Softball: Tucson Invitational

                The Dakota State Softball team traveled to Tucson, Arizona to participate in the Tucson Invitational. The team played a total of twelve games in a six day span beginning on March 6th and ending on March 11th. The Lady Trojans went 3-9 over the course of the tournament, picking up wins against Madonna University, Hiram College, and Lawrence Technological University. The losses came at the hands of: Aquinas College, Douglas College, Olivete Nazarene University, Concordia University, University of Saint Francis, Judson University, Arizona Christian, again to Aquinas College, and Robert Morris University.

                Highlighting the team’s trip was a 10-2 win over Lawrence Technological University. The Lady Trojans saw an offensive explosion in the early stages of their game, earning 5 runs in the bottom of the first inning and 4 in the bottom of the second inning. This gave them a 9 run lead that the Blue Devils of Lawrence Technological College couldn’t bounce back from. Leading the offensive display was Tatum Ronke and Jasmin Lucero, who each drove in 3 runs during the game, giving a combined 5 for 7 from the plate. Both ladies reached base on two doubles, along with Peyton Brokiewicz. Brokiewicz successfully reached base two more times in her four plate appearances.  Kelly Drake picked up the win on the pitching mound for Dakota State. She faced twenty batters, striking out two, and only allowing 2 runs on 8 hits.

                After all was said and done at the tournament, the Trojans left Tucson with a 10-13 overall record. After a two week break, the Lady Trojans Softball team will head to La Crosse, Wisconsin to take on Viterbo University in back-to-back doubleheaders on March 25th and March 26th.