March 1, 2025

WICHITA, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) dropped a pair of games to Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference foes on the first day of the Friends (Kan.) Softball Invitational Saturday afternoon at Two Rivers Youth Complex.  Ottawa (Kan.) exploded for six runs in the final inning to break a 3-3 tie for a 9-3 victory over the Trojans in the first game.  DSU fell to host-team Friends (Kan.) 11-3 in five innings.

Dakota State is 3-13 overall record.  Ottawa is 7-6 overall record, while Friends lifted their overall record to 5-2.

The Trojans close out their preseason tournament schedule Sunday with another two contests.  DSU plays Morningside (Iowa) at 12:20 p.m. and Bethany (Kan.) at 2:40 p.m.

Ottawa (Kan.) 9, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL
With bases loaded situation in the top second inning, Mallory Dunn produced an RBI sacrifice fly to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

Ottawa extended their lead to 3-0 in the top fourth frame after scoring two runs.  Emma Melvin led off with a single and advanced to third after Alex Genty's double.  Genty stole home to make it 2-0 Ottawa.  Megan Kennedy added an RBI ground out to score Genty to extend OU's lead to 3-0.

Dakota State answered with three runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning, despite recording the first two outs.  Katie Hansen registered a walk.  Mason Usselman hit a single to advance Alexia Hayden, pinch runner for Hansen, to second base.  Torrence Clelland recorded a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.

DSU trimmed OU's lead to 3-1 in the bottom fourth as Hannah Feser hit a 2-RBI single to score Hayden and Usselman.  Brenley Goebel reached safely on base after Ottawa's defensive error, allowing Clelland to score as Dakota State tied the game 3-3.

Ottawa produced three extra bases hits in the final inning with two triples and a double, capped by Macy Roever's RBI triple for a 9-3 lead. 

Dakota State was unable to score in the bottom half of the seventh inning, securing the victory for the Braves.

Ottawa outhit DSU 12-5 in the game.

Usselman led the Trojans with two singles and a run scored.  Michelle Evdos added a hit.  Feser had a single and two RBIs.  Clelland tallied a single and a walk.  Goebel collected an RBI.  Jordyn Jeffries swiped one base.

Genty was 3-of-4 at the plate with three runs scored for Ottawa.  Kennedy added two hits and an RBI.  Dunn had a hit and three RBIs.  Roever and Emma Melvin each recorded two hits.

Maycee Bricker (L, 2-3) recorded the defeat in the pitching circle, working for six innings.  She allowed six runs on nine hits.  Analicia Burgos and Makenna McGee tossed the seventh inning in relief.

Megan Kohl started the game for the Braves, tossing four innings.  She allowed three runs on four hits.  Julia Waltman (W, 1-0) earned the victory after tossing three scoreless innings in relief.  She yielded the Trojans to one hit.

Friends (Kan.) 11, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL/5 innings

Dakota State took the first lead of the game in the top first inning.  Jeffries hit a single with one out and advanced to second base after Gabrielle Ortega-Alves reached safely on base by FU's defensive error.  Clelland hit an RBI single to score Jeffries to give DSU a 1-0 lead.

Friends answered with three runs in the bottom half of the first inning, highlighted by Becca Dunn's 2-RBI single.  With bases loaded situation with one out for the Falcons, Cadence Magana recorded a fielder's choice RBI to extend their lead to 3-1.

FU ballooned their lead to 6-1 in the bottom second inning with another three-run production, highlighted by Dunn's 2-run home run.

Jeffries drilled a lead-off double in the top third inning and advanced to third base after Friends' wild pitch.  Ortega-Alves hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Jeffries as the Trojans trailed 6-2.

After Quincy Hartley reached safely on base caused by Falcons' defensive error, Hannah McFarland hit an RBI double to score Hartley as DSU trimmed FU's lead to 6-3.

Friends made it 10-3 in the bottom fourth, highlighted by Magana's 2-run home run.

The Falcons closed the game with a run scored with two outs (11-3) in the bottom fifth inning as Jayden Estabrook hit an RBI single.

Friends outhit Dakota State 12-5 in the game.

Jeffries was 2-of-3 at the plate with two runs scored for the Trojans.  Clelland added a hit and an RBI.  Goebel recorded a single.  Ortega-Alves tallied an RBI. 

Dunn led the Falcons with two hits and collected four RBIs.  Priscilla Mora added three hits.  Magana had two hits and four RBIs.  Izzy Jones recorded two hits and two RBIs.

Usselman (L, 1-5) took the defeat in the pitching circle for DSU.  She worked for two innings and allowed six runs (three unearned) on seven hits.  McGee tossed two innings in relief, while Burgos pitched in the bottom fifth.

Jenna Ormiston (W, 3-1) pitched a complete game victory for FU.  She scattered three runs (one unearned) on five hits.  She registered four strikeouts.