May 5, 2018
NSAA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTER
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Fifth-seed Dakota State (S.D.) and fourth-seed Bellevue (Neb.) met for the second time in the Gold Bracket of the North Star Athletic Association Softball Postseason Tournament, this time in loser's out game Saturday afternoon at Players Softball Complex. The Trojans bounced back with an 8-6 victory, which saw the game being delayed for an hour and half due to lightning just outside of Aberdeen.
Seven home runs were recorded in the game. All Bruins' runs in the game were scored on five home runs while the Trojans had two home runs, each by Nicole Stewart.
Dakota State, now 21-29 overall record, moves on to the Gold Bracket's championship with a rematch with top-seeded Jamestown (N.D.). Bellevue ended their season with an overall record of 32-23.
Bellevue suddenly opened up the game with a 2-0 lead after back-to-back solo home runs by Grace Glotfelty and North Star's Player-of-the-Year Erin Sharpe.
After Melissa Krapf reached on base by being hit-by-pitch, Stewart blasted a 2-run home run as the Trojans knotted the game at 2-2.
Audrey Kosman hit a single with one out, followed by Taylor Poe's bunt single and Tatum Ronke's walk to set up a bases loaded situation with one out in the bottom second. Kailee McFadden reached on base by a fielder's choice while Kosman was forced out at home for the second out. From there, the game was halted due to lightning sighted within 10 miles in town.
The game returned back an hour and half later, where Krapf hit a 2-RBI single to score Poe and Ronke as Dakota State earned a 4-2 lead.
Sharpe led off the top third with a solo home run as Bellevue trailed 4-3.
The Trojans extended their lead to 5-3 when Poe hit an RBI double to score Kosman, who led off the inning with a single.
Poe and McFadden each hit an RBI single in the bottom fifth to widen DSU's lead to 7-3.
Maddie Siedlik hit a solo home run to lead off the top sixth inning as BU cut Trojans' lead to 7-4. Alex Tooley added a 2-run home run as Bellevue reduced their deficit to 7-6.
Stewart hit her second home run of the game, leading off the bottom sixth with a home run as Dakota State extended their lead to 8-6. It was her eighth home run this season, currently the second most career home runs in DSU Softball record book (Brittany Hill holds the school record with 17 career home runs from 2012-15).
The Trojans secured the game as the Bruins left a runner on first base. DSU went 2-0 record BU in the Gold Bracket.
Poe was perfect at the plate by going 3-of-3 with a double, two singles and collected two RBIs for Dakota State. Stewart added two home runs and three RBIs. Kosman tallied two singles and scored twice. Krapf had a single and two RBIs. McFadden recorded a single and an RBI. Ronke reached on base by a walk two times.
Sharpe had two homers and two RBIs for Bellevue. Tooley added a home run, single and two RBIs. Glotfelty had a home run, single and an RBI. Siedlik had a home run and an RBI.
DSU outhit BU 11-9 in the game. Both teams stranded seven runners on base.
Stefani Gollin (W, 5-5) earned the victory after tossing five-plus innings for DSU. She allowed six runs (one unearned) on eight hits. Xitlali Lopez (S, 2) earned the save after pitching two scoreless innings, limiting the Bruins to one hit.
Sharpe (L, 16-7) took the loss as she worked for three-plus innings for BU. She gave up five runs on six hits. Lexi LeCalsey pitched three innings in relief after giving up three runs on five hits.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
