March 11, 2017

TUCSON, Ariz. – Dakota State (S.D.) faced Northwestern (Iowa) for the second time during the Tucson (Ariz.) Baseball Invitational at Kino Sports Complex Saturday.  The Red Raiders held a 4-3 lead after the first inning and outscored the Trojans 13-0 in the last six innings to earn a 17-3 victory.

Dakota State fell to 0-4 overall record.  Northwestern improved to 8-4 overall record.

The Red Raiders scored four times in the top first inning to earn a 4-0 lead.

DSU answered back with three runs in the bottom half of the first inning.  Jalen Boyd led off with a double.  Zach Sutera hit a ground out to shortstop and advanced Boyd to third base.  Smith Kemper produced an RBI ground out to score Boyd for DSU's first run of the game, trailing 4-1 to NWIA.

Dakota State cut Red Raiders' lead to 4-2 after Dyshawn Proudlove smashed a solo home run with two outs in the bottom first inning.

The Trojans added a run in the bottom first inning to reduce their deficit by one run.  Connor Nagel was hit by pitch.  Garrett Mullins drilled a double to advance Nagel to third base.  On the same play, Nagel scored home caused by NWIA's defensive error as DSU trailed 4-3.

Northwestern plated three runs in the top second inning to extend their lead to 7-3, highlighted by AJ Nitzschke's 2-RBI double.  The Red Raiders scored a total of ten runs in the final four innings of the game to secure the victory.

Four Trojans – Boyd, Mullins, Nagel and Proudlove – recorded a double in the game.  Proudlove added a home run, a stolen base and an RBI.  Kemper registered an RBI.  David Kirby had a single.

Nitzschke had two doubles, a single and drove in three runs for the Red Raiders.  Reed Smith added two hits and an RBI.  Eleven NWIA players recorded a hit in the game. 

Northwestern outhit Dakota State 16-7.  The Red Raiders left seven runners on base compared to the Trojans five runners left on base.

Hayden Rainey (L, 0-1) took the loss on the pitching mound for DSU.  He worked for 3 1/3 innings and allowed nine runs (seven unearned) on seven hits).  Mullins tossed 3 2/3 innings in relief and gave up eight runs on six hits.

Alec Rickabaugh (W, 2-0) earned the victory after pitching six innings.  He allowed three runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  He struck out seven DSU's batters.  Zach Rosson pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief.

Dakota State is slated to face NCAA Division II St. Cloud State (Minn.) – coached by former DSU's head coach Pat Dolan – in the second game of the day Saturday in the Tucson (Ariz.) Baseball Invitational at Kino Sports Complex.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director