April 11, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (April 11, 2024)—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan softball team (5-22 overall record, 2-10 North Star Athletic Association record) looks to snap their losing skid as they return to the North Star conference action this weekend.  The Trojans remain on the road as they visit Viterbo (Wis.) (6-27 overall record, 3-9 NSAA conference record) in a four-game series at Viterbo Outdoor Athletics Complex (N3175 State Road Highway 16) in La Crosse, Wis.  

The NSAA four-game series begin Saturday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m., followed by another doubleheader on Sunday at 12 p.m.

Dakota State comes back home Tuesday for a make-up non-conference doubleheader with Morningside (Iowa) (12-19 overall record).  The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m. at Thue Field in downtown Madison (S. Egan Ave.).

The Trojans dropped the North Star Athletic Association four-game series at Valley City State (N.D.) on April 5-6, followed by a pair of setbacks at Mount Marty (S.D.) on April 10.

Viterbo was idle from the North Star conference action last weekend.  The V-Hawks dropped four non-conference contests, including a pair to NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Platteville on April 6 followed by a pair of defeats to Mount Mercy (Iowa) on April 10.  Morningside split a doubleheader at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on April 6 and dropped a pair of games at Midland (Neb.) on April 8.

Next Up:  Dakota State wraps up their home schedule on April 20-21 versus Waldorf (Iowa) in the North Star conference action at Thue Field.  DSU then visits Dakota Wesleyan ((S.D.) on April 24.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) and Viterbo (Wis.) will be playing their final ever North Star Athletic Association four-game series this weekend in La Crosse, Wis.  VU is moving into the new athletic conference next season in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). 
+ The Trojans went 3-1 record in last year's meeting with the V-Hawks.  VU won the tripleheader's opener 10-4 at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D. before DSU won the final two games by the scores of 27-20 and 16-10, despite strong windy conditions.
+ Dakota State won the last meeting with Viterbo by the score of 8-4 in the opening round of the North Star Athletic Association softball postseason tournament in Dickinson, N.D., on May 5, 2023.
+ The Trojans own the all-time series record of 16-11 with the V-Hawks, including eight wins in the last ten meetings since May 2, 2021.
+ DSU took the first meeting earlier this season versus Morningside (Iowa) by the score of 6-1 in the Dordt (Iowa) Dome Tournament on Feb. 23.
+ Dakota State wraps up their home schedule with a six-game home stand next week, starting on Tuesday versus Morningside and the NSAA four-game series with Waldorf (Iowa) on April 20-21.
+ Hannah McFarland had a season-high hitting streak of 12 games for the Trojans this season.

Noteworthy...
SEEKING FOR FIRST ROAD VICTORY THIS SEASON:   Dakota State (S.D.) is seeking for their first road victory of the season this year, despite going 0-9 record on the road.  The Trojans' last road victory was on March 15 at Stephens (Mo.) as they rallied for 9-7 victory.  DSU is also seeking for their first road victory in the North Star Athletic Association action since April 15-16, 2022, after going 3-1 record at Viterbo (Wis.).

AROUND THE NORTH STAR CONFERENCE:  The North Star Athletic Association softball season is currently halfway through.  Most of the teams are starting their second half portion of the schedule this weekend.  Bellevue (Neb.) holds a slim lead over Valley City State (N.D.) in the conference standings, followed by Dickinson State (N.D.) third, Mayville State (N.D.) fourth.  Waldorf (Iowa) places fifth, while Viterbo (Wis.) is sixth, and Dakota State (S.D.) seventh.  The final regular-season contests are scheduled for April 27-28.

TROJANS IN THE NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday, Hannah McFarland ranks fourth overall in the North Star Athletic Association with .405 batting average.  She is also fourth in the league with 12 stolen bases.  Michelle Evdos is sixth in the NSAA  conference with .386 batting average.  Maycee Bricker ties for third most saves in the conference with one save. 
 
DAKOTA STATE-VITERBO SERIES MEETING:  Dakota State (S.D.) had won eight times in the last ten meetings with Viterbo (Wis.).  This weekend's four-game series will be the final ever North Star conference meeting.  The Trojans are 4-7 record on the road at Viterbo, including a 3-1 record in the previous four-meeting series held in La Crosse, Wis., on April 15-16, 2022.  Dakota State won the first three meetings over Viterbo (Wis.) when they begin their all-time series on April 9-10, 2016 at Thue Field.

VCSU holds off Trojans in NSAA softball action
Madison, S.D. (April 5, 2024)—Valley City State (N.D.) held off Dakota State (S.D.) to kick off the North Star Athletic Association four-game series at Softball Complex on the campus of Valley City State.

