February 11, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Feb. 11, 2025)—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan softball team (0-4 overall record) returns to American State Bank Sports Complex (1080 7th Street NE) in Sioux Center, Iowa, for their second preseason tournament of the 2025 season.  The Trojans face four teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference in this weekend's two-day tournament, hosted by Dordt (Iowa).

Dakota State returns to action Friday evening for the first time since Jan. 31-Feb. 1.  DSU takes on Briar Cliff (Iowa) (0-0 overall record, their season opener is slated for Wednesday versus NCAA Division II Wayne State, Neb., at the same venue this weekend).  First pitch is set for 5 p.m.  Dakota State then play at 7 p.m. versus another Great Plains Athletic Conference foe Mount Marty (S.D.) (1-3 overall record). 

Dakota State wraps up their second preseason tournament Saturday at 1 p.m. versus NAIA's nationally ranked Northwestern (Iowa) (8-0 overall record, No. 11 in the NAIA national preseason poll).  The Trojans followed up with another contest with rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (5-3 overall record), scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch.

The Trojans are seeking for their first wins of the season, despite falling short in the first four games of the 2025 season on Jan. 31-Feb. 1.  Dakota State fell to four different Great Plains Athletic Conference foes in the first preseason tournament—Doane (Neb.), Dordt (Iowa), No. 11 Northwestern (Iowa), and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).

Next Up:  DSU play their third and final American State Bank Sports Complex Softball Classic on Feb. 21-22.  The Trojans will play three different GPAC opponents, facing Mount Marty and College of Saint Mary (Neb.) on Feb. 21, followed by another contest with CSM and Briar Cliff on Feb. 22 in Sioux Center, Iowa.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is playing their second of the three American State Bank Sports Complex Softball Tournament this weekend in Sioux Center, Iowa.  The Trojans return to Sioux Center, Iowa, for the third time next weekend.
+ A total of 10 teams are participating in this weekend's tournament in Sioux Center, including three North Star Athletic Association foes with Dakota State, Dickinson State (N.D.), and Valley City State (N.D.).  Other teams included Briar Cliff (Iowa), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), Dordt (Iowa), Mount Marty (S.D.), and Northwestern (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, NCAA Division II Minnesota-Crookston, and York (Neb.) of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
+ Briar Cliff edged Dakota State 5-4 in eight innings in last year's meeting, which was held in Sioux Center on Feb. 16, 2024.  The Trojans are seeking for their first wins over the Chargers since April 12, 2022, when DSU swept BCU 4-1 and 5-2.
+ Mount Marty (S.D.) had won the last nine meetings with the Trojans, including last season sweep in Yankton, S.D.  The Trojans are seeking for their first win over the Lancers since Feb. 18, 2018, which was held at PC Dome in Aberdeen, S.D.
+ DSU closes out the second preseason tournament with Northwestern (Iowa) and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) for the second straight tournament.  NWIA held on to defeat DSU 3-1, while DWU defeated DSU 8-1 on Feb. 1 in Sioux Center, Iowa.
+ Dakota State is seeking for their first neutral victories since March 2, when they went 2-1 record in the Friends (Kan.) Tournament (defeated Hannibal-LaGrange, Mo., and Saint Mary, Kan.).
+ The Trojans are scheduled to play their first doubleheader of the season on Feb. 28 at Sterling (Kan.).
 
Noteworthy...
NSAA CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OVERVIEW:   Dakota State (S.D.) enters their final year of the North Star Athletic Association this spring.  Each NSAA softball members are set to play a total of 20 conference contests, starting on March 29-30.  The Trojans play their first eight North Star conference contests at Thue Field versus Valley City State (N.D.), followed by another four-game series with Jamestown (N.D.) on April 5-6 at home.  DSU then play 10 straight road contests in the NSAA contest before wrapping up their regular-season schedule at home versus Bellevue (Neb.) on April 27.

PRESEASON TOURNAMENTS:  After this weekend's tournament, Dakota State plays two more preseason tournament.  The Trojans return to Sioux Center, Iowa, on Feb. 21-22 for their third American State Bank Sports Complex Softball Classic.  The Trojans play their final preseason tournament on March 1-2, playing four games in the Friends (Kan.) Tournament in Wichita, Kan.

TROJANS' NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS:  DSU's first 12 games of the 2025 season are against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  DSU then play four opponents from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) on Feb. 28-March 2 (Sterling, Kan., Ottawa, Kan., Friends, Kan., and Bethany (Kan.).  DSU's remaining non-conference opponents from the GPAC—Mount Marty and Waldorf (Iowa).   
 
