April 23, 2023

DICKINSON, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) could not hold on to their 5-3 lead in the North Star Athletic Association softball four-game series opener at Dickinson State (N.D.) Sunday afternoon, falling 6-5 in extra innings (nine innings) on the newly turf field Bravera Field.  The Blue Hawks jumped to a 11-1 lead after three innings of the second game and held off Trojans' late surge for an 11-7 victory for a doubleheader sweep.

Dakota State fell to 12-25 overall record and 11-8 NSAA conference record.  Dickinson State improved their overall record to 17-23 and 12-9 record in the league.

Both teams wrap up their four-game series with another doubleheader Monday.  First game is set for 12 p.m. (Central Time)/11 a.m. (Mountain Time).

Game 1 – Dickinson State (N.D.) 6, Dakota State (S.D.) 5 – FINAL/9 innings

• After two scoreless innings in the first game of the doubleheader, Dakota State grabbed the first lead of the game in the top third.  Sophia Cordova led off with a walk.  Carrington Entringer reached on base after DiSU's defensive error and advanced Cordova to third (Entringer to second base).
• Hannah McFarland hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Cordova to give DSU a 1-0 lead in the top third.
• Dakota State exploded for three runs in the top sixth frame.  Entringer led off with a single.  She advanced to second after Blue Hawks' wild pitch.  McFarland followed up with a single to advance Entringer to third base.  McFarland swiped to second base.
• Michelle Evdos hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Entringer to extend DSU's lead to 2-0 in the top sixth (McFarland advanced to third).  Rosie Philop added another RBI sacrifice fly to score McFarland to make it 3-0 in favor of the Trojans.
• Dakota State made it 4-0 as Maycee Bricker blasted her first career collegiate home run in the top sixth inning.
• Dickinson State answered with three runs scored in the bottom half of the sixth inning with two outs.  Rhea Paiva hit a single and advanced to second base.  Ari Martinez hit an RBI single to score Paiva as the Blue Hawks trailed 4-1.
• Hailey Enriquez followed up with an RBI double to score Martinez as DiSU trimmed DSU's lead to 4-2 in the bottom sixth.  Dallis Mitchell added an RBI single to score pinch runner Kennedy Kuntz (for Martinez), cutting their deficit to 4-3.
• Dakota State added a run in the top seventh to extend their lead, thanks to Jacquelyn Folkers' double with one out.  She swiped to third base.  Entringer hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Folkers as the Trojans' lead grew to 5-3.
• With runners on third and second bases with two outs in the bottom seventh, Kara Conway drilled a 2-RBI double as the Blue Hawks knotted the game at 5-5.  The Trojans' defense recorded the final out and extended the game into extra innings.
• Both teams did not score in the eighth inning as Dickinson State left a runner on base in the bottom half of the inning (Cassidy Venner's single).
• With bases loaded and two outs in the bottom ninth inning, Madeline Peralta hit a walk-off RBI single to give Dickinson State a 6-5 victory.
• The Blue Hawks outhit the Trojans 17-6 in the game.  DiSU left five runners on base compared to DSU three runners left on base.
• Mackenzie Sims led Dakota State with two doubles.  Folkers added a double.  Bricker had a home run and an RBI.  McFarland and Entringer each registered a single and an RBI.  Evdos and Philop each collected an RBI.  Folkers swiped two bases.  McFarland swiped one base.
• Martinez went 3-of-5 at the plate with a double, two singles, and an RBI for Dickinson State.  Enriquez added a double and an RBI.  Conway had a double, single, and two RBIs.  Peralta and Mitchell each recorded two hits and an RBI.  Venner and Emma Woodworth each had two hits. 
• Bricker (L, 6-9) took the setback after tossing 8 2/3 innings in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She allowed six runs on 17 hits. 
• Alexa Kappel (W, 6-3) earned the complete game victory, giving up five runs on six hits.  She recorded eight strikeouts.

Game 2 – Dickinson State (N.D.) 11, Dakota State (S.D.) 7 – FINAL

• Dickinson State poured in 11 runs after three innings in the second game of the doubleheader.  Dakota State's comeback attempt felt short after scoring six total runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
• The Trojans earned the first lead of the game in the top first frame.  Entringer led off with a single and advanced to second base after Alexus Foster's ground out. 
• McFarland hit an RBI single with two outs and scored Entringer for 1-0 DSU lead.
• The Blue Hawks poured in six runs in the bottom second inning to take a 6-1 lead, highlighted by Paiva's 2-RBI single, Martinez's RBI double, and Enriquez's 2-RBI single.
• Kamryn Kuntz ignited DiSU's five-run third inning with 2-RBI double, followed by Martinez's RBI single, Enriquez's RBI double, and Mitchell's RBI double to stretch their lead to 11-1.
• The Trojans snapped their scoring drought with three runs in the top fourth.  McFarland led off with a single. Bricker hit an RBI double to score McFarland, trailing 11-2.
• Hannah Feser and Cordova hit back-to-back RBI singles as the Trojans cut the Blue Hawks' lead to 11-4 in the top fourth.
• Dakota State scored another three runs in the top fifth inning, capped by Feser's 2-RBI singles to trim Dickinson State's lead to 11-7.
• DSU and DiSU could not score in the final two innings as the Blue Hawks held off Trojans' late comeback.
• Dickinson State registered 15 hits in the game compared to Dakota State 14 hits.  The Blue Hawks left nine runners on base, while the Trojans left six runners on base.
• Bricker had a double and a run scored for DSU.  McFarland added two singles and an RBI.  Feser had two singles and two RBIs.  Cordova had two hits and an RBI.  Foster recorded a double.  Entringer had two singles.  Sims collected two singles, scored twice, and swiped two bases.  Evdos and Philop each tallied a single.
• Kuntz had two doubles, a single, and drove in two runs for the Blue Hawks.  Enriquez added two hits and two RBIs.  Martinez and Paiva each registered three hits and two RBIs. 
• Grace Ortmeier (L, 3-8) took the setback in the pitching circle after working 2 1/3 innings for Dakota State.  Phiolp tossed three innings in relief, while Bricker worked for the final two outs in the bottom sixth frame.
• Mitchell (W, 4-8) earned the win after working for four innings for Dickinson State.  She allowed six runs on 11 hits.  Martinez worked the final three innings in relief, giving up a run on three hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director