March 2, 2024

WICHITA, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) closed out their busy Saturday's schedule with their third straight game at Two Rivers Youth Complex.  The Trojans held off Saint Mary (Kan.) 6-4 to earn their second win on the same day in the Friends (Kan.) Tournament.  DSU finished the tournament with a 2-3 record.

Dakota State improved to 3-10 overall record.  Saint Mary, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, dropped to 9-8 overall record.

The Trojans are tentatively scheduled to play their home opener Sunday afternoon at Thue Field.  DSU hosts in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) in a doubleheader starting at 12 noon.

Dakota State (S.D.) 6, Saint Mary (Kan.) 4 – FINAL

Dakota State plated two runs in the opening inning to grab the first lead of the game.  Hannah McFarland led off with a walk and swiped to second base.  Rosie Philop added a single to advance McFarland to third base.

Michelle Evdos hit an RBI single to score McFarland to give DSU a 1-0 lead in the top first (Philop advanced to third base).  Evdos swiped to second base and allowed Philop to score home caused by USM's defensive error for 2-0 DSU lead.

DSU committed a pair of defensive miscues in the bottom half of the second inning with two outs, allowing Saint Mary to produce a run (DSU led 2-1).

The Trojans widened their lead in the top fourth frame after scoring three runs.  Dakota State opened with three straight batters reaching safely on base after Jordyn Jeffries and Delaney Barrett back-to-back singles followed by Hannah Feser's walk to set up a bases loaded situation.

Alexus Foster produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Jeffries to give DSU a 3-1 lead in the top fourth.  Gabrielle Ortega-Alves, pinch hitting for Ally Morrissey, followed up with a 2-RBI single to score Barrett and Feser to balloon the Trojans' lead to 5-1.

Barrett and Feser hit back-to-back singles with one out in the top fifth inning for the Trojans.  Alexus Foster hit an RBI single to score Barrett to extend Dakota State's lead to 6-1.

Saint Mary mounted a comeback in the bottom sixth inning after plating three runs.  Natalie Bruce drilled a 2-RBI double with two outs while Alexis McDaniel added an RBI single as the Spires trailed 6-4.

USM left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the victory for DSU.

Dakota State tied their season-high 11 hits in the game compared to Saint Mary seven hits.

Foster drilled two doubles and drove in two runs for the Trojans.  Barrett added two singles and two runs scored.  Evdos and Ortega-Alves each had a hit and an RBI.  Feser, Jeffries, Mackenzie Sims, and McFarland each added a hit.  McFarland, Sims, and Evdos each swiped one base.

Bruce had a double and two RBIs for Saint Mary.  McDaniel added two hits and an RBI.  Audrey Speelman and Gianna Paape each recorded a hit.

Barrett (W, 2-3) earned the victory in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She worked for 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on six hits.  She recorded five strikeouts.  Mason Usselman (S, 1) collected her first save of the season after tossing 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.

Briana Solis (L, 0-3) took the defeat for Saint Mary after tossing three innings.  She gave up five runs on five hits.  Desarae Chavez worked for 2 2/3 innings in relief, yielding one run on six hits.  Grace Rose pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings in relief.