April 22, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) extended their winning streak to three games after holding off Bellevue (Neb.) 4-2 in the first game of the North Star Athletic Association softball doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Thue Field.  The Bruins answered with an 11-1 five-inning victory in the second game to earn a doubleheader split.

The Trojans earned its first-ever home victory over the Bruins at Thue Field in the series meeting history.  DSU also halted their seven-game losing skid with BU, with the last victory coming on May 5, 2018 in the NSAA softball postseason tournament's loser out game in Aberdeen, S.D. 

Dakota State is 13-24 overall record and 7-13 record in the league, concluding their six-game home stand with a 3-3 record.  Bellevue is 27-18 overall record and 13-7 NSAA conference record, winning the four-game series with the Trojans by taking three games this season (swept DSU in Omaha, Neb. on April 6).

The Trojans head on the road for their final North Star Athletic Association four-game series road trip of the season.  DSU visits Dickinson State (N.D.) on Saturday and Sunday at North Softball Complex in Dickinson, N.D.  The doubleheader starts at 2:30 p.m. (Central Time)/1:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Saturday and 2 p.m. (CT)/1 p.m. (MT) on Sunday.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 4, Bellevue (Neb.) 2 – FINAL

• After a scoreless first inning in the first game of the doubleheader, the Trojans grabbed its first lead of the game in the bottom second.  Xitlali Lopez led off with a single.  Vinitzia Blanco followed up with a walk to advance Xi. Lopez to second base.
• Xotchil Lopez blasted a 3-run home run on the first pitch to give Dakota State a 3-0 lead with no outs in the bottom half of the second frame.  It was her second home run of the season for the Trojans.
• DSU could not extend their lead as they left bases full when the second inning ended. 
• Bellevue answered with two runs in the top third inning.  Alyssa Morbach led off with a walk.  Ellie Bliemeister followed up with a single and advanced Morbach to second base.  The Trojans committed a defensive error on the same play, allowing Morbach to score home and Bliemeiser to third base (DSU led 3-1).
• Ashley Young hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Bliemeister as the Bruins trimmed the Trojans' lead to 3-2 in the top third.
• The Trojans halted the Bruins to knot the game, despite a triple by Maricela Egan.  DSU's Xi. Lopez retired the next two BU batters to end the top third frame.
• Dakota State extended their lead to 4-2 in the bottom fifth inning, thanks to extra-base hit by Xi. Lopez.  With two outs, Lia Chan hit a single.  Xi. Lopez drilled an RBI double to score Chan to widen their lead by two runs.
• Dakota State secured the victory by shutting down Bellevue in the final inning.
• Xi. Lopez was 2-of-3 at the plate with a double, single and drove in one run for DSU.  Xo. Lopez added a home run and three RBIs.  Chan had a single.  Blanco and Madison Aldendifer each reached on base by a walk.
• Egan led the Bruins with a triple.  Lauren Jurek had a double and a walk.  Bliemeister and Allison O'Driscoll each added a single.  Young tallied an RBI.  Morbach had two walks.
• Xi. Lopez (W, 8-10) earned a complete game victory in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She yielded the Bruins to two runs (one unearned) on four hits.  She struck out seven batters.  Xi. Lopez tied for the third most career pitching victories with 25 wins (Dakota Novotny with 25 wins from 2007-09).  She is also currently fourth all-time in strikeouts with 234 strikeouts. 
• Cory Carrillo (L, 4-1) suffered its first pitching defeat this season for Bellevue, despite tossing a complete game.  She gave up four runs on five hits and recorded five strikeouts.

Game 2:  Bellevue (Neb.) 11, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL/5 innings

• Bellevue opened their second game with a pair of runs in the first inning.  After the first two outs were recorded, Egan hit a triple.  Jurek reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error, allowing Egan to score for a 1-0 BU lead.
• O'Driscoll followed up with an RBI single to score Jurek as Bellevue's lead grew to 2-0 in the top first.
• BU added another two runs in the top third inning after the first two outs were recorded.  Jurek reached on base by a walk and scored home after O'Driscoll's RBI triple for a 3-0 Bruins lead.
• Bellevue made it 4-0 as Lauren Russell hit an RBI double to score O'Driscoll in the top third frame.
• The Bruins poured in seven runs in the top fifth inning, highlighted by a 2-RBI triple by Russell, 3-RBI triple by Bliemeister.  The scoring outburst capped by a solo home run by Egan as BU's lead grew to 11-0.
• Dakota State ended its scoring drought in the bottom fifth inning with a run scored.  Sarah Torres reached safely after BU committed a defensive miscue, followed by Chan's walk to advance Torres to second base.  Rosie Philop was safe on first base after a fielder's choice to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU.
• Torres was forced out at home after Blanco fielder's choice in the bottom fifth for the Trojans.  Xo. Lopez produced an RBI ground out to score Olivia Peterson (pinch runner for Chan), trailing 11-1.
• The Bruins secured the win as the Trojans left two runners on base when the game ended.
• Torres was 2-of-3 at the plate with two singles for DSU.  Elizabeth Whitesides and Melissa Krapf each had a single.  Xo. Lopez collected an RBI.  Chan, Xo. Lopez and Aldendifer each reached on base by a walk.
• Bellevue hit six extra-base hits in the game, with four players hitting a triple.  O'Driscoll was 3-of-3 at the plate with a triple, two singles and two RBIs.  Russell added 2-of-2 at the plate with a triple, double and three RBIs.  Egan had a home run, triple, and an RBI.  Bliemeister hit a triple and drove in three runs.  Young had a hit and an RBI. 
• BU outhit DSU 10-4 in the game.  The Trojans left nine runners on base compared to the Bruins six runners left on base.
• Aldendifer (L, 0-3) took the setback after tossing three innings in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She allowed four runs (two unearned) on four hits.  Xo. Lopez worked for 1 2/3 innings in relief, giving up even runs on six hits.  Philop worked the final two outs of the top fifth frame in relief.
• Savannah Gunn (W, 9-6) earned a complete game victory for Bellevue.  She limited the Trojans to one unearned run on four hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director