Blue Hawks softball splits pair of NSAA matchups

MADISON, S.D. - The No. 17-ranked Dickinson State softball team split its final two games of the North Star Athletic Association Triangular Tuesday, picking up an 8-5 win over Dakota State (S.D.) and suffering a 7-3 loss to Bellevue (Neb.).
Against Dakota State, Dickinson State (20-7, 3-1 NSAA) notched 14 hits and built an 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. The Trojans (2-5, 0-3) added one run in that frame and four more in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Dickinson State’s McKenzie Kenobbie went 4 for 4 with a run scored from the leadoff spot, helping set the table for everybody else. Monique Ysalas and Alex Vargas each tallied doubles, Morgan Glowa had a triple and McKenna Kostelecky went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBI.
Abi Brooks pitched six innings but got into trouble in the seventh, allowing the Trojans’ last four runs.
“We’re not good enough to just sit on a three- or four-run lead. We need to keep that momentum going,” DSU head coach Kristen Fleury said. “Every team is going to give us their best shot, and we just need to keep our focus.”
Amanda Flores came on in relief and pitched a perfect inning thereafter to seal the victory.
Against Bellevue (11-13, 3-1), Dickinson State let an early 3-0 lead slip away after the Bruins scored four in the fifth inning and tacked on three combined runs in the final two innings for the 7-3 win.
“We just got out of focus and out of our zone, and they were able to get runs off defensive miscues,” Fleury said. “They were just the better team today. We got too far behind, and we weren’t able to execute or get any runs back.”
Kenobbie had a two-run double in the second inning, which scored Andrea Rodriguez and Shannen Donnelly, and Donnelly added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to push the lead to 3-0.
A bases-loaded triple from Bellevue’s Kayla Young tied the game in the fifth inning, and Katie Frazen added an RBI single to score Young, giving the Bruins the lead.
Flores pitched 4 1/3 innings and was saddled with the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
DSU returns to the field for a doubleheader against Presentation College at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday.

Dickinson State 8, Dakota State 5

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DiSU: Abi Brooks, Amanda Flores and Brianna Grayson. DaSU: Audrey Kosman, Claire Fischer and Elizabeth Rubalcava.

W–Brooks. L–Kosman. HR–DiSU, McKenna Kostelecky.

Highlights: DiSU, McKenna Kostelecky 2 for 3, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 1 run; Monique Yslas 2 for 3, 2 RBI, 1 run; Morgan Glowa 1 for 3, 2 RBI, 1 run; McKenzie Kenobbie 4 for 4, 1 run. DaSU: Audrey Kosman 2 for 4, 2 RBI, 1 run; Tatum Ronke 3 for 4, 1 run, 1 RBI.

Bellevue 7, Dickinson State 3

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BU: Kelli Fisher, Erin Sharpe and Sayde Woten. DSU: Amanda Flores, Abigail Brooks, Alexzandria Watson, Rayleen Ortiz and Brenda Cruz.

W–Fisher. L–Flores.

Highlights: BU, Kayla Young 1 for 4, run, 3 RBI; Maddie Siedlik 1 for 1, 2 RBI. DSU, McKenzie Kenobbie 1 for 4, 2 RBI; Shannen Donnelly 1 for 2, run, RBI.