March 24, 2023

Photos credit by Waldorf (Iowa) Sports Information

CLARION, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) and Waldorf (Iowa) kicked off the North Star Athletic Association softball season for the second straight year (last year NSAA softball opener was held at Thue Field).  The Trojans established their first winning streak of the season with a 16-7 game one victory Friday afternoon at Clarion High School softball field, outscoring the Warriors 13-2 in the final four innings after trailing 5-3.  WU exploded for four runs in the bottom sixth inning to break a 5-5 tie for a 9-5 game two victory to earn a doubleheader split.

Dakota State is 2-14 overall record.  Waldorf is 5-11 overall record.  Both teams are 1-1 record in the North Star Athletic Association contests.

The Trojans won their second straight North Star Athletic Association season opening game (defeated the Warriors in last year's NSAA season opening game at Thue Field) for the first time since joining the league in 2013-14.

Both teams wrap up their four-game series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. on the same field.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 16, Waldorf (Iowa) 7 – FINAL

• A combined seven runs were scored in the opening inning, giving Waldorf a 4-3 lead.
• Carrington Entringer led off the game with a walk and swiped twice to third base for Dakota State.  Alexus Foster added a walk.  Michelle Evdos produced a 2-RBI single to score Entringer and Foster to give DSU a 2-0 lead (Evdos was tagged out advancing to second base on the same play).
• Rebecca Hazlett followed up with a walk for the Trojans in the top first inning.  Rosie Philop drilled an RBI double to score Hazlett to extend DSU's lead to 3-0.
• Waldorf answered with four runs in the bottom half of the first frame, capped by 2-RBI double from Kassidy Elyea for a 4-3 lead.
• Kaela Eslinger highlighted the bottom third with a double.  With bases loaded and one out situation, Maddie Dalke produced an RBI fielder's choice to score Eslinger to give WU a 5-3 lead.
• Dakota State poured in five runs in the top of the fourth inning.  Hannah McFarland led off with a single and swiped to second base.  She advanced to third base after Philop's ground out.  McFarland scored home after WU's wild pitch as the Trojans trailed 5-4.
• Mackenzie Sims followed up with a single and swiped to second base in the top fourth.  Sophia Cordova hit an RBI single to score Sims as DSU knotted the game at 5-5.
• Grace Ortmeier drilled an RBI double to score Cordova as the Trojans regained their lead at 6-5 in the top fourth. 
• DSU's fourth inning offensive explosion continued when Entringer hit a single and swiped to second base (Ortmeier at third base).  Foster hit a 2-RBI single to score Entringer and Ortmeier to extend the Trojans' lead to 8-5.
• Brooke Hickey blasted a solo home run in the bottom fourth as the Warriors trailed 8-6.
• Dakota State added four runs in the top fifth inning to widen their lead to 12-6.  The Trojans produced three hits, capped by Foster's RBI single for a six-run lead while the Warriors committed two defensive errors in the fifth.
• DSU ballooned their lead to 13-6 in the top sixth inning, thanks to Sims' RBI triple to score McFarland who recorded a single with one out.
• The Trojans scored three times in the top seventh to extend their lead by ten runs.  Ortmeier led off with a single.  Olivia Peterson, pinch runner for Ortmeier, swiped to second base.  Foster hit an RBI single to score Peterson for a 14-6 lead.
• After Hazlett's walk and swiped to second base. McFarland smashed a 2-RBI double to score Foster and Hazlett to give DSU a 16-6 lead.
• Waldorf scored once in the bottom seventh caused by DSU's defensive error, trailing 16-7.  The Warriors left two runners on base when the game ended, securing DSU's first winning streak of two games this season.
• Dakota State outhit Waldorf 16-10 in the game.  WU left eight runners on base compared to DSU five runners left on base.
• McFarland fueled the Trojans' offense attack with a double, three singles and drove in two runs.  She scored three times.  Foster added three singles, a walk, and collected three RBIs.  Sims and Sophia Cordova each tallied two hits, two runs, and two RBIs.
• Ortmeier had a double, single, and an RBI for Dakota State.  Entringer had a hit and an RBI.  Evdos recorded a hit and two RBIs.  Hazlett registered two walks and scored twice.
• Entringer swiped three bases for DSU.  McFarland added two stolen bases.  Hazlett, Sims, and Peterson each recorded a stolen base.
• Hickey had a home run and an RBI for Waldorf.  Eslinger tallied two doubles, a single, and an RBI.  Elyea had a double and two RBIs.  Kyleigh Morris and Annah Sheffield each had two hits. 
• Maycee Bricker (W, 1-5) registered a complete game victory in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She allowed seven runs (two unearned) on 10 hits. 
• Alex Mathers (L, 2-3) recorded the defeat for Waldorf, pitching 3 1/3 innings and giving up eight runs on eight hits.  Dalke and Alyssa Oswald also pitched in relief.

