March 13, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (March 13, 2024)—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan softball team (3-10 overall record, 0-0 North Star Athletic Association record) prepares for their conference season opener Thursday with a four-game series at Thue Field (S. Egan Ave.).  The Trojans host Mayville State (N.D.) (5-14 overall record, 0-0 NSAA conference record) with a doubleheader on Thursday and Friday, starting at 2 p.m. on each day.

Dakota State had not played since March 2 when they wrapped up the Friends (Kan.) tournament with a 2-1 record on that day.  The Trojans postponed a pair of contests with the Great Plains Athletic Conference foes, Mount Marty (S.D.) and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) recently.  DSU have not set a make-up date for Mount Marty, while the make-up for the DWU game is set for Wednesday, March 27, in Mitchell, S.D., at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Mayville State competed in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational last week, despite playing just three contests dude to weather.  The Comets opened the tournament with a 5-4 setback to Jamestown (N.D.) and 10-1 to Graceland (Iowa) on March 5.  MSU concluded the tournament with a 16-1 five-inning defeat to No. 14 ranked Northwestern (Iowa) on March 9.

The North Star Athletic Association officially kicks off their 24-game schedule this weekend, with each team playing a four-game series each weekend through the end of April.  Dakota State will be playing their first eight NSAA contests at home.

Next Up:  Dakota State continues their action next weekend at home, hosting Dickinson State (N.D.) in the NSAA four-game series on March 23-24 at Thue Field.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) has won two times in the last three games.  The Trojans went 2-1 record on the final day of the Friends (Kan.) Invitational on March 2 in Wichita, Kan.
+ The Trojans are 4-1 record with Mayville State (N.D.) last season, including a 3-1 record in the four-game series at American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa.
+ DSU won the last meeting with MSU in the North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament's loser's out game.  The Trojans rallied from their 6-4 deficit with two runs in the top seventh and forced the game into extra innings.  Dakota State went on to explode for four runs in the top eighth inning to earn a 10-6 victory over Mayville State.
+ The last time both DSU and MSU met at Thue Field was on April 2-3, where the Trojans won the first three games of the four-game series before the Comets won the final game.
+ Dakota State is 8-2 record in the previous 10 meetings with Mayville State.  Both teams had won 19 times against each other in the last 38 meetings since April 6, 2014.
+ DSU and MSU are playing in the month of March for the first time since March 24-25, 2018, where they played on the neutral site at PC Dome in Aberdeen, S.D.
+ The Trojans play a total of 10 home games at Thue Field during the month of March, including an eight-game home stand in the North Star Athletic Association action.

Noteworthy...
EARLIEST DSU SOFTBALL HOME GAMES:   Dakota State (S.D.) is playing their earliest home games at Thue Field on Sunday.  The Trojans played at home during the month of March for the third time in the last four seasons (2023:  April 27; 2022: March 24, and 2021:  March 27).  Dakota State is scheduled to play a total of 12 home games during the month, including a 10-game home schedule from March 14-30.

DSU WRAPS UP PRESEASON TOURNAMENTS:  Dakota State concluded their preseason tournaments schedule last weekend in Wichita, Kan., winning two times in their last three games on March 2.  The Trojans also earned a 6-1 victory over Morningside (Iowa) in Sioux Center, Iowa, in the Dordt (Iowa) dome tournament.  Dakota State finished their preseason tournaments with a batting average of .237, on-base percentage of .318, and a slugging percentage of .290. 

A LOOK AT DSU SOFTBALL HOME SCHEDULE IN MARCH:  After the home opener Sunday, the Trojans will be playing eight straight home games at Thue Field from March 14 through March 24.  DSU hosts Mayville State (N.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association four-game series opener on March 14-15, followed by another NSAA four-game series versus Dickinson State (N.D.) on March 23-24.  DSU wraps up their month of March on March 30 versus Morningside (Iowa).
 
DSU SOFTBALL RECORDS WATCH:  Michelle Evdos moved into the Dakota State softball 'Top 10' record book, amassing 137 hits after last weekend's contests which is 10th most in the all-time school record book.  She is also tied for 9th in runs scored with 72 (Emily Pyle from 2007-08).  She ranks sixth for all-time doubles with 42, one double shy of tying for third most doubles with three other former athletes.

DSU drops first two games of Friends (Kan.) tourney
Wichita, Kan. (March 1, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) dropped a pair of games on the first day of the Friends (Kan.) Invitational at Two Rivers Youth Complex. 

