March 8, 2019

TUCSON, Ariz.  – Concordia (Neb.) led 7-2 after the sixth inning Friday afternoon at Lincoln Park in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational.  Dakota State (S.D.) stormed back with four runs in the top seventh, but fell short to the Bulldogs by the score of 7-6.

Dakota State fell to 2-7 overall record.  Concordia won their sixth straight game to raise their overall record to 7-3.

CU earned the first lead of the game in the bottom second inning.  With bases loaded situation and two outs, the Bulldogs scored once after DSU's wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.

The Trojans answered with a run scored in the top third frame.  Tatum Ronke led off with a double.  After Melissa Krapf's ground out to advance Ronke to third base, Quinn Moticka produced an RBI ground out to score Ronke to tie the game at 1-1.

Tori Homolka hit a two-out 2-RBI double as Concordia regained their lead at 3-1 in the bottom fourth.

Dakota State plated a run in the top sixth inning, trailing 3-2.  Xitlali Lopez led off with a single.  Annalisa Ingui reached safely on base caused by CU's defensive miscue and advanced Lopez to second base.  Kailee McFadden, pinch runner for Lopez, scored home caused by another Bulldogs' error to reduce Trojans' deficit by one run.

Concordia produced six singles in the bottom sixth inning to score four runs, ballooning their lead to 7-2.

DSU mounted a furious comeback in the top seventh frame, but fell short.  Krapf led off the inning by reaching safely on base caused by CU's error.  Quinn Motichka and Nicole Stewart followed up with back-to-back singles to set up a bases loaded situation.

Lopez recorded an RBI ground out to score Krapf as the Trojans trailed 7-3 in the top seventh (Motichka advanced to third base and Hope Johnson – pinch runner for Stewart – advanced to second base).  Ingui produced an RBI single to score Motichka as DSU trimmed Concordia's lead to 7-4 (Johnson advanced to second base).

Sarah Torres hit a ground out to advance Sidney Hockett, pinch runner for Ingui.  Taylor Poe hit a 2-RBI single to score Johnson and Hockett as the Trojans trailed by just one run. 

Dakota State could not continue their scoring chances as Concordia secured the victory.

Stewart led the Trojans' offense attack with two doubles and a single.  Motichka added two hits and an RBI.  Ronke had a double.  Krapf, Lopez and Poe each had a hit.  Poe drove in two runs.

Homolka was 2-of-4 at the plate with a double and collected three RBIs for the Bulldogs.  Kylee Nixon added two hits and an RBI.  Eight other CU batters recorded a single.

Concordia outhit Dakota State 12-10 in the game.  The Bulldogs committed four defensive errors compared to the Trojans one error.  Both teams left eight runners on base.

Lopez (L, 1-3) took the loss in the pitching circle after tossing a complete game for DSU.  She gave up seven runs (one unearned) on 12 hits.  She recorded six strikeouts.

Brittany Woolridge (W, 3-0) earned a complete game victory for Concordia.  She allowed six runs (two unearned) on 10 hits.  She registered three strikeouts.

The Trojans hope to close out their Tucson Invitational Games on a high note Saturday.  Dakota State faces Roosevelt (Ill.) at 10 a.m. and Aquinas (Mich.) at 4:30 p.m.  Both teams will be held at Lincoln Park.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director