March 26, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (March 26, 2025)—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan softball team (4-17 overall record, 0-0 NSAA conference play) plays their first home contests of the season at Thue Field (South Egan Ave. in downtown Madison) after playing 21 straight games outside of Madison.  The Trojans were originally scheduled to open their North Star Athletic Association softball schedule Saturday and Sunday, but poor weather forecast had forced the four-game series to Thursday and Friday.

DSU welcomes Valley City State (N.D.) (11-12 overall record, 0-0 NSAA conference record) to kick off their NSAA's eight-game home stand at Thue Field.  The doubleheader starts Thursday at 2 p.m., followed by another doubleheader Friday at 12 p.m.

Dakota State is coming off from a setback at in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) on March 11, followed by a doubleheader split at former North Star Athletic Association's member Waldorf (Iowa) on March 18.  The Trojans shut down the Warriors in the first game 11-0 in five innings and fell short for a comeback victory in the second game by the score of 14-10.

Valley City State had not played since March 13 as they ended the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational with a pair of victories, defeating Simpson (Calif.) 13-1 in five innings and Nelson (Ariz.) 8-0 in five innings.  The Vikings went 6-5 record in the tournament from March 7 through March 13 in Tucson..

Next Up:  Dakota State remains home next weekend as they host (RV) Jamestown (N.D.) in another North Star Athletic Association's four-game series at Thue Field on April 5-6 (Saturday-Sunday).

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) and Valley City State (N.D.) will meet in the North Star Athletic Association softball season opener for the second time since 2021 (March 27-March 29, 2021). 
+ The Vikings swept the NSAA's four-game series in Valley City, N.D., last season with the Trojans.
+ DSU is seeking for their first win over VCSU since April 29, 2023, when the Trojans rallied for a 5-4 eight-inning victory over the Vikings at Thue Field.
+ The North Star Athletic Association softball season will enter their final year this spring, before transitioning to the Frontier Conference in 2025-26 season.
+ Each North Star Athletic Association member will play a total of 20 conference contests, playing a four-game series for five straight weekends.
+ DSU plays their first eight North Star conference contests at home, hosting Valley City State (N.D.) and Jamestown (N.D.).  The Trojans then play their next 10 straight North Star conference games on the road at Dickinson State (N.D.), Mayville State (N.D.), and Bellevue (Neb.).  DSU concludes the conference season at home versus Bellevue on April 27.
+ The Trojans produced a winning record at home for the second time in three seasons last season.  DSU finished their 2024 home schedule with a 5-3 record, adding with their 10-7 home record during the 2022 season.
+ Dakota State is scheduled to play a total of 12 home games at Thue Field this spring.

Noteworthy...
McFARLAND SETS ALL-TIME STOLEN BASES AND RUNS SCORED:   A pair of new school records were set during Dakota State's (S.D.) game two of the doubleheader at Waldorf (Iowa) on March 18.  Hannah McFarland swiped three bases in the game, accumulating 54 stolen bases.  She became the all-time stolen bases leader, surpassing the previous record holder by Carrington Entringer (2022-23) and Lori Olen (2004-07) with 53 career stolen bases.  McFarland also set an all-time school record with 101 runs, surpassing Mackenzie Sims record of 99 career runs from 2021-24.

EVDOS ADDS ANOTHER CAREER MILESTONE:  Michelle Evdos continues to add to their career school records list at Dakota State, setting a new all-time RBI record during the second game at Waldorf.  She racked up 130 RBIs after the second game at WU, surpassing the previous record by Brittany Hill with 128 RBIs from 2012-15.  Evdos also owns all-time records of 63 walks and 56 doubles.

NSAA SOFTBALL SEASON OPENING WEEKEND:  All six NSAA members will be in action in their season opening conference season this weekend.  Dakota State hosts Valley City State (N.D.) on Thursday-Friday, while Bellevue (Neb.) welcome Dickinson State (N.D.) on the same days.  Jamestown (N.D.) hosts Mayville State (N.D.) on Saturday-Sunday.  Each NSAA members play five straight weekends of four-game series.
 
TROJANS IN THE NSAA CONFERENCE RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, DSU's Hannah McFarland ranks second in the conference with 13 stolen bases.  McFarland and Jordyn Jeffries rank 10th in the league with .364 batting average.  Jeffries is sixth in the North Star with .462 on-base percentage.  Michelle Evdos is ninth in the NSAA conference with 16 runs batted in (RBIs).

