March 22, 2024

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) could not come up with a victory in the North Star Athletic Association's four-game softball series with Dickinson State (N.D.) at Nelson Family Bubble on the campus of Jamestown (N.D.) Friday.  The Trojans dropped the final two games in the series by the scores of 9-4 and 10-2 in six innings.

Dakota State fell to 5-16 overall record and 2-6 NSAA conference record.  Dickinson State is 12-14 overall record and 7-1 record in the league.

The Trojans are scheduled to face rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon.  The doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. at Caldwell Park in Mitchell, S.D.

Game 1 – Dickinson State (N.D.) 9, Dakota State (S.D.) 4 – FINAL

Dickinson State took the first lead of the game in the top first inning with two runs.  Cassy Loa hit a single with one out and advanced to third after Dallis Mitchell's double.  Kiley Hubby produced a 2-RBI single to score Loa and Mitchell to give DiSU a 2-0 lead.

Dakota State answered with a run in the bottom half of the first inning.  Mackenzie Sims hit a single and swiped to second base.  Rosie Philop followed up with a single to advance Sims to third base.  The Trojans trailed 2-1 as Jordyn Jeffries hit an RBI single with two outs to score Sims.

Bailey Hansen led off the top second with a double for the Blue Hawks.  Jai Maddox-Hernandez reached safely on base after a defensive error committed by the Trojans, allowing Hansen to score to balloon DiSU's lead to 3-1.

HaiLeigh Davis followed up with a single to advance Maddox-Hernandez to third base for Dickinson State in the top second.  Davis swiped to second base.  Loa hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Maddox-Hernandez to make it 4-1 in favor of the Blue Hawks.

Dickinson State made it 5-1 in the top second as Kiley Hubby hit an RBI single to score Davis.

The Blue Hawks ballooned their lead to 6-1 in the top third as Maddox-Hernandez hit an RBI single to score Kara Conway, who led off the inning with a double.

Cassidy Venner blasted a 2-RBI double in the top fourth frame to score Karissa Comer and Kara Conway, who registered back-to-back walks to make it 8-1 Dickinson State.

Dakota State snapped their scoring drought, scoring three runs in the bottom fourth inning.  Mason Usselman and Jada Brown led off with back-to-back walks.  Alexus Foster reached safely on DiSU's defensive error to set up a bases loaded situation for the Trojans.

Gabriella Ortega-Alves hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Usselman as the Trojans trimmed the Blue Hawks' lead to 8-2.  DSU added a run as Brown and Foster produced double stolen bases.  Brown scored home on the same play by DiSU's error, as Dakota State trailed 8-3.

After a pitching change by Dickinson State, Hannah McFarland hit an RBI single to score Foster as Dakota State reduced their deficit to 8-4 in the bottom fourth.

Dickinson State made it 9-4 in the top sixth as Venner hit an RBI single.  The Blue Hawks secured the victory after shutting down the Trojans in the final inning.

DiSU outhit DSU 13-6 in the game, with five hits being a double from five different DiSU players.  The Blue Hawks left nine runners on base compared to the Trojans five runners left on base.

McFarland led Dakota State by going 2-of-4 at the plate with two singles and an RBI.  Jeffries added a single and an RBI.  Sims, Philop, and Ally Morrissey each recorded a single.  Ortega-Alves collected an RBI.  Usselman and Brown each had a walk.

Sims, Brown, and Foster each swiped one base for the Trojans.

Hubby and Venner each led the Blue Hawks with two hits and three RBIs.  Loa added two singles and an RBI.  Davis and Hansen each had two hits.  Maddox-Hernandez recorded a single and an RBI.

Delaney Barrett (L, 4-5) took the setback in the pitching circle for Dakota State.  She tossed 3 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs (three unearned) on nine hits.  Brown worked 3 1/3 innings in relief, yielding one unearned run on four hits.

Alison Eldridge started the game for Mayville State.  She pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up four runs (two unearned) on five hits.  Reannan Butler (W, 2-4) took the victory after tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.  She limited the Trojans to one single.

Game 2 – Dickinson State (N.D.) 10, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL/6 innings

Dickinson State outscored Dakota State 7-0 in the final three innings after holding a slim 3-2 lead in the final game of the four-game series.

The Blue Hawks scored twice in the opening inning after the Trojans committed a defensive error (DiSU led 2-0).

Dakota State answered with a run in the bottom half of the first inning, highlighted by McFarland's lead-off double.  With bases loaded situation after a pair of walks from Sims and Evdos, Ortega-Alves collected an RBI to score McFarland as the Trojans trailed 2-1.

Loa hit an RBI single to score Davis, who reached on base by DSU's defensive error with two outs, to extend DiSU's lead to 3-1 in the top second.

With bases loaded situation and two outs in the bottom half of the second inning, Sims produced an RBI walk to score Foster as Dakota State cut Dickinson State's lead to 3-2.  Foster and McFarland each had a walk in the inning, while Morrissey reached on base after DiSU's defensive error.

Davis, Mitchell, and Hubby each hit an RBI single as Dickinson State's lead grew to 6-2 in the top fourth frame.

The Blue Hawks plated four runs in the top sixth inning to widen their lead to 10-2.

DSU left a runner on base in the bottom sixth with a single from Morrissey, securing the victory for DiSU.

Dickinson State outhit Dakota State 11-3 in the game.  The Blue Hawks had nine runners left on base compared to the Trojans eight runners left on base.

McFarland had a double, two walks, and a run scored for DSU.  Sims added two walks and an RBI.  Evdos and Morrissey each had a single.  Ortega-Alves tallied an RBI. 

Hubby led DiSU with four singles and an RBI.  Mitchell added two hits and an RBI.  Venner recorded a single and two RBIs.  Davis, Loa, and Maddox-Hernandez each registered a hit and an RBI.

Loa and Mitchell swiped two bases for Dickinson State.  Venner and Maddox-Hernandez each added a stolen base.

Maycee Bricker (L, 0-7) took the defeat after tossing 4 1/3 innings in the circle for Dakota State.  She allowed six runs (three unearned) on eight hits).  Analicia Burgos worked 1 2/3 innings in relief.

Alexa Kappel started the game for Dickinson State, pitching 1 2/3 innings.  She gave up two runs (one unearned) on one hit.  She issued five walks.  Hope Fath (W, 3-2) earned the victory after pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings.  She yielded the Trojans to two singles.