April 27, 2023

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) played their first home softball contests of the season on a cloudy, rainy showers weather at Thue Field Thursday, after playing 39 straight games away from Madison.  The Trojans could not hold on to their 11-3 lead in the first game, falling short to the North Star Athletic Association's conference leader Bellevue (Neb.) by the score of 18-16.  BU completed the doubleheader sweep by winning the second game 7-1.

Dakota State dropped their overall record to 12-29 and 11-12 record in the North Star contests.  Bellevue, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 35-10 and secured the league regular-season title.  BU is 22-2 record in the North Star Athletic Association.

Dakota State wraps up their regular season schedule this weekend as they continue their action at home.  The Trojans host Valley City State (N.D.) in a four-game series, starting on Saturday at 2 p.m. with a doubleheader.  Both teams play another doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m.  It will be DSU's softball senior weekend as they play their final home contests at Thue Field.

Game 1 – (RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 18, Dakota State (S.D.) 16 – FINAL

• Bellevue and Dakota State went through rainy weather in the first game of the doubleheader, featuring a high scoring affair by both teams.  DSU led 11-3 after four innings and could not overcome BU's nine-run explosion in the fifth inning.  The Bruins held off the Trojans' late comeback in the final inning.
• The Bruins kicked off the game with two runs scored.  Sam Reding led off with a single followed by Reese Floro's RBI double to score Reding for 1-0 BU lead.
• BU made it 2-0 in the top first frame after an RBI single by Laura Jurek to score Floro.
• Dakota State then scored nine unanswered runs for the next three innings.
• Carrington Entringer drilled a lead-off triple in the bottom half of the first inning for the Trojans.  She extended her single season record to 10 triples.
• Hannah McFarland followed up with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Entringer as DSU trailed 2-1.
• The Trojans were unable to continue their scoring opportunities, despite a single from Michelle Evdos and a double by Rosie Philop.
• After the first two outs in the bottom second inning, Dakota State produced three straight singles for two runs scored.  Jacquelyn Folkers sparked the Trojans' scoring run with a single followed by another single from Entringer.
• Both Folkers and Entringer swiped one base in the bottom second.  Folkers scored home after a defensive error by the Bruins on the same play as DSU knotted the game at 2-2.
• Dakota State overtook the lead at 3-2 as McFarland followed up with an RBI single to score Entringer in the bottom second.
• The Trojans went through the whole lineup in the bottom third inning to pour in six runs, ignited by Maycee Bricker's lead-off double.  Rosie Philop was hit-by-pitch followed by Mackenzie Sims' single to advance Olivia Peterson, pinch runner for Bricker, to third base and Philop to second base.
• Sophia Cordova hit an RBI single to score Peterson to extend DSU's lead to 3-2 in the bottom third.  DSU made it 4-2 as Rebecca Hazlett was hit-by-pitch and collected an RBI to score Philop for 5-2 lead.
• Entringer added an RBI hit-by-pitch to score Sims to balloon DSU's lead to 6-2 in the bottom third.  DSU's lead grew to 9-2 after a pair of errors on the next two plays, allowing Cordova, Hazlett, and Entringer to score.
• Katie Cunningham smashed a solo home run with one out in the top fourth inning as the Bruins trailed 9-3.
• Dakota State plated two runs in the bottom fourth inning, thanks to a lead-off double by Sims followed by Cordova's single to advance Sims to third base.  Bellevue committed a pair of wild pitches, allowing Sims and Cordova to score to widen the Trojans' lead to 11-3.
• Bellevue erupted for nine runs in the top fifth inning to extend the game.  Floro's RBI double, Liana McMurtry's 2-RBI double, Madison Machacek's RBI single, Reding's 3-run home run, and Ashley Young's RBI single highlighted the top fifth to overtake a 12-11 lead.
• The Bruins added a run in the top sixth inning.  McMurtry led off with a double and advanced to third after Myla Beckstrom's ground out.  McMurtry scored home after a wild pitch by DSU, giving BU a 13-11 lead.
• The Bruins ballooned their lead after scoring five runs in the top seventh inning, capped by Cunningham's 2-RBI single for 18-11 lead.
• Dakota State mounted a furious comeback in the bottom seventh inning.  Entringer led off with a single and swiped to second base.  McFarland recorded a walk.  Evdos drilled an RBI double to score Entringer and advanced McFarland to third base as DSU trailed 18-12.
• After a pitching change by the Bruins, the Trojans continued its scoring attack after Hannah Feser was hit-by-pitch followed by Philop's RBI single to score McFarland (DSU trailed 18-13).
• Sims hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Evdos as Dakota State cut Bellevue's lead to 18-14 in the bottom seventh.
• With runners on third and second bases with two outs, Hazlett hit an RBI single to score Feser as DSU trailed 18-15.  Philop also scored on the same play caused by BU's defensive error as DSU trimmed their deficit to 18-16.
• Bellevue's defense halted Dakota State to score, securing the victory in a high scoring affair.
• The Bruins tallied 17 hits compared to the Trojans 16 hits.  BU had four defensive errors while DSU had two defensive errors.  Dakota State left eight runners on base to Bellevue seven runners left on base.
• Entringer was 3-of-4 at the plate with a triple, two singles, and collected an RBI for the Trojans.  She tied the single game record for most runs scored with four runs.  She swiped two bases, where she broke the single season stolen base record previously held by Ashley Souphimdara with 28 stolen bases in 2009.  Cordova added three singles, scored two runs, and collected an RBI.
• Sims, Evdos, and Philop each had a double, single, and an RBI for DSU.  Hazlett had a single and drove in two runs. 
• Floro led the Burins with a triple, three doubles, and drove in three runs.  Reding added a home run, double, single, and three RBIs.  Cunningham registered a home run, double, single and drove in four runs.  McMurtry
• Jurek and Montero each recorded a hit and an RBI for Bellevue.  Savannah Gunn had a double.  Young had two hits and an RBI.
• Bricker started the game in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She worked for 4 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs (one unearned) on 10 hits.  Philop (L, 0-1) took the loss after working for 1 1/3 innings in relief.  Mason Usselman also pitched for one inning in relief. 
• Gunn tossed 1 2/3 innings in the pitching circle for Bellevue.  She gave up three runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  Cunningham (W, 11-5) earned the victory after pitching 4 1/3 innings in relief.  She allowed 11 runs (four unearned) on seven hits.  Jurek in the seventh inning in relief.