The Vikings took a 2-0 lead after two innings in the first game before the Trojans scored their first run in the top fourth.  VCSU then went on to score four straight runs in the next three innings to secure a 6-1 victory.

Hannah McFarland paced the Trojans with a double and single.  Michelle Evdos had a single and a walk.  Gabriella Ortega-Alves had a single and an RBI.  Ally Morrissey recorded a hit.  Delaney Barrett took the setback in the pitching circle after tossing five innings.  Mason Usselman worked the sixth inning in relief.

Dakota State took the first lead in the second game of the doubleheader.  VCSU answered with four runs in the bottom first and held off the Trojans by the score of 5-3.  The Trojans outhit the Vikings 13-12.

Evdos was perfect at the plate, going 3-of-3 with a double, two singles, and an RBI for DSU.  Hannah Feser added two hits and two RBIs.  Morrissey and McFarland each had two singles.  Olivia Peterson drilled a triple.  Mackenzie Sims, Ortega-Alves, and Alexus Foster each had a hit.  Maycee Bricker pitched a complete game, despite the setback for Dakota State.

Valley City State (N.D.) completes sweep of DSU
Valley City, N.D. (April 6, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to take advantage of their first leads in both games at Valley City State's (N.D.) Softball Complex.  The Vikings completed the four-game series sweep with a pair of five-inning wins.

Michelle Evdos produced an RBI single in the top first inning for DSU 1-0 lead.  The Vikings put together seven runs in the first two innings to earn a 7-1 lead and earned a 9-1 victory.

Hannah McFarland led the Trojans with two hits.  Evdos added a single and an RBI.  Alexus Foster drilled a double.  Delaney Barrett took the setback in the pitching circle, while Jada Brown pitched two innings in relief.

DSU's Evdos produced an RBI single in the top first in the four-game series finale, but could not overcome VCSU's 11 runs combined explosion from second through fourth inning for an 11-1 victory.

Evdos led the Trojans with a single and an RBI.  McFarland added a single, stolen base, and a run scored.  Jordyn Jeffries recorded a walk.  Maycee Bricker worked for 3 2/3 innings in the pitching circle for DSU, while Analicia Burgos tossed the final out in the bottom fourth in relief.

Lancers take twin-bill over Trojans
Yankton, S.D. (April 10, 2024)—Mount Marty (S.D.) used a six-run second inning in both games, propelling to a non-conference doubleheader sweep over Mount Marty (S.D.) at North-East Sertoma Park.

The Lancers held the Trojans to one hit in the first game of the doubleheader, a lead-off single by Hannah McFarland.  MMU led 2-0 after the first inning and poured in six runs in the second frame to secure an 8-0 victory in five innings.  Delaney Barrett took the defeat in the pitching circle, while Mason Usselman worked for 2 2/3 innings in relief.  Usselman limited the Lancers to one run on one hit.

Dakota State took the first lead of the game at 1-0 in the second game.  Mount Marty then scored twice in the bottom first followed by six runs in the second inning to earn an 8-1 victory.  Quincy Hartley tallied a double for the Trojans.  Jada Brown registered the defeat in the pitching circle.  Maycee Bricker pitched four shutout innings in relief, and recorded three strikeouts.

2024 Dakota State Softball Team Leaders

· Hits:  Hannah McFarland—30 hits

· Batting Average:  Hannah McFarland—.405 batting average (30-of-74 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Hannah McFarland—.500 slugging percentage (23 singles, 7 doubles)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Michelle Evdos—14 runs batted in (RBIs)

· Doubles:  Hannah McFarland—7 doubles

· Triples:  Alexus Foster, Jordyn Jeffries, Olivia Peterson—1 triple

· Home Runs:  N/A—0 home runs

· Total Bases:  Hannah McFarland—37 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Hannah McFarland—18 runs

· Walks:  Hannah McFarland—16 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  Ally Morrissey. Hannah Feser, Michelle Evdos—2 hit-by-pitches

· Stolen Bases: Hannah McFarland—12 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Hannah McFarland—.516 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Delaney Barrett—64 1/3 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Delaney Barrett—5.01 ERA (46 earned runs in 64 1/3 innings)

· Strikeouts (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—22 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):  Delaney Barrett—4 complete games

· Wins:  Delaney Barrett—4 wins

· Saves:  Maycee Bricker—1 save

Follow Trojan Softball

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· Dakota State Softball Twitter:  @DSUSoftball

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

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