April 28, 2019
La CROSSE, Wis. – Dakota State (S.D.) pound out 13 hits in the first game of the North Star Athletic Association Softball tripleheader action at Outdoor Athletic Complex, cruising to a 5-1 victory over host-team Viterbo (Wis.). The V-Hawks defeated the Trojans in the second game by the score of 6-2 to earn a split in the first two games.
Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 5, Viterbo (Wis.) 1 – FINAL
Down 1-0 in the first game of the tripleheader, Xitlali Lopez sparked Dakota State's fifth-inning offensive explosion with five runs scored and held on to a 5-1 victory over Viterbo.
The V-Hawks grabbed the first lead of the game in the bottom third frame with one out, thanks to back-to-back doubles by Kendyl Schine and Sonya McCormick. McCormick produced an RBI to score Schine to give V-Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Nicole Stewart hit a single with one out in the top fifth inning for DSU. Lopez smashed a 2-run home run to left-center as the Trojans earned a 2-1 lead. It was her seventh home run this season, her 10th career home run at Dakota State.
The Trojans continued its offense attack in the top fifth with back-to-back singles by Taylor Poe and Sarah Torres. Peyton Brokiewicz followed up with a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.
DSU extended their lead to 3-1 after Tatum Ronke's RBI single to score Poe. Annalisa Ingui reached safely on base caused by VU's defensive error, allowing Torres to score to balloon Trojans' lead to 4-1.
Quinn Motichka recorded an RBI single to score Ronke to widen Dakota State's lead to 5-1 with two outs in the top fifth frame.
The Trojans secured the victory as the V-Hawks left a runner on second base when the game ended.
Lopez finished the game by going 2-of-4 at the plate with a home run and drove in two runs for DSU. Stewart went 3-of-4 at the plate with three singles. Ronke added a double, single and an RBI. Torres had two singles. Motichka and Ingui each had a single and an RBI. Poe and Brokiewicz each had a single. Hope Johnson, Lopez, Poe, Torres and Ronke each scored a run. Brokiewicz swiped one base.
Schine and McCormick each had a double for VU. McCormick had an RBI. Caitlin Brown recorded a single. Brown and McCormick each swiped one base.
The Trojans left 11 runners on base while the V-Hawks had six runners left on base.
Lopez (W, 6-11) tossed a complete game victory in the pitching circle for DSU. She limited the V-Hawks to one run on three hits. She tied her career-high seven strikeouts.
Brooklyn Ottelien (L, 3-9) took the defeat after pitching 4 1/3 innings. She gave up five runs on 11 hits. She recorded four strikeouts. Caitlyn Almberg worked for 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits in relief.
Game 2 – Viterbo (Wis.) 6, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL
Dakota State grabbed their first lead of the game in the top first inning, thanks to three consecutive hits with one out. Motichka kicked off with a single, followed by Stewart's double to advance Motichka to third base. Lopez followed up with an RBI single to score Motichka for DSU's 1-0 lead.
The V-Hawks plated two runs in the bottom second frame. Ottelien led off with a walk. Lauren Davis reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error and advanced Ottelien to third base (Davis advanced to second base).
Autumn Olson produced a 2-RBI single to score Ottelien and Davis as Viterbo earned a 2-1 lead in the bottom second.
The Trojans answered back with a run in the top third. Melissa Krapf reached safely on base caused by VU's defensive miscue. She advanced to third base after Motichka's sacrifice bunt. Lopez hit an RBI single with two outs to score Krapf as DSU knotted the game at 2-2.
With runners on third and second bases for VU in the bottom fifth, Taylor Pacana recorded an RBI bunt's fielder choice to score Schine (who led off with a single) for a 3-2 lead. On the same play, McCormick scored home while Pacana was out stretching to second base as the V-Hawks widen their lead to 4-2.
The V-Hawks added two more runs in the bottom sixth caused by Trojans' defensive error, widening their lead to 6-2.
Viterbo secured the game by shutting down Dakota State in the final inning.
Lopez went perfect at the plate, going 3-of-3 with three singles and collected two RBIs for the Trojans. Stewart had a double. Motichka and Ronke each had a single. Krapf and Motichka each had a run scored. Kailee McFadden and Ronke each swiped one base.
Ottelien was 2-of-2 at the plate with a double, single, walk and scored a run for the V-Hawks. Olson added a single and two RBIs. Schine hit two singles and scored twice. Alyssa Nilssen collected two RBIs, while Pacana had an RBI.
Both teams tallied six hits in the game. The Trojans committed four defensive errors compared to the V-Hawks two defensive errors. VU had six runners left on base while DSU had five runners left on base.
Stefani Gollin (L, 3-10) recorded the defeat, despite pitching a complete game for Dakota State. She allowed six runs (three unearned) on six hits. She recorded two strikeouts.
Caitlyn Kozik (W, 9-8) earned a complete game victory for Viterbo. She gave up two runs on six hits. She registered three strikeouts.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
