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Dordt University

Softball by the Dordt University Athletic Communications Office

Softball Weekend Preview - Feb.16-17

GAME TIME:
  • The Dordt University softball team will host its third consecutive weekend classic (Feb.16-17) at the American State Bank Sports Complex. Eight teams are scheduled to compete in a total of 16 games over the two-day event.
  • The Defenders will play two games each day, beginning with Friday afternoon against Valley City State (N.D.) at 4pm. They will then play York College (Neb.) at 6pm on Friday night. Dordt returns to the field on Saturday for match-ups against Peru State (Neb.) and Dakota State (S.D.) at 10am / 2pm.
  • Follow the games live at the following links:
ALL-TIME VS THE OPPONENTS:
  • Dordt is 3-6 against Valley City State
    • 2015 - 1st meeting (6-4 loss)
    • 2018 - played 3x (1-2 record)
    • 2019 - played 2x (0-2 record)
    • 2020 - def. VCSU 4-2 in Aberdeen, S.D.
    • 2021 - lost 6-5 in Aberdeen, S.D.
    • 2022 - won 2-0 in Aberdeen, S.D. 
  • Dordt is 4-3 all-time against York:
    • 1994 - played 3x (won all 3)
    • 2000 - lost 4-1
    • 2009 - split doubleheader
    •  2013 - lost 4-3 in Shawnee, Okla.
  • Dordt is 6-9 all time vs Peru State
    • 1987 - 1st meeting; def. 5-0
    • 2023 - last time: Defenders won all three games played last year, all at the Dome
  • Dordt is 38-8 all-time against Dakota State
    • 1996 - 1st meeting (won all three games played)
    • 2023 - last time: Defenders went 2-0 vs DSU at the Dome
GPAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL:
  • The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) released its annual softball preseason coaches' poll earlier today and Dordt was picked to finish fifth by league coaches. The Defenders totaled 81 points, trailing Jamestown by four and are 17 points in front of No.6 Hastings.
  • Midland is the GPAC preseason favorite, while Northwestern and Morningside are picked second and third, respectively. 
IN THE RANKINGS:
  • Two teams from the GPAC, Midland and Northwestern, open the season ranked in the NAIA preseason poll. Midland, the GPAC postseason champion in 2023, is ranked 10th while Northwestern, the GPAC regular season champion, begins the season ranked 15th.
LONGEST TENURED COACH:
  • Head Coach Jeff Zomer begins his 15th season in charge of the Defenders softball program. Zomer, who took over the program in 2010, is the seventh head coach within the program and the longest tenured coach in program history. He holds a 276-299-1 record (49%) and has guided Dordt to the GPAC postseason tournament in all but two seasons.
ABOUT THE DEFENDERS: 
  • 2024 Record:
    • 1-6
      • last weekend: lost doubleheaders to ranked teams, Grand View and Mount Mercy
  • In 2023:
    • Record: 16-6 (T2nd),earned the No.4 seed in postseason, 35-13 overall
      • lost to Briar Cliff (2-1) and Mount Marty (9-3) in the GPAC Tournament
    • 16 GPAC wins - most conference victories under Zomer and most conference wins since 2002
    • 35 overall wins - school record
    • Postseason Honors:
  • return 6 starters in the batting order, 4 of 5 pitchers
  • By the Numbers (2024)
    • 3.1 runs / game; 6.1 hits / game
    • .239 batting average 
    • 11 extra-base hits
    • 1 home run
    • 9/11 stolen bases
    • 4.77 ERA
    • 5.8 runs / game given up, 8.7 hits given up / game
    • .339 batting average against
  • 2024 Leaders:
SCOUTING REPORTS:
  • Valley City State Vikings:
    • 2024 Record: 2-5
      • last time out:
        • went 1-3 last weekend in a classic played in Jamestown, N.D.
        • def. Mayville State, lost to Jamestown, Northern State (2x)
    • Head Coach: Matt Gable (2nd year)
      • 14 years of coaching experience w/ softball and baseball
      • owner of Diamond Academy
      • played fast-pitch softball for 14 years
    • Conference: North Star Athletic Association (NSAA)
    • 2023 Record / Finish: 18-7 (3rd of 13 teams), 28-23 overall
      • postseason tournament champion (4-0 record, def. Bellevue in championship)
      • qualified for NAIA Opening Round
      • went 0-2 at the Baldwin City, Kansas Bracket
    • About the North Star Athletic Conference:
      • 7 teams
        • Bellevue is preseason favorite and received votes in NAIA preseason poll
        • VCSU is picked to finish second
    • 2024 By the Numbers:
      • 3.4 runs, 6.3 hits / game
      • .272 batting average
      • 9 doubles
      • 1 home run
      • 1/3 stolen bases
      • 6.88 ERA
      • 6.8 runs given up, 9.6 hits given up / game
      • .366 batting average against
    • Key Players:
      • Kennadi Stone - .476 BA, 3 RBIs
      • Logan Gronberg - .421 BA, HR, 8 RBIs
      • Sierra Crocker (all-conf)- .300 BA, 3 runs, RBI
      • Maddy Zander (all-conf) - 2-2, 4.79 ERA  19 IP, 17 BB, 13 K's (2023 NSAA Newcomer of the Year)
      • Joelle Lamontagne (all-conf) - 0-1, 7.68 ERA, 13.2 IP
  • York Panthers:
    • 2024 Record: 1-5
      • last time out: went 1-4 in a classic in Mesquite, Texas
        • def. SW Assemblies of God, lost to Benedictine, Oklahoma City and Mid-American Christian
    • Head Coach: Aaron Alvarez (1st year)
      • served as an assistant coach with Citrus College (Calif.)
      • played baseball at York, led Panthers to NAIA Opening Round two years
    • Conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC)
    • 2023 Record / Finish: 11-13 (8th of 14 teams), 21-22 overall
      • 0-2 in conference tournament; lost to Ottawa and Bethany
    • About KCAC:
      • 14 teams, Ottawa picked first, followed by Friends
      • York is picked to finish 10th
      • two teams, Ottawa (17th) and Friends (RV) recognized in NAIA preseason poll
    • 2024 By the Numbers:
      • 2.7 runs / 6.3 hits / game
      • .273 batting average
      • 8 extra-base hits, 2 HR
      • 5/8 stolen bases
      • 9.06 ERA 
      • 10.1 runs given up, 10 hits given up / game
      • .373  batting average against
    • Key Players:
      • Paige Chapman - .474 BA, 4 runs
      • Kennedie Anderson (all-conf) - .471 BA, 3 runs, 2 extra-base hits
      • Kayla Noelker - .357 BA, RBI
      • Bailey Hardey - 1-2, 5.16 ERA, 9 K's
  • Peru State Bobcats:
    • 2024 Record: 0-0
    • Head Coach: Toni Closner (2nd year)
      • served as the Lincoln Southeast H.S. coach from 2020-22
      • assistant coach fro Lincoln North Star 3 years
      • played softball at Peru State, 2015 NAIA All-American
    • Conference: Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC)
    • 2023 Record / Finish: 4-22 (14th of 14 teams), 7-37 overall
    • About HAAC:
      • 14 teams
      • 4 teams (Central Methodist, Baker, Grand View and Mount Mercy) ranked in NAIA preseason poll
    • 2023 By the Numbers:
      • 2.5 runs / 5.7 hits / game
      • .225 batting average
      • 62 extra-base hits, 8 HR
      • 14/20 stolen bases
      • 5.70 ERA 
      • 6.7 runs given up, 9.3 hits given up / game
      • .336  batting average against
    • Key Returners:
      • Ellie Ohlde - .263 BA, 10 RBIs, 21 runs
      • Jami Mans - .238 BA, 14 runs, 10 RBIs, 2 HR
  • Dakota State Trojans:
    • 2024 Record: 0-0
    • Head Coach: Erin Skinner (1st year)
      • served as the head coach at Presentation College one year
      • named NSAA Coach of the Year in 2023
      • served as assistant coach at both Lyon (Ark.) and Doane (Neb.)
    • Conference: North Star Athletic Conference (NSAA)
    • 2023 Record / Finish: 12-15 (4th), 15-34 overall
      • went 2-2 in conference tournament, lost to Dickinson State to end season
    • About the North Star Athletic Conference:
      • 7 teams
        • Bellevue is preseason favorite and received votes in NAIA preseason poll
        • Dakota State is picked to finish fourth
    • 2023 By the Numbers:
      • 6.1runs / 8.9 hits / game
      • .322 batting average
      • 96 doubles, 23 HR
      • 107/132 stolen bases
      • 7.05 ERA 
      • 7.8 runs given up, 10.1 hits given up / game
      • .361  batting average against
    • Key Returners:
      • Michelle Evdos (NAIA All-American, all-conf)- .457 BA, 40 runs, 20 2B, 8 HR, 44 RBIs
      • Mackenzie Sims (all-conf) - .394 BA, 29 runs, 17 2B, 37 RBIs
      • Rosie Philop (all-conf) - .340 BA, 21 runs, 34 RBIs
      • Maycee Bricker - 8-11, 6.17 ERA, 120.1 IP, 71 K's
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Players Mentioned

