Trojans Earn Their First NSAA Series Sweep Against Presentation

The Dakota State softball team earned their first NSAA series sweep of the season this past weekend, earning 13-5 and 16-12 wins over Presentation.

The Trojans took the early lead in the first inning, scoring one run. 

Neither team was able to score in the second, but in the bottom of the third the Trojans returned to the scoreboard with seven runs in the inning. The inning was sparked by Michelle Evdos’s 3-Run Home run. Mackenzie Sims also blasted a 2-RBI Double in the inning. 

Up 8-0, the Trojans gave up the first run to Presentation in the top of the fourth as the Saints scored two runs in the inning. PC then added three more runs in the top of the fifth to cut into DSU’s lead, now 8-5.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Trojans answered with five more runs, capped off by Rosie Philop’s walk-off 2-RBI Double to end the game with a 13-5 win for the Trojans.

The Trojans racked up a total of six doubles in the game, paced by Sims with two doubles. She also collected three RBIs and scored twice. Philop finished the game by going 3-of-4 at the plate, with a double, two singles, and tallied three RBIs.

Evdos had a home run and drove in four runs for DSU. 

Sarah Shevenell and Katie Hanson each led the Saints with two singles and an RBI. 

Maycee Bricker (W, 5-6) earned the victory after tossing 4 1/3 innings in the pitching circle for Dakota State. She allowed five runs (two unearned) on nine hits. Philop worked for two scoreless outs in the top fifth inning in relief.

Shevenell (L, 5-5) took the defeat in the pitching circle for Presentation. She gave up 13 runs (two unearned) on 11 hits. She recorded six strikeouts.  Lauren Paredes pitched in the bottom fifth inning.

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In the second game, the Trojans scored at least two runs in the first five innings, though Presentation did attempt to comeback with a ten run inning in the fifth.

To start the game, DSU scored four runs in the first inning to take a 4-1 early lead. They then added three more in the second before PC attempted to answer with a run in the top of the third, with the score now 7-2. 

The Trojans continued to balloon their lead in the bottom of the third with two more runs to lead 9-2. 

In the fourth, Carrington Entriger hit her second triple of the game, which helped to extend the Trojans lead to 12-2. Entringer became the fifth player to knot a single game-record in triples, with two (Brittany Hill, Jessica Alcala, Leigh Gramke, and Kendra Weisser).

Not only did she tie the single-game record triples, Entringer established a new record for all-time triples with 10 triples. Five different DSU players held the previous record with nine triples (Peyton Brokiewicz from 2016-19), Elizabeth Rubalcava (2013-16), Amanda Stevenson (2009-11), Jessica VanLoy (2006-08), and Allison Hubers (2005-06).

With the Trojans now up 13-2, the Saints began their comeback attempt in the fifth, as they brought in ten runs to now make it a one score game at 13-12. 

DSU answered with three more runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth, to take a 16-12 lead which they held onto for the rest of the game, as they earned the series sweep.

DSU outhit PC 18-8 in the game. The Saints committed six defensive errors compared to the Trojans five defensive errors.  Both teams left eight runners on base.

Entringer finished the game by going 4-of-5 at the plate, with two triples, a double, single, and recorded an RBI for DSU. Hannah McFarland added four singles, two RBIs, and scored three runs. Sims had a double, two singles and an RBI.

Rebecca Hazlett and Sophia Cordova each recorded two hits and two RBIs for the Trojans.  Alexus Foster had a double and two RBIs. Philop recorded a single and an RBI. Grace Ortmeier had an RBI. Kiley Walker had a hit.

Dakota State broke a team single game record of 11 stolen bases, previously held with nine stolen bases twice at Hillsdale Baptist on March 7, 2013, and versus Eastern on March 7, 2011.

Hazlett led the Trojans with four stolen bases, one stolen base shy of tying the single-game record of five stolen bases by Erica Belter versus Penn Tech on Mach 12, 2014. Philop added two stolen bases.  

Breanna Dunn led the Saints with a double, single, two walks, and drove in three runs. She swiped one base. Shevenell added a double, single, and two RBIs. 

Cordova (W, 2-1) earned the victory after working for 4 1/3 innings in the pitching circle for DSU.  She allowed seven runs (four unearned runs) on six hits. She struck out five Saints’ batters.  Mason Usselman worked for one out in the top fifth inning in relief. Ortmeier closed the game by tossing 2 1/3 shutout innings in relief.

Lauren Paredes (L, 3-7) recorded the defeat for PC after pitching three innings. She allowed nine runs (two unearned) on 12 hits. Yulissa Pena tossed for one-plus inning, giving up six runs (two unearned) on five hits. Shevenell pitched two innings in relief, yielding the Trojans to an unearned run on one hit. She recorded four strikeouts.

Dakota State earned their fourth straight win, their 8th win in the last nine games to improve their overall record to 10-16. The Trojans are 9-3 record in the league, breaking the previous best 12-game NSAA start in 2022 with an 8-4 record. Presentation fell to 8-14 overall record and evened their record at 4-4 in the conference play.

It was the third straight season that the Trojans recorded double-digits victories, and was the first time since the 2011 through 2014 when DSU hit double-digits wins.

This weekend’s four-game series might be the last time both teams will play head-to-head, despite PC’s announcement of their campus closure after this spring. The Trojans registered their ninth win in the previous ten meetings with the Saints.

Dakota State steps aside their North Star conference play as they travel to face Morningside this afternoon in a doubleheader starting at 2pm.