May 2, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – Xitlali Lopez collected two pitching victories, while her teammate Melissa Krapf blasted a walk-off RBI triple in the bottom ninth inning to power Dakota State (S.D.) to the North Star Athletic Association softball regular-season softball finale sweep over Viterbo (Wis.) at Thue Field Sunday.  The Trojans won by the score of 3-1 in the first game and 5-4 in nine innings in the regular-season finale.

Dakota State improved to 18-32 overall record and 11-17 record in North Star contests, closing the regular-season schedule by winning four times in the last six games.  It was the most overall and conference wins since 2018 season (21-30 overall record and 13-15 in NSAA games).  The Trojans wrapped their home schedule with a 6-8 record, most home wins since 2013 season (6-7 home record).

The DSU softball team honored their two seniors – Xi. Lopez and Krapf – after the conclusion of the first game.

Viterbo fell to 7-35 overall record and 7-21 NSAA conference record.  The V-Hawks had secured a No. 6 seed for the upcoming conference tournament. 

The Trojans will be the No. 5 seed for the North Star softball conference postseason tournament, which begins on Thursday in Bellevue, Neb. and run through Saturday.  Stay tuned to the DSU Athletics website for more information about the pairings and game times.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Viterbo (Wis.) 1 – FINAL

• The Trojans earned the first lead of the game, thanks to three straight hits with two outs.  Xi. Lopez hit a single with two outs, followed by Vinitzia Blanco's single to advance Xi. Lopez to second base.  Xotchil Lopez drilled an RBI double to score Xi. Lopez to give DSU a 1-0 lead.
• Dakota State added a run in the bottom second to extend their lead.  With Lia Chan on first base after a fielder's choice, Alexus Foster hit a single to advance Chan to second base.  The Trojans made it 2-0 when Julia Andersen produced an RBI single to score Chan.
• Viterbo answered with a run in the top third inning.  With Channing Mansek on first base, she swiped to second base and then advanced to third base after DSU's passed ball.  Caitlin Brown hit an RBI single to score Manske as the V-Hawks trailed 2-1.
• Torres and Xi. Lopez started the bottom fifth with back-to-back singles for the Trojans.  Blanco reached safely on base by fielder's choice as Torres was forced out on third base (Olivia Peterson – pinch runner for Xi. Lopez – advanced to second base).
• Xo. Lopez hit an RBI single to score Peterson as Dakota State's lead grew to 3-1 in the bottom fifth.
• Xi. Lopez shut down the V-Hawks in the final inning, including two strikeouts to secure the victory for the Trojans.
• Xi. Lopez finished the game by going 2-of-3 at the plate with two singles and a run scored for Dakota State.  Xo. Lopez was perfect at the plate, going 3-of-3 with a double, two singles and collected two RBIs.  Andersen added a single and an RBI.  Torres, Blanco, Rosie Philop, Chan, and Foster each had a single. 
• Kendyl Schine tallied two singles for Viterbo.  Brown had a single and an RBI.  Taylor Pacana hit a double.  Caitlyn ALmberg and Hailey Dress each recorded a hit.
• DSU outhit VU 11-6 in the game.  The Trojans left eight runners on base compared to the V-Hawks four runners left on base. 
• Xi. Lopez tossed a complete game victory for DSU.  She yielded the V-Hawks to one run on six hits.  She recorded eight strikeouts.
• Amanda Bogdonovich (L, 3-14) took the loss, despite pitching a complete game for VU.  She gave up three runs on 11 hits.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 5, Viterbo (Wis.) 4 – FINAL/9 innings

• Viterbo quickly opened the four-game series finale with a pair of runs in the top first.  Brown led off with a walk.  Autumn Olson hit an RBI triple to score Brown to give VU a 1-0 lead.
• The V-Hawks extended their lead to 2-0 in the top first as Schine hit a sacrifice bunt to score Olson.
• Dakota State exploded for four runs with two outs in the bottom third inning to grab a two-run lead.  Andersen led off with a bunt single but was forced out at second base by Torres fielder's choice.  Xi. Lopez hit a single to advance Torres to second base.  Blanco hit a fielder's choice as Torres as forced out on third base (Xi. Lopez advanced to second base).
• Xo. Lopez was hit-by-pitch to set up a bases loaded with two outs situation for DSU in the bottom third.  Krapf produced a 2-RBI single to score Xi. Lopez and Peterson (pinch runner for Blanco) to knot the game at 2-2 (Xo. Lopez advanced to third).
• Dakota State made it 3-2 as Elizabeth Whitesides hit an RBI single to score Xo. Lopez in the bottom third (Krapf advanced to second base).  Chan drilled an RBI double to score Krapf as the Trojans ballooned their lead to 4-2.
• The V-Hawks answered with a pair of runs in the top fourth inning.  Haleigh Zanoni led off with a hit-by-pitch.  Manske followed up with a single to advance pinch runner Almberg to second base.  Brown recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance Almberg to third and Manske to second.
• Olson hit a 2-RBI single to score Almberg and Manske as VU tied the game at 4-4 in the top fourth frame.
• Both teams were unable to score for the rest of the regulation, extending the game into extra innings.
• Viterbo produced two singles by Brown and Schine but was unable to convert their scoring chances in the top eighth.
• DSU's Anderson led off the bottom eighth inning with a single but was left at third base when the inning ended.
• After no score for the V-Hawks in the top ninth inning, the Trojans set up the game-winning play in the bottom half of the inning.  Xo. Lopez led off with a single.  Krapf followed up by hitting a walk-off RBI triple to score Xo. Lopez to secure the thrilling victory.
• Krapf finished the game by going 4-of-5 at the plate with a triple, three singles and drove in three runs for Dakota State.  Whitesides added two singles, walk, and an RBI.  Chan had a double, single and an RBI.  Andersen had two singles.  Torres hit a double.  Xi. Lopez had a single and a walk.  Blanco and Xo. Lopez each had a single.
• Jacky Mathews was 3-of-5 at the plate with three singles and two stolen bases for Viterbo.  Olson added a triple, single and tallied three RBIs.  Brown and Manske each had two singles.  Schine recorded a hit and an RBI.
• DSU tallied 14 hits in the game compared to VU 12 hits.  The Trojans left 13 runners on base, while the V-Hawks had 12 players left on base.
• Madison Aldendifer started the game in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She pitched four innings and allowed four runs on seven hits.  Philop pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, limiting the V-Hawks to three hits.
• Xi. Lopez (W, 13-13) earned the victory after tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief for DSU, allowing two hits.  Her 13th pitching victory this season is her career-best single-season, which is also third most single-season wins in school record book.  She accumulated her 30th career win, which is second all-time in school history.
• Xi. Lopez extended her single-season school record 148 strikeouts for the Trojans. 
• Janelle Ulaszek (L, 3-10) took the defeat after pitching eight-plus innings for VU.  She allowed five runs on 14 hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director