Sioux Falls, SD – The Stevens Raiders Varsity softball team delivered an impressive performance on Friday, securing a commanding 13-2 win over the O’Gorman Varsity Knights at Bowden Field on the Augustana University campus. The Rapid City squad showcased a potent offense and stellar pitching, leaving no doubt about their dominance.
The Raiders wasted no time getting on the board, with Norah Tideman’s single in the first inning driving in two runs to give Stevens an early lead. They continued to build on their momentum in the bottom of the second, capitalizing on O’Gorman errors and a Lainey Van Zee double, each contributing a run to extend their advantage.
The third inning saw the Raiders further solidify their lead with a three-run outburst. Olivia Phelps grounded out to score one run, and Addie Hock blasted a two-run home run to left field, showcasing the team’s power.
Stevens truly broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth, exploding for five runs on three hits. Josie Thompson’s single brought home two runs, another O’Gorman error scored two more, and Van Zee added a sacrifice fly to cap off the scoring surge.
Lainey Van Zee was a force on the mound for the Raiders, earning the win after a dominant outing. She allowed only one hit and zero runs over four and one-third innings, striking out eight O’Gorman batters and issuing just two walks. Kara Collins came in to relieve Van Zee, closing out the game for Stevens.
The Raiders’ offense was relentless, accumulating 13 hits in the contest. Macy Muth led the charge with a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Olivia Phelps was a key contributor with three runs batted in, while Hock, Thompson, and Van Zee each collected multiple hits, demonstrating the depth of the Stevens lineup.
While O’Gorman managed a few hits from Zoey Bathke, Allie Hermsen, Vada Ellerbusch, and Lucy Kappel, they were unable to generate sustained offense against the formidable Stevens pitching. Allie Hermsen led the Knights with two runs batted in.
