April 2, 2021

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) began their first North Star Athletic Association softball 4-game road series Friday afternoon with Waldorf (Iowa) at Waldorf Softball Field.  The Trojans, despite leading 4-0 after the top first frame of the first game, rallied back with three runs in the top seventh inning and held on to a thrilling 7-6 victory.  In the second game, DSU exploded for a combined 12 runs in the top third and fourth innings to earn a doubleheader sweep over the Warriors by the score of 12-3 in five innings.

Dakota State snapped their seven-game losing skid, improving to 8-16 overall record and 2-4 record in North Star contests.  It is the first time that the Trojans earned a doubleheader sweep at Waldorf.   The Warriors fell to 3-13 and 1-5 NSAA record.

Both teams complete their four-game series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 noon.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 7, Waldorf (Iowa) 6 – FINAL

• The Trojans raced to a 4-0 lead after the top first inning before the Warriors overtook a 5-4 lead after two innings in the first game.  WU added a run in the bottom sixth before DSU rallied back for three runs in the seventh inning and held off the Warriors for the first North Star conference win of the season.
• Elizabeth Whitesides and Alexus Foster fueled the Trojans with back-to-back singles to start the game.  Sarah Torres was hit-by-pitch to set up a bases loaded situation with no outs in the top first.
• Xitlali Lopez hit a 2-RBI single to score Whitesides and Foster to give DSU a 2-0 quick lead in the top first (Torres advanced to third base).  Vinitzia Blanco followed up with an RBI ground out to score Torres to extend DSU lead to 3-0 (Xi. Lopez advanced to third base).
• Dakota State made it 4-0 in the top first inning when Xi. Lopez swiped home.
• Waldorf answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning.  Taylor Navratil led off with a single but was forced out at second base after Nichole Oberthien's fielder choice.  Karlee Leyvas followed up with a single to advance Oberthien to third base.
• Kaela Eslinger hit an RBI single to score Oberthien as WU cut DSU's lead to 4-1 in the bottom first.  Katie Chapman reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive miscue to set up a bases loaded situation for WU. 
• Waldorf cut Dakota State's lead to 4-2 when Kassidy Elyea hit an RBI ground out to score Leyvas in the bottom first.
• The Warriors plated three runs in the bottom second inning, highlighted by Oberthien's 2-RBI triple to score Bree Hamblin and Navratil to knot the game at 4-4.  Hamblin led off the inning with a single, followed by Navratil's walk.
• Waldorf made it 5-4 as Leyvas hit an RBI single to score Oberthien in the bottom second.
• Dakota State's defense prevented Waldorf from scoring after leaving the bases full by the end of the fifth inning.
• The Warriors' lead grew to 6-4 in the bottom sixth frame caused by DSU's defensive error.
• DSU stormed back in the top seventh inning with three runs scored.  Foster reached safely on base after WU committed a defensive error.  Torres was hit-by-pitch and advanced Foster to second base.  Blanco hit a single with one out to set up a bases loaded situation for the Trojans.
• Madison Aldendifer produced a 2-RBI single to score Foster and Torres to tie the game at 6-6 in the top seventh (Aldendifer advanced to second base on the throw and Blanco to third base).
• After Melissa Krapf's walk, Lia Chan hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Blanco as the Trojans regained their lead at 7-6.  Aldendifer was out at third base on the same play as the game moved to the bottom half of the seventh inning.
• Chapman led off the bottom seven with a walk for the Warriors.  She advanced to second base on a wild pitch by DSU.  Chapman advanced to third after Elyea's ground out to third base (first out of the bottom seventh).
• After a pitching change by the Trojans, Karina Prieto attempted a squeeze bunt and reached safely on first base.  The squeeze bunt failed as Chapman was tagged out in a run-down in between third base and home plate.
• Dakota State secured the victory as WU's Sophia Gil popped up to shortstop.
• Xi. Lopez sparked the Trojans' offense with a double, single, stolen base, and drove in two runs.  Aldendifer added a single and collected two RBIs.  Blanco had two singles and an RBI.  Whitesides tallied two singles.  Foster had a single and scored twice.  Mackenzie Sims had a single.  Chan recorded an RBI.
• Oberthien led the Warriors with a triple and drove in two runs.  Leyvas and Eslinger each added two hits and an RBI.  Elyea had an RBI.  Hamblin registered a single.  Navratil and Oberthein each swiped one base.
• DSU outhit WU 9-7 in the game.  The Warriors left eight runners on base compared to the Trojans six runners left on base.
• Xi. Lopez started the game for the Trojans and worked for the first five innings.  Rosie Philop (W, 1-2) came in the bottom sixth inning trailing 5-4 and earned the victory.  She worked for 1 1/3 innings and gave up an unearned run.
• Xi. Lopez (S, 1) returned in the pitching circle in the bottom seventh with one out.  She closed the game by recording the final two outs to earn her first save of the season.  She finished the game by pitching a total of 5 2/3 innings and allowed five runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  Xi. Lopez struck out seven WU batters.
• Alex Mathers (L, 1-6) tossed a complete game setback for Waldorf.  She allowed seven runs (two unearned) on nine hits.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 12, Waldorf (Iowa) 3 – FINAL/5 innings

