Game Time... The Dordt University softball team returns to the field this weekend for the second of its three home classics held at the
American State Bank Sports Complex in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Dordt will play a total of four games, two on both Friday and Saturday; they will open the weekend against William Penn on Friday afternoon (2pm) and will play Dakota State in the nightcap at 6pm. The Defenders return to the field on Saturday for games against Mayville State (10am) and Peru State (noon).
Watch all of the games this weekend on the Dordt Media Network and live stats will also be available; links are posted on the Class Homepage
Opening Weekend A Success...The Defenders began their 2023 season with a 3-1 record last weekend, earning a doubleheader sweep over Peru State and a win against Buena Vista in the final game on Saturday. Dordt lost to 11th-ranked Grand View for its only setback.
Dordt's Offense...averaged just over five runs per game and hit .300 as a team.
- Leaders:
- Ella Koster - .667 average, HR, 4 RBI
- hit safely in 3-of-4 games
- Cassie Van Otterloo - .600 average, 3 runs
- hit safely in 2-of-3 games
- Lauren Steenstra - .571 average
- hit safely in the 3 games she played
- Ivy Terpstra - .462 average, 3 runs, 2 RBIs
- hit safely in 3-of-4 games; had 2 hits in three games
Defenders on the Bases...stole 18-of-20 bases, led by
Chandler Schemper who went 9-for-9
Dordt's Pitching...accounted for an impressive 1.04 team ERA and posted two shutouts, one each for
Abby Kraemer and
Hailey Wilken. Collectively, the Defenders totaled 19 strikeouts against just six walks in 27 innings.
Scouting The Defenders' Opponents This Weekend...
-
Dakota State Trojans: 0-0
- Head Coach: Rachel Fricke (4th year)
- 10th overall season as a coach at DSU (6 years as ass't)
- Conference: North Star (8 teams)
- picked 4th in NSAA preseason poll
- all-time record vs Dordt: 8-36 since 1st meeting in 1996
- lost 12 straight vs Defenders
- 2022 record: 13-10 (3rd), 19-26
- 1st winning record in conference since .2014
- 2022 team stats:
- batting average - .335
- 6.1 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .320
- opponent runs / game - 7.8
- 4 starters, 10 players return
- key returners:
- Lopez Xotchil (all-conference) - .481 BA, 16 runs, HR, 28 RBIs
- Michelle Evdos (all-conference) - .462 BA, 4 HR, 43 RBIs
- Angela Slattery (all-conference) - .369 BA, 15 runs, HR, 14 RBIs
- 9-9, 4.15 ERA 116.1 IP, 63 Ks
-
Mayville State Comets: 0-0
- Head Coach: Vance Christianson (1st year)
- Conference: North Star (8 teams)
- picked 5th in NSAA preseason poll
- all-time record vs Dordt: 4-8 since 1st meeting in 2010
- won last 2 vs Defenders (2018)
- 2022 record: 10-12 (5th), 16-26
- lost to Dickinson State in NSAA conference tment
- 2022 team stats:
- batting average - .301
- 5 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .320
- opponent runs / game - 6
- 3 starters, 10 players return
- key returners:
- Mackenzie Hughes - .367 BA, 29 runs, 6 HR, 20 RBIs
- Brooke Roeges - .237 BA, 26 runs, 5 HR, 19 RBIs
- Courtney Boll (all-conference) - 9-6, 5.61 ERA, 87.1 IP, 70 Ks
-
Peru State Bobcats: 0-4 record this season
- Head Coach: Toni Closner (1st year)
- former All-American for the Bobcats
- Conference: Heart of America (14 teams)
- all-time record vs Dordt: 9-5 since 1st meeting in 1987
- lost four straight to the Defenders
- 2022 record: 10-26 (13th), 15-32 overall
- 2023 team stats:
- batting average - .264
- 2 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .310
- opponent runs / game - 6.3
- 5 starters, 12 players return
- key players w/ 2023 season stats:
- Kylee Weiss: .500 average (4/8)
- Kaelyn Hamblen: .400 average, 1 run, 4 RBIs
- Autumn Dixon: .375 average, run, 2 RBIs
- Lanie Dreyer: 0-2, 5.25 ERA, 12 IP, 9 earned runs, 9 BB, 9 K's
-
William Penn Statesmen: 0-2 record this season
- Head Coach: Mike Christner (22nd year)
- 674-470 career record (59% win percentage)
- 4 trips to the NAIA National Tournament
- 6x conference coach of the year
- Conference: Heart of America (14 teams)
- picked 5th of 14 teams in preseason poll
- all-time record vs Dordt: 4-1 since 1st meeting in 2009
- 2022 record: 18-14 (5th), 26-23
- 1st winning season since 2014
- 2023 team stats:
- batting average - .250
- 3 runs/game
- opponent batting average - .304
- opponent runs / game - 6.5
- 6 starters, 11 players return
- key players w/ 2023 stats:
- Valeria Quiroga (All-American): .600 BA, 3 runs, 2 HR, 3 RBIs
- Abby Wilson (all-conference): .571 BA, run, RBI
- Nayely Martinez: .400 BA
- Chelsey Huff: 0-1, 2.33 ERA, 6 IP, 5 K's
