ABERDEEN, S.D. – Trailing 9-4 in the bottom sixth inning Saturday evening in the Navy Bracket's championship game of the North Star Athletic Association Softball Postseason Tournament at Players Softball Complex, Dickinson State (N.D.) stormed back by plating four runs in the bottom sixth and completed a wild comeback with two runs in the seventh for a 10-9 victory.
No. 3 seed Dickinson State, raising their overall record to 29-19, plays No. 1 seed Jamestown (N.D.) in the NSAA Championship Series Best-of-3 Sunday afternoon with first game at 12 p.m. Valley City State (N.D.), receiving votes in the national poll, is 39-12 overall record and awaits to see from the national office if they have a chance for an at-large bid for the national tournament.
The Vikings pound out 17 hits in the game despite the defeat. The Blue Hawks registered 12 hits.
Claire Shoffit smashed a 2-run home run to give the Blue Hawks a 2-0 early lead in the first inning.
VCSU scored its first run of the game in the top second frame when Jayme Menard drilled an RBI single to score Voni Culp, who hit a lead-off single (VCSU trailed 2-1).
Both teams scored once in the third inning to tie the game at 3-3. The Vikings gained the first lead of the game at 4-3 in the top fourth with an RBI single by Emily Smith.
Tatum Lundin hit an RBI double as Valley City State extended their lead to 5-3 in the top fifth. Shoffit answered with a lead-off home run in the bottom half of the fifth as DSU trailed 5-4.
Valley City State exploded for four runs in the top sixth inning, producing three straight hits by Smith, Kelli More and Culp. The Vikings' lead grew to 9-4.
The Blue Hawks took advantage of two singles, three walks and a hit-by-pitch as they answered back with four runs. Rayleen Ortiz hit a 2-RBI single as Dickinson State cut Valley City State's lead to 9-8.
VCSU could not score in the top seventh frame after leaving two runners on base.
Emilee Sickler sparked the Blue Hawks' rally after a lead-off double in the bottom seventh. Mariah Gamboa hit an RBI single to score Sickler with one out as the game was knotted at 9-9.
Facing two outs for DSU, Shoffit reached on base by an intentional walk and advanced Gamboa to second base. Kayla Stephens hit the walk-off RBI double to score Jalen Creech, who was pinch running for Gamboa.
Shoffit finished the game by going 3-of-3 with two home runs and drove in four runs for Dickinson State. Kayla Stephens added two hits and two RBIs. Sickler had two singles and two runs scored. Gamoba tallied two singles and an RBI.
Culp was 3-of-4 at the plate with a double, two runs scored and an RBI for Valley City State. Smith had three hits and two RBIs. Menard added two hits and two RBIs.
DSU's Abi Brooks (W, 13-7) recorded the win after starting for the first six innings and came back in the sixth inning to complete the game. She allowed five runs (one unearned) on 14 hits. Carrie Nagle worked for one out in relief, despite givig up four runs (two unearned) on three hits.
Haley Butterfield started the game in the pitching circle for VCSU. She worked for five innings and gave up seven runs on eight hits and issued eight walks in the game. Nichole Reed pitched for one out in relief. Smith (L, 11-3) took the loss after pitching 1 1/3 innings. She gave up two runs on three hits.
Nick Huntimer, North Star Athletic Association Sports Information Director
