Softball Recap: Dakota Comes Up Short

Dakota extended their losing streak to three on Saturday, dropping their season record down to 15-5 in the process. They fell 9-4 to the Gaylord Blue Devils. Unfortunately, that's the second time they've come up short against the Blue Devils this season, as they also lost their prior matchup 17-7 on Saturday.

As for Gaylord, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won ten of their last 11 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-2 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.7 runs over those games.

For Gaylord's part, Aubrey Jones made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out nine batters over 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits (and only one walk). Jones has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double.

In other batting news, Nora Bethuy was incredible, going 4-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and two doubles. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Lily Ryckman Hall, who went 1-for-4 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI.

Dakota has already played their next game, a 2-1 defeat against Utica Ford on the 12th. As for Gaylord, they also didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next matchup, a 12-1 victory against Alpena on the 13th.