The Trojans could not overcome No. 10 ranked Midland's (Neb.) fast start.  The Warriors opened with a 4-0 lead and stretched their lead to 8-0 after three-and-half inning.  DSU ended their scoring drought a run in the bottom fourth inning and could not extend the game after falling 10-2 in five innings.

Michelle Evdos collected a hit and an RBI for Dakota State.  Ally Morrissey and Hannah McFarland each added a single and a walk.  Rosie Philop tallied a hit.  Hannah Feser recorded a walk.  Analicia Burgos, Maycee Bricker, Jada Brown, and Mason Usselman pitched in the circle for DSU.

Dakota State fell in another 10-2 five-inning contest to York (Neb.) in the second game of the Friends Invitational.  The Panthers kicked off with a 8-2 lead after three innings.

McFarland paced the Trojans with two hits.  Jordyn Jeffries added a single and an RBI.  Evdos registered two walks.  Alexus Foster tallied a hit, while Feser collected an RBI.

Delaney Barrett, Brown, and Usselman each worked in the pitching circle for Dakota State.

DSU splits first two games on second day
Wichita, Kan. (March 2, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) split their first two games on the second day of the Friends (Kan.) Invitational at Two Rivers Youth Complex. 

Dakota State won the battle of the Trojans with a 9-0 five-inning shutout victory over Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) in the first game.  DSU erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning, six runs scored with two outs.

Michelle Evdos led the Trojans with a double, single and two RBIs.  Jordyn Jeffries added two hits and an RBI.  Mackenzie Sims and Rosie Philop each added two RBIs.  Hannah McFarland, Sims, Hannah Feser, Jada Brown, and Alexus Foster each registered a walk.  Brown earned the victory after working for four innings.  Maycee Bricker tossed a scoreless fifth inning.

Host-team Friends held Dakota State to two singles in the second game on the second day of the tournament.  The Falcons led 2-0 after two innings and never trailed in the game, highlighted by a four-run production in the fourth frame.

McFarland and Evdos each had a hit for the Trojans.  Bricker pitched four innings in the circle, while Analicia Burgos tossed two innings in relief for DSU. 

Trojans earn second win on same day
Wichita, Kan. (March 2, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) earned their second win on the same day for the first time this season, defeating Saint Mary (Kan.) 6-4 in the Friends (Kan.) Invitational's finale at Two Rivers Youth Complex.

The Trojans opened with a 2-0 lead after the first inning, while the Spires trimmed DSU's lead to 2-1 after two innings.  Dakota State exploded for a combined four runs in the fourth and fifth innings for a 6-2 lead and held off USM's late comeback in the sixth inning.  DSU secured the victory.

Alexus Foster led the Trojans with a double, single, two RBIs, and a stolen base.  Gabriella Ortega-Alves and Michelle Evdos each added a hit and an RBI.  Hannah McFarland, Mackenzie Sims, Rosie Philop, Jordyn Jeffries, and Hannah Feser each tallied a hit.

Barrett added two hits and earned her second pitching victory of the season for Dakota State.  Maycee Bricker earned the first save after pitching a shutout seventh inning.

2024 Dakota State Softball Team Leaders

· Hits:  Jordyn Jeffries—12 hits

· Batting Average:  Jordyn Jeffries—.375 batting average (12-of-32 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Jordyn Jeffries—.500 slugging percentage (8 singles, 4 doubles)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Jordyn Jeffries—6 runs batted in (RBIs)

· Doubles:  Jordyn Jeffries, Alexus Foster—4 doubles

· Triples:  N/A—0 triples

· Home Runs:  N/A—0 home runs

· Total Bases:  Jordyn Jeffries—16 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Jordyn Jeffries, Hannah McFarland—6 runs

· Walks:  Hannah McFarland—9 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  Ally Morrissey—2 hit-by-pitches

· Stolen Bases: Hannah McFarland—5 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Hannah McFarland—.452 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Delaney Barrett—30 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Delaney Barrett—4.20 ERA (18 earned runs in 30 innings)

· Strikeouts (Pitching):  Delaney Barrett—10 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):  Delaney Barrett—2 complete games

· Wins:  Delaney Barrett—2 wins

· Saves:  Maycee Bricker—1 save

Follow Trojan Softball

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· Facebook:  DSUTrojans

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· Dakota State Softball Twitter:  @DSUSoftball

· Dakota State Softball Facebook:  @Dakota-State-University-Softball

· Dakota State Softball Instagram:  dsu_softball