April 29, 2023

MADISON, S.D. – Valley City State (N.D.) pounded out eight extra-base hits in the North Star Athletic Association softball four-game series opener at Thue Field Saturday afternoon, holding off Dakota State (S.D.) by the score of 12-7.  The Trojans answered back in the second game with a thrilling 5-4 walk-off victory in eight innings over the Vikings for the first home win of the season.

Dakota State's victory also ended their nine-game losing skid, improving to 13-30 overall record and 12-13 record in the North Star Athletic Association contests.  Valley City State, who won last year's North Star postseason tournament title, is 22-21 overall record and 16-7 record in the league.

The Trojans also ended their 13-game losing skid in the series meeting with the Vikings, with the last win coming on April 16, 2018, at PC Dome in Aberdeen, S.D.  It was also DSU's first home win over VCSU at Thue Field since April 26, 2015.

Dakota State and Valley City State conclude their North Star conference schedule in another doubleheader Sunday, starting at 1 p.m.  The Trojans will be honoring their two seniors – Carrington Entringer and Rosie Philop – after the completion of the first game and before the start of the second game.

Game 1 – Valley City State (N.D.) 12, Dakota State (S.D.) 7 – FINAL

• Valley City State stormed to a 12-2 lead after four-and-half innings and held off a late comeback by Dakota State.
• The Vikings raced to a 5-0 opening lead in the first inning, thanks to four extra-bases hits.  Riley Perryman produced an RBI double, followed by Alyssa DePoorter's RBI double with two outs for a 2-0 lead.
• Makenzee Stone followed up with an RBI single to extend VCSU's lead to 3-0 in the top first.  The Vikings made it 5-0 after Maddy Zander's RBI double and Saige Forseth's RBI triple.
• The Trojans plated two runs in the bottom half of the first frame.  With bases loaded situation after Hannah McFarland's single, Michelle Evdos' walk, and Maycee Bricker being hit-by-pitch, Philop produced a 2-RBI single to score McFarland and Evdos as DSU trailed 5-2.
• Mackenzie Sims followed up with a bunt single to set up a bases loaded satiation for DSU, however, the Vikings' defense halted the Trojans to score to end the first inning.
• Valley City State's lead grew to 6-2 in the top second inning as Ashlyn Diemert blasted a solo home run to left center.
• VCSU added three more extra bases hits in the top third inning to produce five runs, capped by Perryman's 2-run home run to balloon their lead to 11-2.  Andrea Rodriguez had an RBI triple, followed by Ashlynne Copinga's RBI double.  Diemert also collected an RBI single in the third inning.
• The Vikings made it 12-2 in the top fifth inning as DePoorter hit an RBI single with two outs.
• Dakota State rallied back in the bottom half of the fifth frame to extend the game into the sixth inning after plating three runs.  Entringer reached on base caused by VCSU's defensive error with one out.  She swiped to second base.  McFarland also reached first base after another defensive miscue by the Vikings.  Evdos was hit-by-pitch to set up a bases loaded situation.
• Bricker produced an RBI hit-by-pitch to score Entringer as the Trojans trailed 12-3 in the bottom fifth. 
• Sims followed up with a 2-RBI double to score McFarland and Evdos as DSU cut VCSU's lead to 12-5.  Bricker was tagged out at home as the Vikings' defense ended the fifth inning.
• McFarland started the bottom seventh with a lead-off single for DSU.  Evdos followed up with an RBI double to score McFarland as the Trojans trailed 12-6 with no outs.
• Philop drilled an RBI double to score Olivia Peterson, pinch runner for Evdos, as Dakota State's deficit had been reduced to 12-7.
• Dakota State left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the victory for Valley City State.
• VCSU outhit DSU 16-11 in the game.  The Vikings left seven runners on base compared to the Trojans six runners left on base.
• Sims finished the game with a double, two singles, and drove in two runs for Dakota State.  Philop added a double, single, and tallied three RBIs.  McFarland had two singles and scored three runs.  Evdos had a double, walk, and an RBI.  Entringer recorded a double and swiped two bases.  Hannah Feser and Sophia Cordova each registered a hit.  Bricker had an RBI.
• Perryman finished the game by going 4-of-5 at the plate with a home run, double, two singles and collected three RBIs for Valley City State.  Diemert added a home run, two singles, and two RBIs.  Forseth and Rodriguez each had a triple and an RBI.  Copinga had a double, single, and an RBI.  DePoorter recorded two hits and two RBIs.  Zander had two hits and an RBI.  Stone added a hit and an RBI.
• Bricker (L, 6-11) took the setback in the pitching circle for DSU.  She worked for three total innings and allowed five runs on seven hits.  Philop worked for 1 2/3 innings, while Grace Ortmeier tossed 2 1/3 innings in relief.
• Joelle Lamontagne (W, 11-8) earned a complete game victory for VCSU.  She gave up seven runs (three unearned) on 11 hits.  She recorded five strikeouts.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 5, Valley City State (N.D.) 4 – FINAL/8 innings

