The Ladyjack Softball team was finally able to open their 2023 season this past weekend under first year head coach Jason Lindgren. DCB played six conference games over three days between Glendive and Miles City, Montana. Over those six games the Ladyjacks went 1-5. Falling 11-1 and 9-7 to Lake Region State College, being swept 16-1 and 10-1 by Dawson Community College, and picking up a split in two tightly contested games with Williston State College winning 15-9 and falling 16-10.
Lake Region Series
In the first game of the series the Royals grabbed a 4-0 lead in the second inning. The Ladyjacks got a run back in the top of the third off a Brooklynn Hartman RBI. After both teams were held scoreless in their next half inning, Lake Region exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. DCB could not answer in the top of the fifth and the game ended 11-1. The Ladyjacks mustered just three hits in the contest. However, when they did get on base, they were able to make moves as the team had four stolen bases. Hartman had two and Lexie Nelson and Hannah Funk each had one.
Game two went very differently than game one. The Royals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, the Ladyjacks responded tying the game in the bottom of the second and then taking a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the third. The Royals got a run back in the top of the fourth inning to make the game 5-3 in favor of DCB. In the fifth inning both teams got two runs across to make the score 7-5, and after a scoreless sixth inning the score remained that ways as the Royals came up for their final at bats. In the top of the seventh Lake Region scored four runs to give them a 9-7 lead. The Royals held the Ladyjacks scoreless in the bottom of the inning to steal the win late 9-7. The Ladyjacks tallied 11 hits highlighted by two doubles from Hannah Funk and a triple by Lexie Nelson. Destiny Flores and Funk each had two RBIs, Lilianna Valdivia and Nelson each had one. On the basepaths Nelson and Valdivia each had a stolen base, and Brennah McLaughlin recorded three.
Dawson Series
In game one the Bucs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning and added six runs in the top of the third and fourth innings to make the score 13-0. Kindal DeGraeve drove in the lone run of the game for the Ladyjacks in the bottom of the fourth. DCC added three runs in the top of the 5th to make the score 16-1 allowing in to end after five innings. Brooklynn Hartman, Lexie Nelson, and Brennah McLaughlin each had a stolen base.
In game two the Bucs pushed three runs across in the bottom half of each of the first two innings giving them a 6-0 lead. DCB got on the board in the top of the third with a McLaughlin RBI. The Bucs responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to give them a 10-1 lead. Neither team was able to muster another run and the Bucs would win 10-1 in five innings. Hartman picked up one stolen base and Hannah Funk struck out on batter in the circle.
Williston State College Series
In game one the Ladyjacks got the bats going early with a four run first inning. The Tetons scored a run in the top of the second and two in top of the third to make the score 4-3. DCB responded erupting for seven runs in the bottom half of the third to give the Ladyjacks as 11-3 lead. The two teams traded runs back and forth in the middle innings but in the end it would be the Ladyjacks coming out with a 15-9 win for their first win of the season. Lexie Nelson had a monster game with a home run and a triple and drove in six runs, she also picked up a stolen base. Madison Elliot, Kindal DeGraeve, and Hannah Funk each had two RBIs. Destiny Flores and Lilianna Valdivia each had an RBI, Valdivia also had a double. Elliot, Valdivia, and Flores also were thieves on the basepaths each picking up a stolen base. Valdivia picked up the win in the circle striking out three batters, Funk was credited with the save.
In game two the Tetons struck first with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. DCB responded in the top of the second as five runs came across to score giving them the lead 5-4. In the top of the fourth the Ladyjacks doubled up the Tetons with three more runs making the score 8-4. Williston State responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut the DCB lead to one at 8-7. The Ladyjacks gave themselves some breathing room as they scored a run in each of the fifth and six innings giving them a 10-7 lead. The bottom of the sixth would be a rough inning for the Ladyjacks as they would commit four errors and give up nine runs none of which would be earned giving Williston State a 16-10 lead with one set of at bats left for DCB. The Ladyjacks would be unable to score in the top of the seventh and drop the game by a final score of 16-10. Trinity Tanner hit her first home run of the season and drove in two runs, Brennah McLaughlin doubled and drove in two runs, Lexie Nelson added to her strong RBI weekend with two more, Lilianna Valdaivia doubled and drove in a run, and Madison Elliot had an RBI. Starting pitcher Brooklynn Hartman struck out two batters in four innings.
The Ladyjacks record sit at 1-5 overall and in the Mon-Dak. DCB will return to Montana next Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday or six more games. Stay tuned to DCB Athletics social media channels for any updates about live streams or ways to follow along on Game Changer.