April 20, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) returned to Thue Field for the first time in more than a month Saturday, hosting Waldorf (Iowa) in the final home North Star Athletic Association four-game series.  The Trojans opened the four-game series with a 10-6 victory and fell short in the second game by the score of 12-6, despite a fast start by the Warriors.

Dakota State is 8-25 overall record and 5-13 NSAA conference record.  Waldorf is 5-25 overall record and 4-13 record in the league.  It is the second time in the history since WU joined the North Star that both teams played a four-game series at Thue Field (March 26-27, 2022).

DSU and WU wrap up their four-game series with another doubleheader Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m.  The Trojans will be honoring their four seniors after the conclusion of the second game.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 10, Waldorf (Iowa) 6 – FINAL

Dakota State kicked off the game with two runs scored in the bottom first inning.  Hannah McFarland opened the game with a walk and advanced to third base after Mackenzie Sims' sacrifice bunt error by Waldorf.  Sims swiped to second base.

DSU earned a 2-0 lead as Michelle Evdos drilled a 2-RBI double to score McFarland and Sims in the bottom first.

The Warriors answered with a run in the top second frame.  Kierra Lynn Schulz led off with a single.  Kyleigh Morris drilled a double to advance Schulz to third base.  Madison Clark reached safely on first base after a fielder's choice, setting up a bases loaded situation with no outs.

McKenna Mentink produced an RBI fielder's choice and allowed Schulz to score home caused by DSU's defensive error as Waldorf trailed 2-1 in the top second.  The Trojans prevented the Warriors from scoring for the rest of the top second inning, leaving bases full.

Alexus Foster drilled a double to start the bottom second for DSU and swiped to third base.  Ally Morrissey reached safely on first base by a fielder's choice and produced an RBI as Foster scored home caused by WU's defensive error.  Dakota State led 3-1 after two innings.

Morris hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Brooke Hickley, who led off the top third with a single and advanced to third base after Schulz's single.  WU trimmed DSU's lead to 3-2.

The Trojans answered with a run in the bottom third.  Evdos led off with a double and advanced to third after Rosie Philop's ground out.  Jordyn Jeffries hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Evdos as DSU's lead grew to 4-2.

Mentink led off the top fourth with a double for Waldorf.  The Warriors cut the Trojans' lead to 4-3 as Timber Oakes hit an RBI single to score Kylee Wickle, pinch runner for Mentink.

Dakota State answered with a run in the bottom half of the fourth after the first two outs were recorded.  Morrissey recorded a walk and advanced to second after Hannah McFarland's single. 

DSU made it 5-3 as Sims produced an RBI single to score Morrisey in the bottom fourth.

Waldorf reduced their deficit to 5-4 as Oakes hit a lead-off solo home run in the top sixth inning.

Dakota State poured in five runs in the bottom sixth inning, fueled by back-to-back solo home runs by Foster and Quincy Hartley, pinch hitter for Olivia Peterson to balloon their lead to 7-4.  It was Foster's second home run this season and her sixth career home run at DSU.  Hartley hit her first career collegiate home run.

The Trojans continued their scoring surge as they produced three consecutive hits in the bottom sixth with one out.  McFarland and Sims hit back-to-back singles.  Evdos drilled an RBI single to score McFarland to give DSU an 8-4 lead (Sims advanced to third base).

DSU made it 9-4 as Philop hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Sims in the bottom sixth.  Dakota State extended their lead to 10-4 as Jeffries drilled an RBI single to score Evdos.

The Trojans halted the Warriors for their comeback attempt after scoring two runs in the top seventh (DSU led 10-6).  WU left a runner on base when the game ended, securing the victory for DSU.

Waldorf outhit Dakota State 14-11 in the game.  The Warriors left 10 runners on base compared to the Trojans five runners left on base.

Evdos tied a single game school record with three doubles for DSU.  She drove in three runs and scored twice.  Foster added a home run, double, scored twice, and produced an RBI.  Sims added two singles and an RBI.  McFarland had two singles and scored twice.  Jeffries tallied a double and two RBIs.  Hartley had a home run and an RBI.  Morrissey and Philop each collected an RBI.  Sims and Foster each swiped one base.