Game 2 – (RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

• The rain faded away in the second game of the North Star doubleheader.  After a scoreless first inning, the Bruins took the first lead of the game in the top second with a pair of runs.
• McMurtry led off the top second with a double and advanced to third base after Cunningham's single for BU.  Lexi Blankenfeld struck out swinging, and allowed McMurtry to score home on the same pitch where the Trojans committed a wild pitch for 1-0 Bellevue lead (Cunningham advanced to second base).
• The Trojans committed a defensive error to allow Cunningham to score to extend the Bruins' lead to 2-0 in the top second.
• With bases loaded situation in the top third inning, McMurtry recorded an RBI walk followed by Cunningham's RBI sacrifice fly to extend the Bruins' lead to 4-0.
• BU extended their lead to 5-0 in the top fourth inning after an RBI from Floro.
• Dakota State snapped their scoring drought with a run in the bottom half of the fifth inning.  Hazlett hit a triple and scored home on the same play after a defensive miscue by the Bruins (DSU trailed 5-1).
• Entringer added a single later in the bottom fifth and swiped to second base.  She extended her single-season school record to 30 stolen bases this season.
• Bellevue ballooned their lead to 7-1 in the top seventh inning after a 2-RBI double from Cunningham.
• Dakota State left a runner on first base after a single from Folkers when the game ended, securing the victory for the Bruins.
• BU outhit DSU 8-6 in the game.  The Bruins left seven runners on base compared to the Trojans six runners left on base.
• Hazlett had a triple and a walk for Dakota State.  Evdos added a double.  Entringer, Bricker, and Philop each tallied a single. 
• Cunningham went 2-of-3 at the plate with a double, single, and tallied three RBIs for Bellevue.  McMurtry added two hits, a walk, and an RBI.  Floro had two singles and an RBI.  Young and Jurek each had a hit and a run scored.
• Cordova (L, 3-4) took the setback in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She allowed seven runs (five unearned) on eight hits.  Bricker worked the final out in the top seventh in relief.
• Jurek (W, 11-2) pitched a completed game victory for Bellevue.  She yielded one unearned run on six hits and registered seven strikeouts. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director