April 3, 2021

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) completed its North Star Athletic Association softball four-game series sweep with another pair of victories Saturday at Waldorf (Iowa) Softball Field.  The Trojans won the first game 9-1 in six innings and wrapped up the series with a 12-7 victory over the Warriors.

It was the first-ever four-game series sweep for the Trojans since the league was formed in 2013-14.  DSU won their fourth straight game, raising their overall record to 10-16 and 4-4 record in North Star conference.  Dakota State collected its first most wins since the 2018 season (21 victories).  Waldorf fell to 3-15 overall record and 1-7 record in league.

DSU, currently 4-2 record on the 14-game road stretch, heads to Roy Smith Field Wednesday for a North Star Athletic Association doubleheader with Bellevue (Neb.).  The doubleheader starts at 4 p.m. in Omaha, Neb.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 9, Waldorf (Iowa) 1 – FINAL

• Dakota State jumped to a 3-0 lead after the first inning.  Alexus Foster hit a single with one out.  Sarah Torres drilled an RBI double to score Foster to give Trojans a 1-0 lead.
• DSU made it 2-0 as Xitlali Lopez followed up with another RBI double, scoring Torres in the top first. 
• Vinitzia Blanco and Melissa Krapf hit back-to-back singles to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU in the top first.  Xotchil Lopez hit an RBI single to score Xi. Lopez to make it 3-0 in favor of the Trojans.
• Katie Chapman led off the bottom second frame with a single for the Warriors, followed by Kassidy Elyea's single to advance Chapman to third base.
• Bree Hamblin hit an RBI single to score Chapman as Waldorf trailed 3-1 in the bottom second.
• DSU kicked off the top fourth inning with back-to-back singles by Krapf and Xo. Lopez.  Madison Aldendifer reached safely by a fielder's choice as both Krapf and Xo. Lopez advanced one base caused by a defensive error by Waldorf.
• Lia Chan drilled a 2-RBI double to score Krapf and Xo. Lopez as the Trojans ballooned their lead to 5-1 in the top fourth.
• Dakota State halted Waldorf from scoring in the bottom fifth inning as they left runners full.
• The Trojans plated four more run in the top sixth inning.  Madissen Larson led off with a double.  Larson advanced to third base after Jacquelyn Folkers' ground out. 
• Torres hit an RBI double to score Larson as DSU led 6-1 in the top sixth.  Xi. Lopez reached safely on base after WU's defensive miscue. 
• Blanco produced an RBI single to score Torres for 7-1 DSU lead in the top sixth inning.  Julia Andersen followed up with a single to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU (Xi. Lopez advanced to third base, Blanco advanced to second base).
• Xi. Lopez was out at home after Xo. Lopez's fielder choice in the top sixth.  Aldendifer hit a 2-RBI single to score Blanco and Andersen to extend DSU's lead to 9-1.
• Dakota State secured the victory in the bottom sixth frame as Waldorf left two runners on base.
• Torres sparked the Trojans' offense attack with two doubles, single and drove in two RBIs.  Chan had a double, single and two RBIs.  Xi. Lopez, Blanco, and Xo. Lopez each added two hits and an RBI.  Larson, Foster, and Andersen each added a hit. 
• Hamblin was 2-of-3 at the plate with a double, single and an RBI for Waldorf.  Nichole Oberthien, Karlee Leyvas, Kaela Eslinger, Chapman and Elyea each had a hit.  Oberthien, Kyleigh Morris and Elyea each swiped one base.
• Dakota State pound out 17 hits compared to Waldorf eight hits.  The Warriors committed three defensive miscues, while the Trojans did not commit an error.  Both teams left 10 runners on base.
• Xi. Lopez (W, 5-6) earned the victory in the pitching circle after working for four innings for DSU.  She yielded the Warriors to one run on four hits.  Aldendifer tossed two scoreless innings in relief, allowing four hits.
• Alex Mathers (L, 1-7) pitched a complete game setback for WU.  She gave up nine runs (three unearned) on 17 hits.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 12, Waldorf (Iowa) 7 – FINAL

• After Waldorf scored a run in the first inning of the four-game series finale, Dakota State exploded for six runs in the second and third innings to secure the four-game series sweep.
• The Warriors grabbed the first lead, highlighted by Oberthien's lead-ff double in the bottom first.
• She advanced to third base after Taylor Navratil's bunt sacrifice bunt in the bottom first.  Leyvas recorded an RBI ground out to score Oberthien for 1-0 WU lead.
• Xo. Lopez recorded a fielder's choice after Xi. Lopez was out at second base, despite a single to lead off the top second frame for DSU.  Krapf and Chan hit back-to-back singles to set up a bases loaded situation with one out.
• A passed ball by the Warriors allowed Xo. Lopez to score as the Trojans knotted the game at 1-1 (Krapf advanced to third and Chan advanced to second base).  DSU earned a 2-1 lead after a throwing error committed by WU, allowing Krapf to score.
• Mackenzie Sims hit an RBI single to score Chan to make it 3-1 in favor of the Trojans in the top third inning.  Elizabeth Whitesides hit a single followed by Aldendifer reaching safely on first after WU's defensive miscue.
• The Trojans continued its scoring surge as Torres recorded an RBI walk to score Sims for 4-1 DSU lead in the top second.  Xi. Lopez reached first on a fielding error by the Warriors, allowing Aldendifer and Whitesides to score to expand DSU's lead to 6-1.
• Dakota State blasted a pair of 3-run home runs in the top third frame.  Krapf led off with a double followed by Chan's fielder choice.  Sims hit a 3-run home run with one out as the Trojans' lead grew to 9-1.  It was her second home run this season for Sims.
• Aldendifer hit a double with two outs, followed by Torres' fielder choice for DSU in the top third.  Xi. Lopez blasted a 3-run home run to widen their lead to 12-1.  It was her third home run of the season, her 14th career home run at Dakota State.
• Eslinger and Karina Prieto each hit a 2-run home run to produce a four-run fourth inning as the Warriors cut the Trojans' lead to 12-5.
• Waldorf added a run in the bottom fifth inning caused by DSU's defensive error (DSU led 12-6).
• The Warriors had a bases loaded situation in the bottom seventh inning.  Angel Clary hit an RBI single as WU trailed 12-7. 
• The Trojans secured the victory as Waldorf left three runners on base when the game ended.
• Xi. Lopez was 2-of-4 t the plate with a home run, single and drove in two runs for Dakota State.  Sims added a home run, single and collected a game-high four RBIs.  Whitesides, Aldendifer, Folkers, Xo. Lopez, Andersen, and Chan each added a hit.  Torres had an RBI and reached on base by a walk two times.
• Folkers, Sims and Foster each swiped one base for the Trojans.
• Prieto had a home run, single and two RBIs for Waldorf.  Eslinger added a home run and two RBIs.  Oberthien, Leyvas, Elyea and Clary each had two hits. 
• Both teams recorded 12 hits in the game.  The Warriors committed five defensive errors compared to the Trojans two defensive errors.  DSU left 11 runners on base, while WU left eight runners on base.
• Xo. Lopez started the game in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She worked for 3 1/3 innings and allowed five runs (one unearned) on six hits.  Rosie Philop (W, 2-2) earned the victory after tossing 1 2/3 innings in relief.  She gave up an unearned run.  Aldendifer closed the game by tossing the final two innings, giving up one run on six hits.
• Bre Bouse (L, 1-3) recorded the defeat after pitching 2 2/3 innings for Waldorf.  She allowed 12 runs (six unearned) on nine hits.  Kourtney Smith tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings, while Mathers added 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director