March 31, 2019
NORFOLK, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) snapped their nine-game losing skid Sunday afternoon at Ta Ha Zourka Park, earning a 6-2 victory in the third game of the North Star Athletic Association 4-game series over Waldorf (Iowa). The Warriors sealed off the final game of the series by outscoring the Trojans 11-2 in the final two innings for a 15-4 five-inning victory.
Dakota State is 4-17 overall record and 1-7 record in North Star conference play. Waldorf is 7-15 overall record and evened their league play at 4-4 record.
Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 6, Waldorf (Iowa) 2 – FINAL
The Trojans scored at least a run in the first four innings and held off the Warriors in the first game of the doubleheader Sunday afternoon.
DSU earned the first lead of the game at 1-0 in the bottom first frame, thanks to Quinn Motichka's solo home run to left field. It was her second home run of the season for the Trojans.
Taylor Poe and Tatum Ronke hit back-to-back singles with one out in the top second for Dakota State. Jayme Knauer recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance Poe to third and Ronke to second base. Melissa Krapf followed up with a walk to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU.
Motichka continued its scoring surge for the Trojans as she hit 2-RBI single with two outs to extend their lead to 3-0 in the bottom third.
With bases full in the bottom third inning, Krapf produced a 2-RBI single with two outs as DSU widen their lead to 5-0.
Waldorf snapped their scoring drought with two runs scored in the top fourth. Ursula DelCampo reached on base by DSU's defensive error. Lauren Hein followed up with a 2-run home run as WU trimmed DSU's lead to 5-2.
Dakota State plated a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Nicole Stewart drilled a double to start the bottom fourth. Hope Johnson, pinch runner for Stewart, advanced to third after a passed ball by the Warriors.
Facing two outs in the bottom fourth, Sarah Torres produced an RBI single to score Johnson as the Trojans ballooned their lead to 6-2.
Both teams were unable to score in the final three innings of the game as DSU secured their first North Star conference win this season.
Motichka led the Trojans by going 3-of-4 at the plate wit a home run, two singles and collected a game-high three RBIs. Torres added two singles and an RBI. Stewart had a double and single. Krapf registered a single and earned two RBIs. Xitlali Lopez, Poe, Ronke and Knauer each had a hit.
Hein had a home run and drove in two runs for the Warriors. Blaney Markman added two singles. Brynlee Gibbs, Peyton Arenson, DelCampo and Bree Hamblin each recorded a hit.
Dakota State outhit Waldorf 12-7 in the game. The Trojans left eight runners on base compared to the Warriors six runners left on base.
Lopez (W, 2-6) tossed a complete game victory in the pitching circle for DSU. She yielded the Warriors to two runs (one unearned) on seven hits. She recorded two strikeouts.
Karlee Leyvas (L, 2-8) took the loss for WU. She worked for 2 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on six hits. Rachel Setting pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief, allowing one run on six hits.
Game 2 – Waldorf (Iowa) 15, Dakota State (S.D.) 4 – FINAL
Waldorf used a fast start in the North Star four-game series finale, rolling to a 15-4 five-inning victory over Dakota State. The Warriors won the series with a 3-1 record.
Taylor Navratil and Gibbs led off WU with back-to-back singles. DelCamp hit an RBI single to score Navratil for a 1-0 lead in favor of the Warriors. Hein blasted a 3-run home run to extend Waldorf's lead to 4-0.
The Trojans answered back with a run scored in the bottom first frame. Krapf led off with a single and advanced to second after Motichka's ground out. Lopez hit an RBI single with two outs to score Krapf as DSU trailed 4-1.
Ronke set a milestone in the bottom second inning with two outs for the Trojans. She blasted a solo home run to left field on a 1-0 count as DSU cut WU's lead to 4-2. It was Ronke's sixth home runs this season, and also tied with Stewart with all-time home runs with 18 at Dakota State.
Waldorf scored four times in the top fourth to widen their lead to 8-2, highlighted by Arenson's 2-RBI single. The Warriors added two more runs caused by DSU's wild pitch and a defensive error during a stolen base attempt.
After the first two outs in the top fifth inning, Navratil reached on base caused by Trojans' defensive miscue. The next eight Warrior batters reached safely on base, producing seven hits (and one walk) and exploded for seven runs to expand their lead to 15-2.
Dakota State scored twice in the bottom fifth. Stewart hit a single with one out. Lopez added a walk and advanced Johnson (pinch runner for Stewart) to second base. Annalisa Ingui followed up with a single to set up a bases loaded situation (Johnson advanced to third and Kailee McFadden – pinch runner for Lopez – advanced to second).
Torres hit an RBI single to score Johnson as the Trojans reduced their deficit to 15-3. Poe followed up with another RBI single to score McFadden (DSU trailed 15-4), but could not extend the game into sixth inning as DSU left bases loaded.
Stewart was 2-of-3 at the plate with two singles for Dakota State. Ronke had a home run and an RBI. Lopez, Torres and Poe each earned a single and an RBI. Knauer, Krapf and Motichka also had a single.
Nine WU batters recorded at least a hit in the game, with five batters earning multi-hit games. Arenson had three hits and two RBIs. Hein had a home run, single and drove in four runs. Erin Curtin had three singles. Gibbs and Markman each had two hits. Navratil, DelCampo, Hamblin and Hoyer each registered a hit.
The Warriors pound out 16 hits in the game compared to the Trojans 10 hits. DSU left eight runners on base, while WU had seven runners left on base.
Stefani Gollin (L, 2-6) registered the loss for the Trojans. She allowed 15 runs (nine unearned) on 16 hits.
Jessica Whittaker (W, 3-6) earned a complete game victory for the Warriors. She gave up four runs on 10 hits.
Up Next
Dakota State continues their action on Tuesday as they play a non-conference doubleheader at Morningside (Iowa). The games are held at Jensen Softball Complex in Sioux City, Iowa. The first game is set for 3 p.m.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
