April 21, 2022

MADISON, S.D. – As the North Star Athletic Association softball doubleheader switched to Thue Field a day later Thursday, the conference leader Bellevue (Neb.) rallied back from a pair of deficits to complete the four-game series sweep over Dakota State (S.D.).  The Trojans led 3-0 after the first inning as the Bruins scored seven unanswered runs for a 7-3 victory.  DSU led 6-1 before heading in the final inning where BU stormed back with seven runs for an 8-6 win.

Dakota State fell to 16-23 overall record and 11-9 NSAA conference record.  Bellevue, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, won their eighth straight game to lift their overall record to 32-11 and 18-2 record in the league.

The Trojans continue their home stand as they play another NSAA four-game series at Thue Field.  DSU hosts Dickinson State (N.D.) with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Saturday.  This weekend will be the final home series of the season for Dakota State (Senior Weekend).

Game 1 – (RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL

• The Trojans poured in three runs in the opening inning.  Carrington Entringer reached safely on base caused by BU's defensive error.  Michelle Evdos followed up with a double to advanced Entringer to third bae, however, Entringer was tagged out at home on the same play.
• Bellevue committed another defensive error to allow Xotchil Lopez reach safely on first.  Evdos scored home on the same play as the Trojans grabbed a 1-0 lead.
• Mackenzie Sims followed up with 2-RBI inside-the-park home run (scored Lopez) as Dakota State extended their lead to3 -0 in the bottom first frame.
• Liana McMurtry led off the top third inning reaching safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error (advanced to second base on the same play).  She then advanced to third base after a wild pitch committed by the Trojans.
• Ashley Young produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score McMurtry as the Bruins trailed 3-1 in the top third.
• Sami Reding reached safely on base after DSU's defensive miscue in the top fifth inning.  She advanced to second and third base after a pair of wild pitches by the Trojans with one out.  She scored home caused by DSU's passed ball, trimming BU's deficit to 3-2.
• Katie Cunningham drilled a 2-RBI double, followed by Reding's RBI single as Bruins earned a 5-3 lead in the top sixth inning.
• Bellevue made it 7-3 in the top seventh frame as Allison O'Driscoll hit a 2-RBI double.
• Dakota State left a runner on base when the game ended, securing the victory for Bellevue.
• The Trojans outhit the Bruins 7-6 in the game.  DSU committed six defensive errors compared to BU three defensive miscues.
• Sims sparked Dakota State's offense attack with a home run, single, drove in two runs.  Evdos had a double and a run scored.  Lopez also had a hit and a run.  Jacquelyn Folkers recorded a single.
• O'Driscoll and Cunningham each had a double and two RBIs for Bellevue.  Reding added a single and an RBI.  McMurty, Lauren Jurek,and Emily Rochford each tallied a hit.
• Angela Slattery (L, 7-7) took the defeat in the pitching circle for DSU.  She worked for 5 1/3 innings and gave up four unearned runs on two hits.  Rosie Philop tossed the final 1 2/3 innings in relief, giving up three runs (one unearned) on four hits.
• Savannah Gunn started the game for Bellevue, pitching in the first inning.  She gave up three unearned runs on two hits.  Jurek (W, 7-2) recorded the victory after tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, yielding DSU to four hits.  Cunningham (S, 2) earned the save as she tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit allowed.

Game 2 – (RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 8, Dakota State (S.D.) 6 – FINAL

• Dakota State was unable to hold on to their 6-1 lead after six innings as Bellevue stormed back for seven runs in the final inning to secure a four-game series sweep.
• The Trojans grabbed the first lead of the game for the second straight game on the same day, plating two runs in the bottom second inning.
• Madison Aldendifer and Lia Chan recorded back-to-back walks with two outs in the bottom second.  Philop reached safely on base after BU's defensive error, setting up a bases loaded situation for DSU.
• Sarah Torres hit a 2-RBI single to score Aldendifer and Chan as Dakota State grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom second.
• With bases loaded situation in the top fifth inning, Reese Floro recorded an RBI walk to score Maricela Egan, who led off with a single, as BU ended its scoring drought and trailed 2-1.
• Dakota State stretched its lead in the bottom sixth inning after pouring in four runs.  Lopez led off with a single.  Slattery followed up with a sacrifice bunt caused by BU's error and advanced Folkers (pinch runner for Lopez) to second base.
• Sims added a single to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU, advancing Folkers to third base and Elizabeth Whitesides (pinch runner for Slattery) to second base with no outs.
• Aldendifer had to battled out 12-pitch at-bat to record an RBI walk to score Folkers for DSU 3-1 lead in the bottom sixth (Whitesides to third and Sims to second base).  Philop added an RBI ground out to score Whitesides to balloon the Trojans' lead to 4-1 (Madissen Larson – pinch runner for Aldendifer advanced to second base and Sims advanced to third base).
• Dakota State made it 6-1 as Torres produced a 2-RBI single with two outs, scoring Sims and Madissen Larson.
• Bellevue answered by scoring seven unanswered runs in the top seventh inning to earn their first lead of the game.  Catherine Kempf hit a single followed by Reding's double to advance Kempf to third base to start the top seventh.
• Floro registered an RBI sacrifice fly to score Kempf as BU trailed 6-2 (Reding advanced to third base) in the top seventh.
• McMurtry followed up with a pop out for the second out of the top seventh inning.  Cunningham reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error to allow Reding to score as Bellevue cut their deficit to 6-3.
• Young reached safely on base caused by another DSU's miscue, advancing Cunningham to second base.
• Bellevue reduced their deficit to 6-4 as O'Driscoll hit an RBI single to score Cunningham in the top seventh frame (Young advanced to second base).
• Egan followed up with an RBI double to score Young as the Bruins pulled within one run (DSU led 6-5) in the top seventh (Alexa Sidel, pinch runner for O'Driscoll, advanced to third).
• A wild pitch by the Trojans allowed BU's Sidel to score, tying the game at 6-6 (Egan advanced to third base on the same play).
• Rochford followed up with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch by the Trojans.  Kempf reached safely on base by DSU's defensive error allowing Egan and Rochofd to score as the Bruins earned an 8-6 lead.
• Gunn closed the game by retiring the final three DSU's batters in the bottom seventh inning as Bellevue completed a come-from-behind victory.
• The Bruins tallied eight hits in the game compared to the Trojans seven hits.  DSU committed three defensive errors, while BU had two defensive miscues.
• Torres paced the Trojans' offense with two singles and drove in a game-high four runs.  Entringer added two singles.  Lopez, Slattery, and Sims each added a hit.  Aldendifer had two walks and an RBI.
• Egan was 4-of-4 at the plate with a double, three singles and an RBI for the Bruins.  Floro added a hit and two RBIs.  O'Driscoll had a single and an RBI. 
• Slattery worked for 5 1/3 total innings in the game for Dakota State.  She allowed two runs (one unearned) on three hits.  Philop (L, 1-5) recorded the setback after pitching 1 2/3 innings in relief.  She gave up six runs (five unearned) on five hits.
• Cory Carrillo started the game in the pitching circle for Bellevue.  She tossed five-plus innings and allowed three runs (two unearned) on four hits.  Cunningham worked for two outs in the bottom sixth inning, giving up three runs (one unearned) on two hits.  Gunn (W, 8-1) recorded the victory after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless inning and limited the Trojans to one hit.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director