimmies sealed the victory.

Lopez and Lucero each had a triple for DSU.  Krapf added a single.  Ronke had a walk and a stolen base.

Keller led UJ with a triple and double.  Frost collected an RBI.  Geiszler and Meghan Ramage each had a single.

Gollin (L, 4-5) pitched a complete game, despite the loss for Dakota State.  She yielded the Jimmies to one run on four hits.

Miska (W, 12-1) earned the complete game victory for Jamestown.  She limited the Trojans to three hits and recorded nine strikeouts in the game.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director