Waldorf powers past Dakota State in NSAA sweep, wins sixth straight
By Matt Oliver
FOREST CITY – Completing a four-game North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) sweep, the Waldorf University softball team powered to a pair of five-inning victories over Dakota State University during Sunday’s doubleheader.
“It is difficult to beat any team three times, let alone four times,” Waldorf coach Lexy Determan said. “These are long weekends to stay focused through four games, but you can tell the girls are adjusting to the schedule.”
The Warriors (13-21, 7-9) claimed a 14-6 win in the opener, charging back from an early six-run deficit. Waldorf rolled to a 12-4 victory in the series finale.
“I’m very impressed with the way our girls battled all day,” Determan said. “We have proven time and again that we are never out of a ball game.”
Senior Maggie Eden smacked an RBI double, turning in a 2-for-3 performance for the Warriors in the opener. Junior Brittani Sanchez also went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI single.
Senior Kaitlin Murphy and junior Trista Bures ripped two-run doubles while senior Jessica Abrahamson added a single and two RBIs. Junior Ashton May belted a run-scoring single. Sophomore Taylor Bell singled and drove in a run. Senior Andrea Hartmann contributed a single in Waldorf’s 10-hit attack.
Elizabeth Rubalcava led the Trojans (7-19, 3-13) with a pair of doubles.
Sophomore Kaylie Brindley (2-6) notched the win. She struck out three batters, walked two and gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits in five innings.
Audrey Kosman (3-10) was saddled with the loss. She recorded a walk, a strikeout and surrendered 11 runs (five earned) on 10 hits in four and one-third innings.
Dakota State’s Claire Fischer started inside the pitcher’s circle. She issued three walks and gave up three unearned runs before exiting after one-third of an inning.
The Trojans scored six runs in the top of the first inning. Kayla Schmell put Dakota State on the board with an RBI single, April Pisk drew a bases-loaded walk, Kylee Pospisil knocked in a run on a groundout, Tatum Ronke produced a run-scoring single, Shai-Lee Hill drove in a run following a groundout and Harley Lindell added an RBI single.
Abrahamson reached on a fielder’s choice in the fourth to score Bell. May cracked an RBI single to cut Dakota State’s lead to 6-2.
The Warriors erupted for 12 runs in the fifth, bringing the game to an end on account of the eight-run mercy rule. Bell drove in a run as she reached base on a dropped fly ball. Murphy doubled in two runs, Abrahamson connected for a run-scoring single, Eden drilled an RBI double and Bures cranked a two-run double. Sanchez delivered an RBI single and later scored on an error. Abrahamson got aboard on a dropped fly ball, which allowed three runs to score and end the game.
Abrahamson led the charge for Waldorf in Game 2, going 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and four RBIs. Murphy went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Bell turned in a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI single while junior Hattie Hupke finished 2-for-4 with a run-scoring single. Hartmann launched a two-run homer, and senior Maggie Hawley provided a double. The Warriors generated 14 hits, receiving singles from Eden and Sanchez.
“Our bats really woke up, and I’m very impressed with our approach at the plate,” Determan said. “We really capitalized on their mistakes, including walks and errors and followed those with hard hits.”
Kosman paced the Trojans, going 2-for-3 with an RBI single. Ronke also collected two hits, including a double.
Hawley (4-5) picked up the win. She fanned two batters, walked four and yielded four unearned runs on eight hits in five innings. Hawley followed up Brindley’s solid Game 1 outing.
“Both pitchers did a great job adjusting to the strike zone and really settling in when we needed it,” Determan said.
Ashley Olson (2-6) was handed the loss. She issued four walks and allowed 11 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits in four and one-third innings. Hill gave up an unearned run on two hits, pitching the final one-third inning.
Dakota State tallied two runs in the first. Kosman singled in the game’s first run and Schmell later crossed home plate on an error.
Hartmann tied the game, crushing a two-run blast in Waldorf’s half of the first. The Red Bud, Illinois native leads the Warriors with four homers on the season.
Waldorf went in front 7-2 following a five-run second. The Warriors received RBI singles from Hupke and Murphy. Abrahamson smashed a three-run homer, which was the third long ball of the year for the West Bend native.
Pospisil scored on a passed ball in the third, and Ronke came home on a wild pitch to pull the Trojans within three runs.
Waldorf plated five more runs in the fifth. Hawley scored on an error, Bell singled in a run, Murphy bashed a two-run double and an RBI double from Abrahamson closed out the game.
The Warriors face Dordt College (19-15) on Thursday in a 5 p.m. nonconference twin bill at Sioux Center. Waldorf enters the two-game set riding a six-game winning streak.
“Moving forward, we need to keep the focus on not having one bad inning,” Determan said.