Blue Hawks blank Missouri Valley

• Kyrstin Gemar

Courtesy Photo by Lenny Gemar Dickinson State junior designated player Kyrstin Gemar swings on a pitch she hit for a two-run homer in the first inning Friday against Missouri Valley College. The Blue Hawks won 5-0 in the pool play game at the NAIA national softball championships.

Talk about it

By The Press Staff

DECATUR, Ala. — Two games done. Two games won. And Dickinson State has yet to allow a run.

After opening up a four-run lead against Missouri Valley College in the first inning, the third-ranked Blue Hawks leaned on sophomore pitcher Sara Jane Webster to finish the job Friday afternoon and avenge one of their three losses this season.

Webster struck out 12 and DSU held onto their lead, taking a 5-0 victory in Pool C action at the NAIA national softball championships.

It was the Blue Hawks’ 26th consecutive victory and the second shutout for DSU (38-3), which beat Northwood University 10-0 on Thursday.

“I hope we have one more shutout and then we’ll be in a good position,” DSU coach Guy Fridley said.

The Blue Hawks play 14th-ranked Concordia College (Calif.) at 11 a.m. today in their pool play finale. The winner of that game advances to the bracket tournament, which begins next Monday. The loser goes home.

Fridley said the Blue Hawks must do exactly what they did against Northwood and Missouri Valley if they hope to continue play.

“The one thing we’ve done so far in the first games is we’ve put the pressure on early and played with the lead,” Fridley said.

On Friday, the heart of DSU’s lineup gave it a sizeable lead before Missouri Valley even stepped to the plate. Juniors Jody Lantz and Kyrstin Gemar got things started.

Vanessa Adame reached on a bobble by MVC third baseman Sydney Kaneshiro and Webster doubled down the left-field line. Lantz then stepped up and singled home both to give DSU a 2-0 lead.

On the next at bat, Gemar took a 1-2 count and blasted a home run into left field to put the Blue Hawks ahead 4-0.

DSU junior Kelly Jahn went 2-for-4, adding an RBI single in the fifth to provide an insurance run.

Webster allowed three hits and walked two while also stranding runners at 2nd and 3rd base in both the fifth and seventh innings. She has struck out 20 batters and allowed five hits over 11 innings in the national tournament.

Fridley said he’ll likely start the hot-armed Webster against Concordia.

“The games just keep on getting bigger from here on out,” Fridley said. “If we can get through that and get to bracket play, anything can happen.”

DSU 400 010 0 — 5 11 0

MVC 000 000 0 — 0 3 3

Sara Jane Webster and Erika Arvizo. Jamie Jungerman, Tatum Hathcock (7) and Kristine Escujuri. W–Webster (24-2). L–Jungerman. HR–DSU, Gemar (8).

Highlights: DSU, Webster CG, 12 K, 2 BB, 3 H, 0 ER, 2-for-4, run; Jody Lantz 1-for-4, 2 RBI, run; Gemar 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI; Nikki Marcoux 1-for-4, run; Kelly Jahn 2-for-4, RBI; Vanessa Adame 2-for-4, run. MVC, Heather Sliger 1-for-3; Sydney Kaneshiro 1-for-2, BB; Wendy Garcia 1-for-2.

Tags: blue hawks, sports, softball, naia, college, dac