DICKINSON, N.D. – The first day of the North Star Athletic Association softball postseason tournament wrapped up with all higher seeds winning each game as No. 3 seed Dickinson State (N.D.) shut down No. 6 seed Waldorf (Iowa) 8-0 five innings.
It was the second straight game that the game ended early as the Blue Hawk Cassidy Venner blasted a lead-off home run in the bottom fifth, earning a match-up with No. 2 seed Valley City State (N.D.) in Saturday winner's bracket at 3 p.m. (Central Time)/2 p.m. (Mountain Time).
Waldorf (9-28 overall record) faces No. 4 seed Dakota State (S.D.) in the first loser's out game Saturday morning at 11 a.m. (CT)/10 a.m. (MT).
The Blue Hawks grabbed the first lead in the bottom first frame, thanks to Cassy Loa. She started with a walk and swiped to second base. She advanced to third base on WU's wild pitch and scored home on the same play after a defensive error committed by the Warriors, giving DiSU a 1-0 lead.
Dickinson State poured in five runs, highlighted by back-to-back RBI singles from Venner and Kara Conway. The Blue hawks added a pair of runs caused by Waldorf's miscues and wrapped with an RBI single from Loa for a 6-0 lead after two innings.
Waldorf was unable to convert their scoring chances in the top fourth inning with the bases full.
The Blue Hawks made it 7-0 in the bottom fourth as Bailey Hansen hit an RBI single to score Kiley Hubby, who drilled a double with two outs.
Venner had three hits in the game and drove in two runs for Dickinson State. Conway added two singles and an RBI. Loa and Hansen each had a hit and an RBI. Dallis Mitchell (W, 11-5) collected a complete game victory, limiting the Warriors to four singles. She also had a hit in the game.
McKenna Mentink (L, 1-13) took the defeat after pitching four-plus innings for Waldorf. She tallied two singles in the game. Brooke Hickey and Kyleigh Morris each had a single.