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Dakota State University

Scoreboard

4
Graceland (Iowa) GU 5-7
6
Winner Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 3-4
Graceland (Iowa) GU
5-7
4
Final
6
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU
3-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Graceland (Iowa) GU 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 4 10 0
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 6 9 2

W: Lopez, Xitlali (1) L: Hilzer, Lexi (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Trojans hold off Yellowjackets' late comeback 6-4

March 6, 2021

WICHITA, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) put together six runs in the first two innings over Graceland (Iowa) Saturday morning on the second day of Friends (Kan.) softball invitational at Two Rivers Youth Complex.  The Trojans held off the Yellowjackets late comeback for a 6-4 victory.

Dakota State is 3-4 overall record after the victory.  Graceland, a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, fell to 5-7 overall record.

The Trojans face Briar Cliff (Iowa) in an afternoon game.  First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Dakota State (S.D.) 6, Graceland (Iowa) 4 – FINAL

  • Dakota State scored its first run of the game in the bottom first, thanks to three stolen bases by Elizabeth Whitesides.  She led off with a single and swiped to second base.  After Sarah Torres' walk, Whiteside recorded another stolen base to third base.
  • The Trojans grabbed a 1-0 lead after Whitesides' third stolen base to home.
  • DSU exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the second inning.  Madison Aldendifer led off with a walk, followed by Melissa Krapf's sacrifice bunt fielder's choice and advanced Aldendifer to second base.
  • Vinitzia Blanco smashed a 3-run home run to balloon Trojans' lead to 4-0 (scored Aldendifer and Krapf) in the bottom second.  It was her first home run of the season, her third career home run at DSU.
  • Dakota State continued its offense outburst by hitting five consecutive singles to produce two runs.  Xotchil Lopez, Whitesides, Rosie Philop, Sarah Torres and Xitlali Lopez each hit a single.  Torres hit a 2-RBI single to give Trojans a 6-0 lead.
  • The Yellowjackets ended its scoring drought with a pair of runs in the top fifth inning.  Klarissa McElroy hit a double to start the inning.  Grace Francis hit an RBI single with two outs to score McElroy, cutting DSU's lead to 6-1.
  • GU's Rilee Slycord followed up with an RBI double to score Francis as the Trojans' lead was trimmed to 6-2.
  • Francis drilled a lead-off solo home run in the top seventh inning as the Yellowjackets trailed 6-3.  Corey Pickering hit an RBI double with two outs (DSU led 6-4), scoring Riley Verwers who hit a single earlier.
  • The Trojans secured the victory as Graceland left a runner on second base when the game ended.
  • Blanco went 2-of-3 at the plate with a home run, single and drove in a game-high three runs for DSU.  Whitesides added two singles and three stolen bases.  Torres had a single and two RBIs.  Philop, Xitlali Lopez, Krapf and Xotchil Lopez each had a hit.
  • Torres and Aldendifer each reached on base by a walk for Dakota State. 
  • Francis led Graceland with a home run, double, single and drove in two runs.  Slycord and Payton Adwell each added two hits.  McElroy, Verwers and Pickering each registered a hit.
  • The Yellowjackets outhit the Trojans 10-9 in the game.  Graceland left 11 runners on base compared to Dakota State four runners left on base.
  • Xitlali Lopez (W, 2-1) earned the victory in the pitching circle for DSU.  She worked for five innings and allowed two runs on seven hits.  She struck out seven GU's batters.  Philop tossed two innings in relief, giving up two runs on four hits.
  • Lexi Hilzer (L, 1-1) pitched a complete game, despite the setback for Graceland.  She gave up six runs on nine hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director

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