April 25, 2025

OMAHA, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Bellevue (Neb.) head to their final ever North Star Athletic Association four-game series, playing home-and-away doubleheader.  The Bruins hosted the first doubleheader at Roy Smith Field, winning the first game 10-2 in five innings.  The Trojans won the second game by scoring season-high conference runs in 10-6 victory.  It was the second straight year that DSU earned a road victory at Bellevue.

Dakota State is 6-34 overall record and 2-16 record in the North Star Athletic Association.  Bellevue is 27-18 overall record and 11-7 NSAA conference record.

Both teams play another doubleheader Sunday at Thue Field in Madison, S.D.  The first game of the doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.  The Trojan softball team will be honoring their three seniors after the conclusion of the doubleheader.

Game 1 – Bellevue (Neb.) 10, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL/5 innings

Bellevue scored at least a run in the first four innings and never trailed for a 10-2 four-game series opener victory in five innings.

Katie Cunningham recorded a walk followed by Breanne McMurtry's single in the bottom first.  Mariah Unverzagt smashed a 3-run home run to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead.

The Trojans were unable to score in the top second frame, despite leaving the bases full.

BU added three runs in the bottom half of the second inning, capped by a solo home run by McMurtry to extend their lead to 6-0.

Dakota State snapped their scoring drought with a pair of runs in the top third, sparked by Hannah McFarland's lead-off double.  Gabrielle Ortega-Alves added a single with one out and advanced McFarland to third base.  Ortega-Alves recorded a stolen base.

Michelle Evdos drilled a 2-RBI double with two outs, scoring McFarland and Ortega-Alves as the Trojans trimmed the Bruins' lead to 6-2.

Bellevue made it 7-2 in the bottom third with Kaitlyn Fisher's RBI single to score Miranda Garcia, who recorded a walk with one out and advanced to third after Savannah Short's single.

Alexa Sidel blasted a 3-run home run to balloon Bellevue's lead to 10-2 in the bottom fourth.

The Trojans left a runner on base in the top fifth inning when the game ended, securing the victory for the Bruins.

BU outhit DSU 11-6 in the game. 

Evdos led Dakota State by going 2-fo-3 at the plate with a double, single, and drove in two runs.  McFarland added a double, single, and a run.  Ally Morrissey and Ortega-Alves each added a single.  Ortega-Alves swiped one base.

Unverzagt and Sidel each went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for Bellevue.  Unverzagt swiped one base.  Fisher and McMurtry each had two hits and an RBI.  Short had two singles. 

Mason Usselman (L, 1-10) recorded the defeat in the pitching circle for DSU after tossing 3 1/3 innings.  Makenna McGee worked for two scoreless outs in relief in the bottom fourth.

Cunningham (W, 13-7) pitched a complete game victory for BU.  She allowed two runs on six hits and registered seven strikeouts.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 10, Bellevue (Neb.) 6 – FINAL

The Trojans highlighted with a pair of home runs in the second game, holding off the Bruins for their second victory in the last four meetings in the series held at Bellevue (DSU defeated BU in Omaha in last year's doubleheader opener).

The Bruins took the first lead in the bottom first frame.  Cunningham and McMurtry hit back-to-back singles with two outs.  Liana McMurtry hit an RBI double with two outs to score Cunningham for BU 1-0 lead.

DSU answered with a run in the top second inning.  Quincy Hartley reached safely on first base after BU's defensive error and advanced to second base.  Katie Hansen registered a sacrifice and reached safely after another defensive error committed by the Bruins, allowing Hartley to score as the Trojans tied the game 1-1.

Dakota State's halted Bellevue from scoring in the bottom half of the second inning, leaving the bases full after Short and Laila Fiscus back-to-back walks followed by Fisher's single.

The Trojans overtook the lead in the top third inning, thanks to a 3-run home run by Evdos for a 4-1 lead.  She moved in a tie for third all time home runs in the DSU softball school record book with Xitlali Lopez from 2018-21.

The Bruins scored once in the bottom third when Sidel reached safely on base after DSU's defensive error, scoring Unverzagt who led off with a double.

Bellevue knotted the game 4-4 in the bottom fourth after B. McMurtry hit a 2-run home run, scoring Cunningham who hit a double with two outs.

McFarland and Morrissey led off the top fifth inning with back-to-back singles for DSU (McFarland advanced to third base).  The Trojans regained their lead 5-4 when Ortega-Alves hit a sacrifice fly to score McFarland.

After Evdos hit a single to advance Morrissey to third base, Hartley blasted a 3-run home run as Dakota State's lead grew to 8-4.

Bellevue answered with a 2-run home run by Sidel, scoring L. McMurtry in the bottom fifth (DSU led 8-6).

The Trojans continued their scoring run in the top sixth with two runs.  Hannah Feser led off with a single.  Julia Maldonado reached safely on first base after BU's defensive error and advanced Feser to third base.  McFarland hit an RBI single to score Feser (Maldonado advanced to second) as the Trojans led 9-6.

With bases loaded and one out after Morrissey's single and Ortega-Alves' fielder's choice, Evdos recorded an RBI walk to score McFarland to balloon Dakota State's lead to 10-6.

DSU shut down BU in the final two innings, securing the second North Star conference win of the season. 

The Trojans tallied 12 hits in the game compared to the Bruins nine hits.

Evdos was 2-for-3 at the plate with a game-high four RBIs for Dakota State.  Hartley added a home run and drove in three runs.  Morrissey closed three singles and scored two runs.  McFarland had two singles, RBI, and scored three runs.  Feser had two hits and a run scored.  Torrence Clelland collected a hit.

B. McMurtry tallied two hits and two RBI for Bellevue.  Cunningham added two hits and two runs scored.  Sidel had a home run and two RBIs. 

Maycee Bricker (W, 5-9) earned the victory after pitching four-plus innings for the Trojans.  She allowed six runs (one unearned) on eight hits.  Analicia Burgos (S, 1) collected her first save of the season after tossing three shutout innings in relief, yielding the Bruins to one hit.

Ellie Zoucha (L, 5-8) recorded the loss after working 4 1/3 innings for the Bruins, giving up eight runs (one unearned) on eight hits.  Unverzagt worked for 2 2/3 innings in relief after allowing two runs (one unearned) on four hits.