THIRD ASBSC TOURNAMENT PREVIEW:  The third American State Bank Sports Complex Softball Classic will feature seven teams on Feb. 21-22.  The teams participating includes North Star's foes DSU and Mayville State (N.D.).  GPAC members of Briar Cliff (Iowa), College of Saint Mary (Neb.), Dordt (Iowa), and Mount Marty (S.D.), along with Heart of America Athletic Conference's William Penn (Iowa) will also play.

Evdos becomes DSU's all-time in doubles leader
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 11, 2025)—Senior Michelle Evdos continues to break school records for Dakota State (S.D.) after their season opening weekend at American State Bank Sports Softball Classic.

Evdos tied the all-time school record with Nicole Stewart (2017-20) with 51 doubles in the season opening 9-5 setback to Doane (Neb.).  Evdos also blasted a 2-run home run later in the game, hitting her 14th career home run at Dakota State (6th all-time).

Evdos became the all-time leader in doubles in the second game on the season opening day, falling to Dordt (Iowa). 

She collected 20 doubles in her freshman (2021-22 season) and sophomore seasons (2022-23 season).  She added 10 doubles during the 2023-24 season and two doubles this season to become the all-time leader in doubles in DSU softball program history. 

Evdos is a three-time North Star Athletic Association Softball All-Conference First Team.  She is the first three-time NSAA All-Conference First Team recipient since Xitlali Lopez when she was named to first time in 2018, 2019, and 2021, as well as Nicole Stewart with a three-time NSAA Softball All-Conference First Team recipient in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Dakota State fall short in season opening games
Sioux Center, Iowa (Jan. 31, 2025)— Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to hold on to their early leads in the season opening day on the first day of the American State Bank Sports Softball Classic, hosted by Dordt (Iowa).

The Trojans opened with a 5-1 lead after two-and-half innings with Doane (Neb.) in the season opener.  The Tigers scored eight unanswered runs to earn a 9-5 victory.

Ally Morrissey and Michelle Evdos each tallied two hits in the game.  Evdos had three RBIs and a home run.  Jordyn Jeffries and Gabrielle Ortega-Alves each hit a double. 

Dakota State led 2-1 after the first inning over the host-team Dordt in the second game.  The Defenders then scored eight unanswered runs in the last six innings to earn a 9-2 victory.

Hannah McFarland and Evdos each hit a double in the game for the Trojans.  Morrissey, Jeffries, Ortega-Alves, and Torrence Clelland each had a hit.  Evdos and Quincy Hartley collected an RBI for DSU.  McFarland had a walk.  Ortega-Alves swiped one base.

Trojans drop two games on second day of tournament
Sioux Center, Iowa (Feb. 1, 2025)—NAIA's nationally ranked No. 11 Northwestern (Iowa) edged Dakota State (S.D.) 3-0 in the first game on the second day of the American State Bank Sports Complex Softball Classic, hosted by Dordt (Iowa).

The Red Raiders scored twice in the top second inning and once in the top fifth inning.  NWIA limited the Trojans to four hits in the game, with a single each from Hannah McFarland, Jordyn Jeffries, Gabrielle Ortega-Alves, and Julia Maldonado.

Dakota State closed the first preseason tournament with a 9-1 defeat in six innings to rival Dakota Wesleyan.  The Tigers closed the game with five runs in the bottom sixth inning to secure the victory.

DSU was held to two hits in the game, highlighted by a triple from Lara Dolezal.  Maldonado produced an RBI to score Dolezal.  Gabrielle Ortega-Alves added a single.  Jordyn Jeffries and Michelle Evdos each registered a walk.

2025 Dakota State Softball Team Leaders

· Hits:  Gabrielle Ortega-Alves—4 hits

· Batting Average:  Gabrielle Ortega-Alves—.364 batting average (4-of-11 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Michelle Evdos—.800 slugging percentage 2 doubles, 1 home run)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Michelle Evdos—4 runs batted in (RBIs)

· Doubles:  Michelle Evdos—2 doubles

· Triples:  Lara Dolezal—1 triple

· Home Runs:  Michelle Evdos—1 home run

· Total Bases:  Michelle Evdos—8 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Michelle Evdos, Jordyn Jeffries, Ally Morrissey—2 runs

· Walks:  Michelle Evdos, Jordyn Jeffries—2 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  N/A

· Stolen Bases: Gabrielle Ortega-Alves—2 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Michelle Evdos—.417 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Makenna McGee—10 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Analicia Burgos—5.25 ERA

· Strikeouts (Pitching):  Analicia Burgos—3 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):  N/A

· Wins:  N/A

· Saves:  N/A

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