April 10, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (April 10, 2025)—The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan softball team (4-25 overall record, 0-8 NSAA conference play) looks to snap their losing skid as they play their third North Star Athletic Association four-game series of the season, followed by a home contest. 

The Trojans return to North Dakota for the second straight weekend, traveling to Sanford Sports Complex on Bravera Field (605 13th Ave.) Friday and Saturday.  DSU visits Dickinson State (N.D.) (21-9 overall record, 7-1 NSAA conference record) with a doubleheader starting on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. (Central Time)/3 p.m. (Mountain Time).  They will play another doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. (CT)/1 p.m. (MT).

Dakota State returns home Tuesday afternoon as they play a single non-conference game with in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) (18-16 overall record).  The first pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Thue Field (S. Egan Ave.) in downtown Madison.

The Trojans fell to (RV) Jamestown (N.D.) in the NSAA's four-game series held at Nelson Family Bubble in Jamestown on April 6-7.  Dickinson State swept the conference's four-game series over Mayville State (N.D.) at Bravera Field in Dickinson, N.D.  The Blue Hawks won 5-0 and 16-4 in five innings on April 5, followed by 10-1 5-inning and 7-0 victories on April 6.  Mount Marty earned a home conference doubleheader sweep over Hastings (Neb.) 3-2 and 15-7 (5 innings) on April 9 in Yankton, S.D.

Next Up:  Dakota State heads to North Dakota for the third straight weekend, visiting Mayville State (N.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association four-game series on April 18-19.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dickinson State (N.D.) swept the previous North Star Athletic Association four-game series meeting with Dakota State (S.D.) last season, held at the Nelson Family Bubble in Jamestown, N.D.
+ The Blue Hawks defeated the Trojans for ten straight meetings.  The last time DSU defeated DiSU was on April 24, 2022, at Thue Field in Madison, S.D., by the score of 9-8.  That season was the first time that the Trojans earned the series victory with 2-1 record (fourth game of the series was canceled due to cold weather).
+ Dakota State is seeking for their first win over Dickinson State in Dickinson, N.D., since April 24, 2021 (Trojans won by the score of 7-6).
+ Mount Marty (S.D.) defeated the Trojans in all three games this season, including the most recent meeting held in Yankton, S.D., on March 11.  The Lancers also defeated DSU in a pair of games held at American State Bank Sports Complex on Feb. 14 and Feb. 21.
+ The last time Mount Marty played at Thue Field in Madison was on April 24, 2017, with the most recent DSU's home meeting where the Trojans fell by the score of 1-0 in 10 innings.
+ The last time DSU earned their home victory over MMU was since April 11, 2014, with the Trojans winning by the score of 11-3 in six innings.
+ DSU's home finale is scheduled for April 27 versus Bellevue (Neb.) as part of Senior Day at Thue Field.
 
Noteworthy...
NORTH STAR UPDATES:   The second North Star Athletic Association four-game series was completed last weekend.  Jamestown (N.D.) holds the conference lead with an undefeated 8-0 conference record, followed by Dickinson State (N.D.) second with 7-1 league record.  Valley City State (N.D.) is third with 5-3 NSAA record and Bellevue (Neb.) fourth with 4-4 record.  Mayville State (N.D.) and Dakota State (S.D.) are seeking for their first conference wins of the season (0-8 North Star conference record each).

TROJANS IN THE NSAA CONFERENCE RANKS:   According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday, Hannah McFarland leads the North Star Athletic Association with 18 stolen bases for Dakota State.  She is also 14th in the league with .349 batting average.  Michelle Evdos ranks 15th in the league with .494 slugging percentage.  Maycee Bricker tossed 72 innings this season prior to this season, which is sixth most innings pitched in the North Star Athletic Association.

DSU'S REMAINING HOME CONTESTS:  Dakota State have three home remaining contests at Thue Field this season.  The Trojans host in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) for a single non-conference game on Tuesday at 3 p.m.  After playing five straight North Star conference road contests on April 18-19 at Mayville State (N.D.) and on April 25 at Bellevue (Neb.), DSU returns home for Senior Day on April 27 versus BU.
 
