March 30, 2026

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Bellevue (Neb.) split a Frontier softball doubleheader Monday afternoon at Thue Field, with the Bruins taking the opener 6-3 before the Trojans bounced back for a 5-4 win in the nightcap.  Both teams were playing doubleheaders for the third consecutive day after their four-game series in North Dakota last Saturday and Sunday.

Dakota State snapped their five-game losing skid, improving to 8-20 overall record and 2-8 record in Frontier Conference.  The Trojans surpassed last year's wins total.  Bellevue is 16-15 overall record and 6-4 record in the league.
  Game 1: Bellevue 6, Dakota State 3 – FINAL

Bellevue used a late-game surge to break open a tight contest, scoring three runs in the seventh inning to secure a 6-3 victory.

The Bruins struck first in the opening inning on an RBI single by Miranda Garcia, then added another run in the second inning for a 2-0 lead.

Dakota State answered with single runs in the second and third innings, tying the game at 2-2. Gabrielle Ortega-Alves delivered an RBI single in the second, while Julia Maldonado drove in Emmalynn Rabe in the third.

Bellevue regained the lead in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Marguerite Brown, but Dakota State responded again in the bottom fifth inning when Alexia Hayden tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single.

The game remained deadlocked until the seventh inning when Breanne McMurtry blasted a three-run home run to left field, lifting Bellevue to the 6-3 win.

Game 1 Statistics

Dakota State

• Emmalynn Rabe: 2-for-3, run, triple
• Hannah McFarland: 1-for-4, run
• Gabrielle Ortega-Alves: 1-for-4, RBI
• Alexia Hayden: 1-for-3, RBI
• Alexis Resseguie: 1-for-2, run

Bellevue

• Breanne McMurtry: 1-for-3, home run, 3 RBIs
• Marguerite Brown: 2-for-4, double, RBI
• Macie Wyman: 2-for-4
• Emma Crisman: 2-for-4, two doubles

Pitching

• Grace Kitterman (DSU): 6.0-plus innings, 9 hits, 5 runs, 2 strikeouts (L, 3-8)
• Makenna McGee (DSU): 1.0 inning, 2 hits, 1 run
• Mariah Unverzagt (BU): 3.0 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs
• Lindsey Dressman (BU): 2.0 innings, 3 hits, 1 run
• Carly Bertolini (BU): 2.0 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs (W, 6-5)

Game 2: Dakota State 5, Bellevue 4 – FINAL

Dakota State responded in the second game with a strong offensive burst and held off Bellevue late to earn a 5-4 victory, highlighted by 13 consecutive balls (12 straight balls for three straight walks, followed by a ball) by the Bruins in the bottom sixth frame.

After Bellevue jumped ahead 2-0 in the third inning on back-to-back home runs by Marguerite Brown and Breanne McMurtry, the Trojans answered immediately with a three-run bottom half. Hannah McFarland started the rally with an RBI double, Rabe followed with an RBI triple, and Hayden added an RBI single to give DSU a 3-2 lead.

Bellevue tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth inning, but Dakota State regained control in the bottom half with two runs. Ortega-Alves drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in one run, and McFarland added another RBI with a walk to extend the lead to 5-3.

The Bruins threatened in the seventh inning, scoring one run after Savannah Short's RBI single to score McMurty after she hit a lead-off double, but DSU held on to secure the 5-4 win and split the doubleheader.

Game 2 Statistics

Dakota State

• Hannah McFarland: 1-for-1, 2 RBIs, 3 walks, double
• Emmalynn Rabe: 1-for-4, run, RBI, triple
• Gabrielle Ortega-Alves: 1-for-3, RBI, walk
• Alexia Hayden: 1-for-3, RBI
• Julia Maldonado: 1-for-3, run
• Quincy Hartley: 1-for-3, double

Bellevue

• Marguerite Brown: 4-for-4, home run, 2 RBIs
• Breanne McMurtry: 2-for-4, home run, RBI
• Laila Fiscus: 3-for-3, run
• Mariah Unverzagt: 2-for-4

Pitching

• Maycee Bricker (DSU): 7.0 innings, complete game, 15 hits, 4 runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts (W, 4-6)
• Ellie Zoucha (BU): 2 1/3 innings, 3 runs, 5 hits
• Abby Dworak (BU): 2 2/3 innings, 2 hits, 1 run (L, 0-1)
• Lindsey Dressman (BU): 2/3 innings, 1 run, 2 walks, 1 strikeout

Up Next

Dakota State is scheduled to host Providence (Mont.) in the next Frontier's four-game series.  Despite the cold temperatures and poor weather forecast, the four-game series had prompted to relocate to American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa, on the campus of Dordt (Iowa).

The doubleheader starts Thursday at 11 a.m., followed by another doubleheader on Friday at 8 a.m.