Mount Marty (S.D.) defeats Dakota State (S.D.)
Yankton, S.D. (March 11, 2025)—Mount Marty (S.D.) erupted for eight total runs combined in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to break a 2-2 tie for a 10-2 six-innings victory over Dakota State (S.D.).  The non-conference softball single game was held at North-East Sertoma Park.

DSU and MMU met for the third time this season and scheduled to meet again on April 15 at Thue Field in a doubleheader.

The Trojans took the first lead of the game in the top first inning, taking a 1-0 lead after Hannah McFarland's run after Jordyn Jeffries reaching safely on base by MMU's defensive error.  The Lancers broke their scoring drought with two runs scored in the bottom third to earn a 2-1 lead.

DSU tied the game at 2-2 as Quincy Hartley produced an RBI ground out to score Michelle Evdos, who drilled a lead-off double.  The Lancers outscored the Trojans 8-0 in the final two-and-half innings to secure the victory.

Evdos had a double for Dakota State.  McFarland, Evdos, and Julia Maldonado each recorded a walk.  McFarland and Evdos each scored a run.  Mason Usselman and Makenna McGee pitched in the pitching circle for the Trojans.

Trojans snap losing skid, split with Waldorf (Iowa)
Forest City, Iowa (March 18, 2025)— Dakota State (S.D.) snapped their losing skid in the first game of the doubleheader at Forest City High School Softball field, shutting down Waldorf (Iowa) 11-0 in five innings..

The first game highlighted with a grand slam by Michelle Evdos combined with a complete game shutout victory by Maycee Bricker.

Hannah McFarland, Jordyn Jeffries, Evdos, Mason Usselman, Quincy Hartley, and Ally Morrissey each recorded two hits in the game.  Evdos had four RBIs.

The Trojans earned the first lead of the second game with two runs in the top first inning.  The Warriors put together 14 total runs in the first two innings to take a 14-2 lead.  DSU mounted a comeback, highlighted by a seven-run fifth inning and fell short by the score of 14-10 to earn a doubleheader split.

Hartley had two hits and three RBIs for the Trojans.  McFarland added two hits.  Gabrielle Ortega-Alves and Morrissey each recorded a hit and an RBI.  Jeffries, Evdos, and Hannah Feser each had a hit.  Analicia Burgos, Usselman, McGee, and Bricker each pitched in the pitching circle for Dakota State.

Trojans sweep NSAA softball players-of-the-week honors
Madison, S.D. (March 24, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) swept the fourth edition of the North Star Athletic Association Softball Players-of-the-Week.  The Trojans split a doubleheader at Waldorf (Iowa) on March 18 in Forest City, Iowa.

Maycee Bricker was selected as the Pitcher-of-the-Week after tossing six total scoreless innings versus the Warriors.  She pitched a complete game shutout in the first game, scattering nine hits.  She recorded five strikeouts. 

Bricker also pitched a scoreless inning in the second game, despite a 14-10 setback to WU.

Michelle Evdos was named as the Player-of-the-Week for the Trojans.  She highlighted the first game with a grand slam home run and set a new career record in runs batted in with 130 career RBIs in the second game.  Evdos went 3-of-6 in the doubleheader with six RBIs, a home run, and two walks.  She posted a slugging percentage of 1.000 and recorded an on-base percentage of .625.

2025 Dakota State Softball Team Leaders

· Hits:  Hannah McFarland—24 hits

· Batting Average:  Hannah McFarland, Jordyn Jeffries—.364 batting average (24-of-66 at-bats, 20-of-55 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Michelle Evdos—.586 slugging percentage (11 singles, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Michelle Evdos—16 runs batted in (RBIs)

· Doubles:  Hannah McFarland—9 doubles

· Triples:  Lara Dolezal, Jordyn Jeffries, Michelle Evdos—1 triple

· Home Runs:  Michelle Evdos, Quincy Hartley—1 home run

· Total Bases:  Michelle Evdos—34 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Hannah McFarland—21 runs

· Walks:  Jordyn Jeffries—10 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  Hannah Feser—3 hit-by-pitches

· Stolen Bases: Hannah McFarland—13 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Jordyn Jeffries—.462 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Maycee Bricker—48 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Maycee Bricker—6.27 ERA

· Strikeouts (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—26 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—1 complete game

· Wins:  Maycee Bricker—3 wins

· Saves:  Maycee Bricker—1 save

Follow Trojan Softball

· Twitter:  @DSU_Trojans

· Facebook:  DSUTrojans

· Instagram:  trojans.athletics

· Dakota State Softball Twitter:  @DSUSoftball

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

· Dakota State Softball Instagram:  dsu_softball