• Dakota State and Valley City State did not score a run in the first four innings of the second game.
• The Vikings struck first in the top fifth inning with a pair of runs.  Zander reached first base after a walk with one out.  MacKenzie Rist followed up with a single to advance Zander to second base.  Rodriguez hit an RBI single to score Zander to give VCSU a 1-0 lead.
• Copinga recorded a walk to set up a bases loaded situation for the Vikings in the top fifth.  Diemert hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Rist as Valley City State extended their lead to 2-0.
• Dakota State poured in four runs in the bottom fifth to overtake the lead.  Evdos drilled a double with one out, followed by Philop's single to advance Evdos to third base.
• Sims hit an RBI single to score Evdos as the Trojans trailed 2-1 (Philop advanced to second base) in the bottom fifth.  Feser was hit-by-pitch to set up a bases loaded situation.
• Mason Usselman hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Philop as Dakota State knotted the game at 2-2 in the bottom fifth.
• Cordova followed up with an RBI single to score Sims as DSU took a 3-2 lead in the bottom fifth inning.  Feser advanced to third base on the same play and scored home caused by VCSU's defensive error as the Trojans' lead grew to 4-2.
• VCSU answered back with two runs in the top sixth inning, thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles by Zander and Forseth to tie the game at 4-4.
• Dakota State left runners on third and second bases in the bottom seventh inning as Valley City State forced the game into extra innings.
• The Vikings left two runners on base in the top eighth inning as the Trojans halted their scoring chances.
• Entringer kicked off the bottom eighth with a lead-off bunt single.  She swiped to second base.  Evdos registered a walk with one out.  Both Entringer and Evdos swiped one base.  Philop reached safely on first base after a fielder's choice.
• Sims produced the walk-off RBI fielder's choice to score Entringer for the winning run of the game for the Trojans at 5-4.
• Dakota State tallied 12 hits in the game compared to Valley City State seven hits.  DSU left 11 runners on base compared to VCSU seven runners left on base.
• Evdos was 2-of-3 at the plate with a double, single, and two walks for the Trojans.  McFarland and Entringer each added two singles.  Sims had a single and two RBIs.  Cordova registered two hits and an RBI.  Philop, Feser, and Bricker each registered a hit.
• Entringer swiped two bases for Dakota State.  Evdos added a stolen base.
• Zander collected a double, two singles and an RBI for the Vikings.  Forseth added a double and an RBI.  Rodriguez had a hit and an RBI.  Sierra Crocker and Rist each recorded a single.
• Cordova started the game in the pitching circle for DSU.  She worked for 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits.  Bricker (W, 7-11) earned the victory after tossing 2 2/3 innings in relief, giving up two runs on four hits.  She struck out VCSU's batters five times.
• Zander (L, 10-7) took the pitching defeat for VCSU after tossing 7 2/3 innings.  She allowed five runs (one unearned) on 12 hits.  She recorded eight strikeouts.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director