March 9, 2020

TUCSON, Ariz. – After falling behind 2-0 to Doane (Neb.) after the top second inning, Dakota State (S.D.) scored seven unanswered runs for the rest of the game for a 7-2 victory in the nightcap Monday at Lincoln Park.  The Trojans, who are 2-0 record in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Games, won their second straight game.

DSU improved their overall record to 2-8.  Doane, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, fell to 5-13 overall record

Dakota State continues their action in the Tucson Invitational Games on Tuesday, facing No. 14-ranked Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) at 10 a.m. (Central Time)/9 a.m. (Mountain Time), followed by another game versus St. Francis (Ill.).

Dakota State (S.D.) 7, Doane (Neb.) 2 – FINAL

• Doane jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top second frame.  Ashley Meyer hit a single with one out and swiped to second base.  Erika Herrera followed up with a walk.  Tayler Mashburn produced an RBI single to score Meyer for DC's 1-0 lead. 
• The Tigers made it 2-0 after another RBI single by Alicia Vint to score Herrera as their lead grew to 2-0.
• Dakota State answered with a run scored in the bottom half of the second inning.  Julia Andersen led off with a single.  Xitlali Lopez added a single to advance Andersen to second base.  On the same play, Doane committed a defensive error and allowed Andersen to score as the Trojans trailed 2-1.
• The Trojans kicked off the bottom third inning with four consecutive singles from Elizabeth Whitesides, Sarah Torres, Nicole Stewart and Vinitzia Blanco.  DSU produced a back-to-back RBI single by Stewart and Blanco to gain a 3-2 lead.
• Dakota State continued its scoring surge with another pair of runs in the bottom fourth.  Xotchil Lopez reached safely on base caused by Doane's defensive error and advanced to second base.  Faith Danner also reached safely on error by DC. 
• Whitesides followed up with an RBI single to score Xotchil Lopez as DSU's lead grew to 4-2.  After Torres' single to advance Whitesides to second base, Blanco added an RBI single to score Whitesides to make it 5-2 in favor of the Trojans.
• DSU added two more runs in the bottom sixth frame.  Whitesides led off with a single, followed Torres' hit-by-pitch.  Stewart hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation.  After a fielder's choice by Blanco (Whitesides out at home), Andersen recorded an RBI walk to score Torres for 6-2 DSU lead.
• Dakota State made it 7-2 after Melissa Krapf recorded an RBI walk to score Stewart in the bottom sixth inning.
• DSU secured the victory after shutting the Tigers in the seventh inning.
• The Trojans pound out 14 hits in the game compared to the Tigers five hits.  Dakota State left nine runners on base, while Doane left four runners left on base.
• Five DSU players recorded mulit-hit in the game, led by Whitesides and Torres each with three singles.  Stewart, Blanco and Andersen each added two singles.  Xitlali Lopez and Krapf each added a single.  Blanco drove in two runs.
• Vint led the Tigers with two singles and an RBI.  Angelina Esqueda, Meyer and Mashburn each had a single.  Mashburn recorded an RBI.
• Faith Danner (W, 1-3) tossed a completed game victory in the pitching mound for Dakota State.  She allowed two runs on five hits.  She recorded four strikeouts. 
• Ashley Jacobson started the game and tossed the first inning for Doane.  She gave up four hits and an unearned run.  Station Charters (L, 2-5) recorded the setback after pitching five innings.  She allowed six runs (two unearned) on 10 hits. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director