March 6, 2019

TUCSON, Ariz. – Dakota State (S.D.) erased an 8-3 deficit Wednesday evening in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational at Lincoln Park.  The Trojans rallied back and continued its dominance over Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), earning an 11-8 victory to snap DSU's five-game losing skid.

Dakota State improved to 2-5 overall record, both wins against Dakota Wesleyan.  The Trojans also earned its seventh win in the last eight meetings with the Tigers.  DWU fell to 3-15 overall record.

DSU earned the game's first lead in the top inning with a run scored.  Melissa Krapf led off with a walk.  Quinn Motichka hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Krapf to second base.  Nicole Stewart followed up with a single to advance Krapf to third base.

Annalisa Ingui produced a two-out RBI single to score Krapf, giving the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the top first.

Dakota Wesleyan exploded for four runs in the bottom first inning, highlighted by Sierra Haage's 3-run home run for 4-1 lead.

Amber Budmarlk smashed a 2-run home run to extend Tigers' lead to 6-2 in the bottom second.

The Trojans halted their scoring drought with a pair of runs in the top fourth inning.  Stewart led off with a single.  Ingui hit a one-out single to advance Stewart to second base.  Taylor Poe added a single to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU.

Sarah Torres reached safely on base caused by DWU's defensive error, allowing Stewart and Ingui to score as Dakota State trailed 6-3 in the top fourth.

DWU answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning.  Budmarlk hit her second 2-run home run of the game to balloon Tigers' lead to 8-3.

Dakota State's offense exploded for five runs in the top fifth frame and rallied back to knot the game.  Motichka hit a double with one out.  Stewart hit a single and advanced Motichka to third base.  Xitlali Lopez blasted an RBI double to score Motichka as the Trojans trailed 8-4 (Hope Johnson, pinch runner for Stewart, advanced to third base). 

DSU continued its scoring run as Ingui hit an RBI single to score Johnson to cut DWU's lead to 8-5 (Sidney Hockett, pinch runner for Lopez, advanced to third base).  Peyton Brokiewicz added a single to set up a bases loaded situation.

Taylor Poe hit bases-clearing 3-RBI double to score Hockett, Ingui and Brokiewicz as Dakota State tied the game at 8-8 in the top fifth.

Dakota State made it 9-8 in the top sixth inning, thanks to Lopez's RBI double to score Stewart who hit a single with one out. 

DSU plated two more runs in the top seventh, extending their lead by three runs.  Torres was hit-by-pitch.  Krapf hit a one-out single to advance Torres to second base.  With runners on third and second bases with two outs, a wild pitch by DWU allowed Torres to score for 10-8 lead.

Stewart hit an RBI single to score Krapf as Dakota State widen their lead to 11-8 in the top seventh.

Dakota State shut down Dakota Wesleyan in the final three innings to secure the victory, holding the Tigers to one hit in the final three innings.

Stewart was perfect 5-of-5 at the plate for Dakota State.  She scored twice and drove in a run.  Lopez added two doubles, a single and collected two RBIs.  Poe had a double, single and produced three RBIs.  Ingui was 4-of-5 at the plate with two runs and two RBIs.  Krapf, Motichka, Brokiewicz and Torres each had a hit.  Krapf and Ingui each scored twice.

Budmarlk hit two home runs and registered four RBIs for Dakota Wesleyan.  Haage added a home run and three RBIs.  Melysia Ortega had two hits.

DSU outhit DWU 18-8 in the game.  The Trojans left nine runners on base compared to the Tigers four runners left on base.

Stefani Gollin (W, 1-2) earned her first win of the season in the pitching circle, tossing a complete game for the Trojans.  She allowed eight runs (two unearned) on eight hits.  She recorded two strikeouts.

Haage (L, 2-4) recorded the setback after tossing a complete game for the Tigers.  She gave up 11 runs (two unearned) on 18 hits.  She struck out five DSU's batters.

Dakota State is off on Thursday and will return back to action on Friday at Lincoln Park.  The Trojans play Madonna (Mich.) at 10 a.m. and Concordia (Neb.) at 4:30 p.m. in Tucson.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director