Game 2 – Waldorf (Iowa) 9, Dakota State (S.D.) 5 – FINAL

• Dakota State rallied back from a 5-1 deficit after the first inning in the second game, tying at 5-5 after four innings.  Waldorf used a four-run production in the bottom sixth inning and held off the Trojans to earn a doubleheader split.
• Entringer drilled a double to kick off the game for Dakota State.  She swiped to third base.  McFarland produced an RBI ground out to score Entringer to give DSU an early 1-0 lead.
• Waldorf scored five times in the bottom first inning for a 5-1 lead, collecting RBI singles from Eslinger and Emily Muro.  Gabby Bierly had a 2-RBI single.  McKenna Mentink added an RBI.
• Peterson and Cordova started the top second frame with back-to-back bunt singles for DSU.  Both Peterson and Cordova swiped one base, and advanced one base after WU's throwing error.  Peterson scored home from the error as the Trojans trailed 5-2.
• Evdos reached first base after WU's defensive miscue and advanced to second base in the top third inning.  She advanced to third base after Waldorf committed a wild pitch.  Hazlett hit an RBI single to score Evdos as DSU trimmed WUs' lead to 5-3.
• Dakota State rallied back to tie the game after two runs scored in the top fourth inning.  Cordova was hit-by-pitch with one out and advanced to second base after Ortmeier's ground out.
• With Cordova on third base in the top fourth, Entringer recorded a walk.  Entringer swiped to second base and advanced to third base after WU's throwing error, allowing Cordova to score as DSU trailed 5-4.
• McFarland blasted an RBI double to score Entringer as Dakota State tied the game at 5-5 in the top fourth frame.
• Muro and Alyssa Banda led off the bottom sixth inning with back-to-back walks for Waldorf.  They both advanced one base after Paige Pierson's sacrifice bunt.  Hickey recorded a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.
• Eslinger hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Muro as the Warriors regained their lead at 6-5 in the bottom sixth.  Elyea followed up with a 3-run home run to left field to balloon their lead to 9-5.
• Dakota State was unable to score in the final inning, securing the victory for Waldorf.
• The Warriors had nine hits compared to the Trojans eight hits.  WU committed three defensive errors in the game while DSU did not record a defensive miscue.
• McFarland led the Trojans by going 2-of-4 at the plate with a double, single, and drove in two runs.  Hazlett added two singles and an RBI.  Entringer had a double and scored twice.  Evdos tallied a single.  Peterson and Cordova each had a single and scored once.
• Entringer stole the base twice for DSU.  Peterson and Cordova each had a stolen base.
• Elyea had a home run and three RBIs for the Warriors.  Bierly added two hits and two RBIs.  Eslinger had two singles and two RBIs.  Muro recorded a single and an RBI.
• Mason Usselman started the game in the pitching circle for Dakota State, working for two outs.  Cordova (L, 1-1) took the setback after tossing five innings in relief.  She gave up four runs on six hits.  Philop pitched the final out of the sixth inning.
• Mentink (W, 3-3) earned the complete game victory for Waldorf.  She allowed five runs (three unearned) on eight hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director