• The Warriors grabbed its first lead in the second game of the four-game series.  Oberthien hit a single with one out in the bottom first and swiped to second base.  Leyvas reached on base by a walk.  Oberthien and Leyvas advanced one base after DSU's wild pitch.
• Eslinger hit an RBI single to score Oberthien to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead in the bottom first.
• Dakota State exploded for five runs in the top third frame, thanks to WU's three defensive errors.  Whitesides led off with a single.  She advanced to second base after Warriors' wild pitch.  Aldendifer reached safely on first base by a fielder's choice as Whitesides was safe on third base by WU's defensive miscue.
• Torres was hit-by-pitch to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU in the top third.  Blanco reached safely on first base by WU's miscue, producing an RBI to score Whitesides to tie the game at 1-1.
• Chan also reached safely on first base with two outs after WU's third defensive error of the top third, allowing Torres and Aldendifer to score for a 3-1 DSU lead.
• Xotchil Lopez drilled a 2-RBI double to score Blanco and Chan to balloon Trojans' lead to 5-1.
• DSU's offense outburst continued in the top fourth frame with seven runs scored.  Whitesides hit a single to start the inning, followed by Aldendifer's walk to advance Whitesides to second base.
• Xi. Lopez reached safely on first base by WU's error (advanced to third base), allowing Whitesides and Aldendifer to score make it 7-1 in favor of the Trojans in the top fourth.  Blanco followed up with an RBI single to score Xi. Lopez for an 8-1 DSU lead.
• Krapf was hit-by-pitch to advance Jacquelyn Folkers, pinch runner for Blanco, to second base in the top fourth.  Chan produced an RBI single to score Folkers to extend DSU's lead to 9-1. 
• The Trojans added a run after WU's defensive error to make it 10-1 in the top fourth (Foster reached safely to first base).  Whitesides added an RBI single to score Chan as the Trojans widen their lead to 11-1 (Foster advanced to third base).
• A double steal by Foster and Whitesides, scoring Foster at home to put DSU up 12-1 in the top fourth.
• Oberthien hit a 2-RBI double for the Warriors as the Trojans held to their 12-3 lead by the end of the fourth inning.
• Dakota State closed the game in the bottom fifth inning as the Warriors left a runner on first base.
• Whitesides was perfect at the plate by going 4-of-4 with two runs scored and an RBI for DSU.  She swiped two bases.  Chan added two singles and an RBI.  Xo. Lopez had a double, single and drove in two runs.  Blanco had a hit and two RBIs.  Krapf and Foster each swiped one base.
• Oberthien was 2-of-3 at the plate with a double, single and two RBIs for WU.  Eslinger added a single and an RBI. 
• Dakota State outhit Waldorf 11-3 in the game.  The Warriors committed six defensive errors compared to the Trojans one miscue.  WU left eight runners on base, while DSU had six runners left on base.
• Xo. Lopez (W, 1-3) earned her first win of the season after pitching four innings for the Trojans.  She allowed three runs on three hits.  Philop tossed a scoreless fifth inning in relief.
• Bre Bouse (L, 1-2) recorded the setback after working for four innings, allowing 12 runs (10 unearned) on 11 hits.  Kourtney Smith pitched a scoreless fifth inning in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director