April 10, 2023

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Morningside (Iowa) held Dakota State (S.D.) to six hits on a warm, sunny Monday afternoon to complete the non-conference doubleheader at Jensen Softball Complex.  The Mustangs shut down the Trojans by the scores of 10-0 and 8-0, ending DSU's winning streak at four games.

Dakota State fell to 10-18 overall record.  Morningside, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, lifted their overall record to 21-8.

The non-conference doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played in Madison, S.D., but unfavorable playing field conditions had forced to relocate the games to Morningside campus.  DSU was the home team in the first game, while MU is the home team in the second game.

The Trojans return to their North Star Athletic Association action, playing a mid-week doubleheader at Bellevue (Neb.) Wednesday afternoon.  The doubleheader takes place at Roy Smith Field in Bellevue, Neb.

Game 1 – Morningside (Iowa) 10, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL/5 innings

• Morningside racked up 10 runs in the first three innings and never trailed for the rest of the game to earn a 10-0 victory in five innings.
• Ellie Cropley hit a double with one out and scored home after Sydney Peterson's RBI single for Mustangs 1-0 lead.  Morgan Nixon reached safely cased by DSU's defensive error, allowing Petersen to score for 2-0 MU lead.
• Morningside made it 3-0 in the top first as Ellie Gengler hit an RBI single to score Nixon.
• Mackenzie Sims had a single in the bottom half of the first inning for the Trojans and could not convert their scoring opportunity.
• Petersen blasted a 3-run home run to balloon Morningside's lead to 6-0 in the top second frame.
• The Mustangs hit another 3-run home run in the top third inning by Mykel Ann Gray for 9-0 lead.  Nixon added an RBI double to extend MU's lead to 10-0.
• Sims had a double with one out in the bottom fourth and advanced to third base after a passed ball by the Mustangs.  Dakota State was unable to score as Morningside's defense ended the fourth inning with a strikeout.
• DSU left a runner on second base when the game ended, despite a single from Rosie Philop.
• Morningside outhit Dakota State 13-3 in the game. 
• Sims was perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and single for the Trojans.  Philop added a single. 
• Petersen went 3-of-4 with a home run, two singles, and drove in four runs for the Mustangs.  Gray added a home run and three RBIs.  Taylor Richter and Vanessa Bohuslavsky each added two hits.  Nixon had a double and an RBI.  Gengler recorded a single and an RBI. 
• DSU's Mason Usselman (L, 0-4) took the setback in the pitching circle after working for 2 2/3 innings.  Sophia Cordova tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, yielding the Mustangs to one hit.
• Grace Buffington (W, 11-5) earned the win after pitching two innings for MU.  Morgan Secora and Maggie Fisher combined to toss three scoreless innings in relief.

Game 2 – Morningside (Iowa) 8, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL/6 innings

• Morningside exploded for four runs in the bottom first and sixth frames in the second game to earn a doubleheader sweep over Dakota State.
• Kennedee Jones produced an RBI single to give MU the first lead of the game at 1-0 in the bottom first inning.  The Mustangs made it 4-0 as Mackenna Sidzyik smashed a 3-run home run.
• The game was scoreless for the next four-and-half innings before MU plated four runs in the bottom sixth inning.  Taylor Richter hit a 2-RBI single to extend their lead to 6-0, followed by Bohusalvsky's RBI single to make it 7-0 Morningside.
• Gray ended the game with an RBI double to secure an 8-0 victory for the Mustangs.
• Carrington Entringer, Hannah Feser, and Jacquelyn Folkers each registered a single for the Trojans.  Entringer swiped one base.  Alexus Foster and Olivia Peterson each had a walk.
• Jones and Sidzyik each recorded a hit and tallied two RBIs.  Gray and Bohuslavsky each added a hit and an RBI.  Cropley and Nixon each hit a double. 
• Cordova (L, 2-2) took the defeat after working for four innings in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  Grace Ortmeier tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief.
• Jordan Skradski (W, 2-0) earned the victory for Morningside after pitching three shutout innings.  Bralen Biddlecome worked for three scoreless innings in relief, giving up three hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director