May 2, 2025

DICKINSON, N.D. – No. 4 seed Valley City State (N.D.) used timely hitting and strong pitching to eliminate No. 6 seed Dakota State (S.D.) 5-2 Friday afternoon in the loser's bracket of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Softball Tournament at Sanford Sports Complex on Bravera Field.

With the win, Valley City State (24-22 overall) advanced to another elimination game Saturday. Dakota State closed its season with a 7-37 overall record.

The Vikings scored in four of the first five innings, backed by a solid start from Maddy Zander and three scoreless relief innings from Cooper Klaahsen to fend off a fifth-inning surge from the Trojans

Ashlyn Diemert sparked the Viking offense from the leadoff spot, reaching base in all four of her plate appearances. The senior shortstop went 2-for-2 with a walk, double, and two runs scored. Diemert crossed the plate for the first time in the bottom of the first when Logan Gronberg delivered an RBI single to left.

Valley City State added to its lead in the third. Zander singled and was lifted for pinch-runner Halle Gullett, who later scored on an RBI single by freshman Kylee Banerd.

Gronberg drove in her second run of the game in the fourth, scoring Diemert again to make it 3-0. Gronberg finished 3-for-3 at the plate and reached base in all four plate appearances.

Dakota State responded in the top of the fifth. Hannah McFarland led off with a single and scored on a two-run single by Quincy Hartley that cut the deficit to 3-2. Ally Morrissey also singled, and Gabrielle Ortega-Alves was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Hartley's hit drove in the Trojans' only runs of the contest.

Klaahsen entered the game in relief of Zander following Hartley's hit and retired three straight batters to limit the damage.

The Vikings wasted no time getting the runs back. After a DSU's error allowed Kennadi Stone to reach base, Alyssa DePoorter launched a two-run home run over the left-field fence to stretch the lead back to three runs at 5-2. It was DePoorter's second home run of the season and provided all the insurance the Vikings needed.

Zander (W, 12-11) earned the win in the circle for VCSU, tossing four innings and allowing four hits and two runs. She walked four and struck out four. Klaahsen (S, 1) collected the save, throwing three innings of two-hit, shutout ball with three strikeouts and no walks.

Dakota State's Analicia Burgos took the loss, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits over four innings. Maycee Bricker pitched the final two innings and held the Vikings scoreless while giving up just one hit.

McFarland led the Trojans offensively, reaching base three times with two singles and two runs scored.  She holds the all-time school record of 114 runs scored. Morrissey finished 2-for-4. Hartley tallied the only two RBIs for Dakota State.  Torrence Clelland added a single and a walk.

In total, the Vikings outhit the Trojans 11-6. VCSU also drew four walks while committing no errors in the field. DSU left nine runners on base in the loss.

The contest also marked the final collegiate softball game for Dakota State's three seniors – Clelland, Michelle Evdos, and Hannah Feser.  They combined a total of 306 career games played during their career at Dakota State (169 career games by Evdos, 101 games by Feser, and 36 games by Clelland).

Evdos are listed in numerous school records at DSU.  Her all-time school records included first in total bases (326), first in doubles (60), first in runs batted in (138 RBIs), second in hits (202), third in at-bats (503), third in runs scored (96), tied for fourth home runs (16), fifth in batting average (.402), tied for seventh triples (8), and tenth in assists (173).