May 6, 2023
DICKINSON, N.D. – Michelle Evdos smashed a 2-run home run in the top seventh inning to help No. 4 seed Dakota State (S.D.) knot the game at 6-6 in with No. 7 seed Mayville State (N.D.) Saturday in the loser’s out game of the North Star Athletic Association Softball Postseason Tournament at Bravera Field. The Trojans poured in four runs in the top eighth inning and eliminated the Comets with a 10-6 victory.
It was the second time in the NSAA Softball Postseason Tournament that MSU went into extra innings (lost to No. 2 seed Valley City State, N.D., 2-1 Friday afternoon), ending their season at 7-31 overall record.
Dakota State (15-33 overall record) plays Sunday at 1 p.m. versus the winner of No. 3 seed Dickinson State (N.D.) and No. 5 seed Viterbo (Wis.), which is set to play Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. (MT).
Miquela Pino hit a 2-RBI double to give Mayville State their first lead of the game in the first inning.
After back-to-back walks Carrington Entringer and Alexus Foster in the top third inning, Carrington scored home after the Comets committed a defensive error after the foul out (MSU led 2-1).
Dakota State overtook the lead from Mayville State at 3-2 in the top fourth inning after a 2-run home run blast by Mason Usselman.
The Comets produced a 3-run production in the bottom fifth with 2-RBI single from Pino followed by an RBI single from Alyssa Avila for a 5-3 lead.
Dakota State would trim their deficit to 5-4 after Hannah Feser’s 2-out RBI single in the top sixth. The Comets answered with an RBI single from Erika Howell to score Sam Shumway who hit a lead-off triple in the bottom half of the inning, ballooning their lead to 6-4.
Evdos blasted a 2-run home run to left field in the top seventh with one out, tying the game at 6-6. The Comets left a runner in the bottom seventh as the Trojans forced the game into extra innings.
DaSU’s scoring surge began in the top eighth with a lead-off single by Feser followed by a walk from Maycee Bricker. Entringer would produce a sacrifice bunt to advance Feser to third base and Bricker to second base.
Foster hit a 2-RBI single to score Feser and Bricker as the Trojans earned an 8-6 lead in the top eighth. Dakota State would add two more runs as their lead grew to 10-6, capped by Hannah McFarland’s RBI sacrifice fly.
Dakota State secured the victory in the bottom eighth as their defense recorded three straight outs.
Mayville State outhit Dakota State 14-8 in the game, despite the setback. The Comets left 10 runners on base compared to the Trojans eight runners left on base.
Feser led the Trojans with two singles and an RBI. Foster, Evdos, and Usselman each had a hit and two RBIs. Entringer, Mackenzie Sims, and Rosie Philop each registered a single.
Usselman started the game in the circle for DaSU, working for 3 2/3 innings. Sophia Cordova worked for one out in relief, while Bricker (W, 8-11) earned the victory after pitching four innings. She limited MSU to one run on four hits.
Howell sparked the Comets’ offense attack with four hits and an RBI. Pino added a double, single, and drove in a game-high four runs. Shumway, Avila, and Sidney Fairbanks each collected two hits.
Courtney Boll (L, 3-14) took the defeat after pitching 7 1/3 innings in the circle for MSU. Fairbanks worked for two shutout outs in the top eighth in relief.