TROJANS MULTI-HITS GAMES:  Hannah McFarland leads Dakota State with seven multi-hit games this season, accumulating a total of 33 times that she had registered multi-hit games during her career at Dakota State.  Michelle Evdos added six multi-hit games, racking up a total of 56 multi-hit games during her career.  Jordyn Jeffries recorded five multi-hit games, 11 times in her career she had multi-hit games.

Trojans fall short to (RV) Jimmies in NSAA action
Jamestown, N.D. (April 6, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) fell short in the North Star Athletic Association softball four-game series opener with (RV) Jamestown (N.D.) at Nelson Family Bubble.  The Trojans were the home team in the four-game series, which was originally scheduled to be played at Thue Field in Madison, S.D.

Dakota State was held to two singles in the first game, each from Hannah McFarland and Gabrielle Ortega-Alves.  The Jimmies scored five runs in the top second, paving the way for an 8-0 victory.

Maycee Bricker tossed a complete game in the pitching circle for DSU.

Jamestown scored the first four runs through the first two and half innings for a 4-0 lead.  The Trojans plated two runs in the bottom third inning to trim their deficit to 4-2.  UJ added two runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh to earn a 7-2 victory.

McFarland and Ortega-Alves each had a single and an RBI for the Trojans.  Jordyn Jeffries, Julia Maldonado, and Hannah Feser each had a single.  Michelle Evdos, Katie Hansen, and Feser each registered a walk.  Analicia Burgos, Makenna McGee, and Mason Usselman each worked in the pitching circle.

(RV) Jimmies take final two games with Trojans
Jamestown, N.D. (April 7, 2025)— NSAA's softball conference leader (RV) Jamestown (N.D.) produced 16 hits in each game, earning another doubleheader sweep over Dakota State (S.D.) at Nelson Family Bubble.

The Jimmies outscored the Trojans 8-0 in the final four innings to extend their lead to 11-2 after leading 3-2. 

Michelle Evdos had a triple and RBI in the game for DSU.  Ally Morrissey had two hits. Jordyn Jeffries, Katie Hansen, and Quincy Hartley each had a hit.

Dakota State poured in three runs in the bottom first inning in the four-game series finale.  Jamestown rallied back to scored 12 runs combined in the fourth and fifth innings to produce a 14-4 victory.

Hannah McFarland, Morrissey, Gabrielle Ortega-Alves, Jeffries, Evdos, Hansen, Julia Maldonado, and Hannah Feser each registered a single for DSU.  Jeffries, Hansen, and Maldonado each collected an RBI. 

Jamestown outhit the Trojans 16-8 in the game.

NSAA postseason tournament set in early May
Madison, S.D. (April 10, 2025)—The final ever North Star Athletic Association softball postseason tournament will be held on May 1 through May 4 (rain date on May 5) at Sanford Sports Complex on Bravera Field.  The conference postseason tournament is being hosted by Dickinson State (N.D.) for the third straight year.

The postseason tournament opens on Thursday, May 1 with the No. 4 seed taking on No. 5 seed, as well as No. 3 seed versus No. 6 seeds.  The top two seeds will receive the opening round bye and won't play until Friday, May 2.

The NSAA championship game is set for Sunday, May 4, with the second championship game if needed on the same day.  The winner of the NSAA Softball Postseason Tournament will receive the league's automatic bid to the NAIA Softball Opening Round, which is set on May 12-15 at campus sites.

2025 Dakota State Softball Team Leaders

· Hits:  Hannah McFarland—30 hits

· Batting Average:  Hannah McFarland—.349 batting average (30-of-86 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Michelle Evdos—.494 slugging percentage (12 singles, 7 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Michelle Evdos—17 runs batted in (RBIs)

· Doubles:  Hannah McFarland—9 doubles

· Triples:  Jordyn Jeffries. Michelle Evdos—2 triples

· Home Runs:  Michelle Evdos—2 home runs

· Total Bases:  Michelle Evdos—40 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Hannah McFarland—23 runs

· Walks:  Michelle Evdos—12 walks

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

· Stolen Bases: Hannah McFarland—18 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Hannah McFarland—.429 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Maycee Bricker—72 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Maycee Bricker—5.64 ERA

· Strikeouts (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—37 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):  Maycee Bricker—2 complete games

· 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