The Official Site of the Fighting Saints

DICKINSON, N.D. - The Carroll College Softball team saw their 2026 season come to a close in a 10-2  Frontier Conference Tournament elimination game loss to third-seeded Valley City State on Friday evening at Bravera Field.

After staving-off elimination in the first of six games played today, the Fighting Saints (19-20, 13-13) couldn't get it done at the plate in a 10-2 six-inning loss in the nightcap.

Valley City State got out to a 1-0 lead after two innings on a Jenna Decker RBI double, and then knocked Carroll starter Kathryn Emmert (Helena, Mont. / SO) out of the game in a big third inning. The Vikings put up four runs on five hits, closing the book on Emmert who finished with four earned on four hits, walking a pair and striking out two. McKinley Ermshar (Battleground, Wash. / SO) came on in relief, helping limit the damage.

The Vikings added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth on three hits, putting Carroll in danger of going down on runs in the fifth with an 8-0 lead.

Carroll, who had been held hitless over the first four innings, finally got the bats going in the top of the fifth. Brynn Notbohm (Miles City, Mont. / SO) drew a leadoff walk, and then Kati Slater (Yamhill, Ore. / SR) recorded the Saints' first hit of the evening behind her. Down to their final strike, Brooke Thompson (Billings, Mont. / JR) put Carroll on the board with a shot up the middle, a two-RBI that would extend the game. Taylor Sayers (Helena, Mont. / SO) added another hit in the next at-bat, but the rally would end on a pop-up to second later in the frame.

VCSU would, however close things out in the sixth inning, as a pair of hit batters would eventually cross home on sac fly, and Ahleeya Nicola's walk-off RBI single.