Oakes led WU with a home run, single and drove in three runs.  Morris and Mentink each added two hits and an RBI.  Schutz and Madison Clark each registered two singles.  Gabby Bierly, Hickey, and Kaela Eslinger each tallied a hit.

Maycee Bricker (W, 1-10) tossed a complete game victory for Dakota State.  She gave up six runs (two unearned) on 14 hits. 

Mentink (L, 0-11) took the setback in the pitching circle for Waldorf.  She worked for five-plus innings and allowed seven runs (two unearned) on seven hits.  Alyssa Oswald pitched the remaining sixth inning in relief, giving up three runs on four hits.

Game 2 – Waldorf (Iowa) 12, Dakota State (S.D.) 6 – FINAL

Waldorf used a fast start in the second game of the doubleheader and held off Dakota State's comeback attempt in the bottom sixth inning.  The Warriors pulled away in the top seventh inning with five additional runs to earn a doubleheader split.

The Warriors plated four runs with two outs in the top of the first inning.  Bierly led off with a single and advanced to third base after Hickey's double.  WU earned a 1-0 lead as Morris hit an RBI single to score Bierly with two outs.

Clark followed up with a 3-run home run in the top first frame as WU ballooned their lead to 4-0.

The Trojans scored once in the bottom first inning.  McFarland was hit-by-pitch and swiped to second base.  Sims recorded a walk.  Evdos hit a fly out to advanced McFarland to third base.  Sims swiped to second base.  Philop hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score McFarland as the Trojans trailed 4-1.

Waldorf plated two more runs for a 6-1 lead in the top second inning with two outs, thanks to Eslinger's RBI double followed by Haley Ehlert's RBI single.

Oakes added an RBI single to extend the Warriors lead to 7-1 in the top third.

The Trojans snapped their scoring drought with a run in the bottom fifth.  Foster led off with a walk and swiped to second base.  She advanced to third after Morrissey's ground out.  McFarland registered an RBI ground out to score Foster as DSU trailed 7-2.

Dakota State stormed back in the bottom sixth inning with four runs.  Philop reached safely on base after WU's defensive error.  Jeffries followed up with a bunt single and advanced to second base after another WU's miscue, allowing Philop to advance to third base.

Hartley hit an RBI single to score Philop as the Trojans trailed 7-3 in the bottom sixth (Jeffries advanced to third base.  Peterson, pinch runner for Hartley, swiped to second base.

Foster smashed a 2-RBI triple to score Jeffries and Peterson as Dakota State cut Waldorf's lead to 7-5 in the bottom sixth.  The Trojans trimmed the Warriors' lead to 7-6 as McFarland hit an RBI single to score Foster.

Waldorf exploded for five runs in the top seventh inning to balloon their lead to 12-6, capped by back-to-back RBI doubles by Hickley (2-RBIs) and Eslinger.

Dakota State left a runner on base when the game ended (Philop's single), securing the victory for Waldorf.

The Warriors tallied 17 hits in the game compared to the Trojans eight hits.  Both teams left six runners on base.

Foster had a triple, walk, and two RBIs for DSU.  McFarland added two singles and two RBIs.  Philop tallied two hits and an RBI.  Hartley had a single and an RBI.  Jeffries and Sims each had a hit.

Dakota State swiped five bases in the game, led by McFarland with two stolen bases.  Sims, Foster, and Peterson each swiped one base.

Clark sparked the Warriors' offense with a home run, two singles, and three RBIs.  Eslinger added two doubles, a single, and two RBIs.  Hickley also had two doubles and two RBIs.  Oakes collected two singles, two walks, and two RBIs.  Maddie Dalke had three singles.   Bierly and Ehlert each had a hit and an RBI.

Delaney Barrett (L, 6-9) took the defeat after working for two total innings.  She allowed six runs (two unearned) on eight hits.  Jada Brown tossed for five innings in relief, giving up six runs on nine hits.

Dalke (W, 4-10) earned the victory after pitching a complete game.  She gave up six runs (two unearned) on eight hits and registered five strikeouts.