March 6, 2021

WICHITA, Kan. – Briar Cliff (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference started the game with nine runs in the first three innings, rolling to a 14-5 victory over Dakota State (S.D.) Saturday afternoon on the second day of Friends (Kan.) Tournament at Two Rivers Youth Complex.

Dakota State is 3-5 overall record.  Briar Cliff improved to 5-5 overall record.

The Trojans wrap up their three-day Friends softball tournament with another two-game schedule Sunday.  DSU takes on a pair of GPAC foes, Concordia (Neb.) at 2 p.m. and Hastings (Neb.) at 4 p.m.  Both games are held at Two Rivers Youth Complex.

Briar Cliff (Iowa) 14, Dakota State (S.D.) 5 – FINAL/5 innings

• The Chargers scored twice in the top first inning.  Mailee Jensen hit an RBI single, followed by Kylee Lukes' RBI walk to give BCU a 2-0 lead.
• Briar Cliff extended their lead to 4-0 after a 2-run home run by Alexis Westercamp in the top second frame.
• BCU ballooned their lead to 9-0 in the top third, thanks to a pair of home runs.  Lukes led off with a solo home run for 5-0 BCU lead.
• The top third inning capped off with a 2-run home run by Westercamp to make it 9-0 in favor of Briar Cliff.
• Dakota State ended its scoring run with two runs scored in the bottom fourth.  The Trojans kicked off the inning with three straight singles by Sarah Torres, Vinitzia Blanco and Xitlali Lopez. 
• Lia Chan produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Torres as DSU scored its first run of the game in the bottom fourth (DSU trailed 9-1, Blanco advanced to third).  Krapf added an RBI to score Blanco as Dakota State cut BCU's lead to 9-2.
• Briar Cliff exploded for five more runs in the top fifth inning, highlighted by Allie Poston's 3-run home run.  Rachele Heaton capped the inning with an RBI double to widen the Chargers' lead to 14-2.
• Madison Aldendifer was hit-by-pitch with one out in the bottom fifth.  Mackenzie Sims drilled an RBI double to score Aldendifer as the Trojans trailed 14-3.
• Blanco blasted a 2-run home run and scored Sims as the Trojans trim the Chargers' lead to 14-5.  It was the second home run of the day for Blanco, her fourth career home run at DSU.
• The Chargers secured the victory in five innings.
• Blanco finished the game by going 2-of-3 at the plate with a home run, single and two RBIs for Dakota State.  She scored twice.  Sims added a double and an RBI.  Chan had a hit and an RBI.  Krapf collected an RBI.  Torres had a single.
• Westercamp was 4-of-4 at the plate with two home runs, double, single and drove in four runs for Briar Cliff.  Poston added three hits and three RBIs.  Lukes tallied two hits and three RBIs.
• Briar Cliff outhit Dakota State 19-7 in the game.  The Chargers left seven runners on base compared to the Trojans three runners left on base.
• Madison Biller (L, 1-3) recorded the defeat in the pitching circle after working two innings.  Annalisa Ingui pitched two innings.  Xotchil Lopez tossed an out.
• Grace Delay pitched two scoreless innings for Briar Cliff.  Bella Valdez (W, 1-0) earned the victory after working for one inning, giving up two runs on three hits.  Mackenna Raby also pitched two innings in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director