Ella Koster

#2 Ella Koster

OF
Senior
Abby Kraemer

#23 Abby Kraemer

P
Senior
Karli Olsen

#11 Karli Olsen

C
Junior
Chandler Schemper

#10 Chandler Schemper

INF
Senior
Ivy Terpstra

#30 Ivy Terpstra

OF
Senior
Aurora Tyson

#44 Aurora Tyson

U/OF
Sophomore
Brooklynn Cox

#5 Brooklynn Cox

OF
Junior
Alexa Kopaska

#18 Alexa Kopaska

P/OF
Freshman
Chloe Kreuz

#2 Chloe Kreuz

P / U
Freshman
Ashtyn Grissom

#23 Ashtyn Grissom

INF
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ella Koster

#2 Ella Koster

Senior
OF
Abby Kraemer

#23 Abby Kraemer

Senior
P
Karli Olsen

#11 Karli Olsen

Junior
C
Chandler Schemper

#10 Chandler Schemper

Senior
INF
Ivy Terpstra

#30 Ivy Terpstra

Senior
OF
Aurora Tyson

#44 Aurora Tyson

Sophomore
U/OF
Brooklynn Cox

#5 Brooklynn Cox

Junior
OF
Alexa Kopaska

#18 Alexa Kopaska

Freshman
P/OF
Chloe Kreuz

#2 Chloe Kreuz

Freshman
P / U
Ashtyn Grissom

#23 Ashtyn Grissom

Freshman
INF