March 30, 2018
RALSTON, Neb. – Presentation (S.D.) had to use a pair of late-game surges Friday afternoon at Orval Smith Field, sweeping past Dakota State (S.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association baseball conference action. The Saints won by the scores of 9-3 and 7-4 to remain undefeated in league play.
Dakota State fell short for their first win of the season, falling to 0-15 overall record and 0-5 NSAA conference record. Presentation raised their overall record to 15-9 and 6-0 record in North Star conference.
Both teams close out their North Star's four-game series at Orval Smith Field Saturday. First game of the doubleheader is slated to start at 12 p.m.
Game 1 – Presentation (S.D.) 9, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL
Presentation outscored Dakota State 7-0 from the fifth to seventh innings in the first game of the doubleheader, erasing a 3-2 deficit for a 9-3 series-opener victory.
Jesse Spangler led off with a solo home run in the bottom first to give the Saints a 1-0 lead.
The Trojans answered back with two runs in the top second frame. Smith Kemper kicked off with a single, followed by Dyshawn Proudlove's double to advance Kemper to second base. Micah DeHarty recorded an RBI ground out with one out, scoring Kemper as DSU knotted the game at 1-1.
Proudlove swiped to second base, but a throwing error committed by PC's starting pitcher James Lewis to allow Proudlove score at home for 2-1 DSU lead in the top second inning.
Presentation scored once in the bottom half of the second inning. Max Christoff started with a single. He advanced to second base after wild pitch by the Trojans' starter Connor Nagel. Zane Hunt hit a single to advance Christoff to third base. The Saints tied the game at 2-2 after an RBI fielder's choice by Marcus Warscher to score Christoff.
Dakota State regained their lead in the top fourth inning with a run scored. Proudlove led off with a single and swiped to second base. DeHarty hit an RBI single to score Proudlove to give Trojans a 3-2 lead.
Spangler reached on base caused by DSU's defensive miscue in the bottom fifth inning. Cameron Guevara followed up with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Spangler as the Saints tied the game at 3-3.
Anthony Guzman followed up with a double for PC in the bottom fifth. A passed ball by the Trojans allowed Guzman advance to third base. Jace Wyatt hit an RBI single to score Guzman as Presentation regained their lead at 4-3.
The Saints extended their lead to 5-3 in the bottom sixth after Hunt's lead-off solo home run. Blake Crain hit a single with one out. Spangler drilled a double and advanced Crain to third base. PC continued its scoring surge as Guevara recorded a 2-RBI single to score Crain and Spangler for 7-3 lead.
Christoff and Johnny Radomskiy hit back-to-back solo home runs as the Saints widen their lead to 9-3 in the bottom seventh inning.
The Trojans left a runner on base when the game ended, securing the win for the Saints.
Proudlove finished the game by going 3-of-4 at the plate with a triple, double, single and scored two runs for Dakota State. He swiped two bases. Hofer added a double and single. DeHarty collected a single and two RBIs. Hayden Klibbe had two hits. Justin Odlum and Kemper each had a single.
Presentation hit four solo home runs in the game (Spangler, Hunt, Radomskiy and Christoff). Spangler added a double and scored three times. Guevara had a hit and tallied three RBIs. Guzman recorded a double. Wyatt had a hit and an RBI. Christoff had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.
PC outhit DSU 12-10 in the game. The Saints committed three defensive errors compared to the Trojans one defensive miscue. Dakota State left eight runners on base, while Presentation had seven runners left on base.
Nagel (L, 0-4) took the loss on the pitching mound after tossing five-plus innings for DSU. He allowed five runs (one unearned) on six hits. Trey Randel and Jacob Yaeger each worked for one inning in relief. Tyler Stading pitched a shutout eighth inning in relief.
Lewis (W, 3-1) earned the victory for PC. He pitched six innings and allowed three runs (one unearned) on seven hits. He recorded four strikeouts. Colin Crandall tossed three scoreless innings in relief, yielding three hits. He struck out three DSU's batters.
Game 2 – Presentation (S.D.) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 4 – FINAL
Knotted at 4-4 before entering the bottom fifth inning, Presentation used another late-game surge by scoring three runs for a 7-4 game two victory. The Trojans outhit the Saints 7-3 in the game.
The Saints reached safely on base after recording three consecutive walks by Guevara, Guzman and Radomskiy. Christoff smashed a grand slam to give PC a 4-0 early lead.
Dakota State snapped their scoring drought in the top fourth frame, thanks to a pair of doubles by Hofer and Nagel with both batters scoring on PC's wild pitches. Hofer led off the fourth inning with a double. He advanced to third base after a balk by the Saints.
DSU trimmed PC's lead to 4-1 after a wild pitch by Joey Wollman to allow Hofer to score in the top fourth.
Nagel followed up with another double for the Trojans in the top fourth inning. Kemper hit a ground out to shortstop and advanced Nagel to advance to third base. Proudlove hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center field and scored Nagel at home as Dakota State trailed 4-2.
Dakota State scored two more runs in the top fifth inning. DeHarty and Klibbe hit back-to-back singles to kick off the inning. Samuel Drummond recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance DeHarty to third base and Fabian Boria (courtesy runner for Klibbe) to second base.
Wollman threw a wild pitch to allow DeHarty to score as the Trojans cut Saints' lead to 4-3 (Boria advanced to third base). The Trojans tied the game at 4-4 after a third wild pitch by Wollman, scoring Boria at home.
Presentation broke the 4-4 tie into a 6-4 lead after Christoff blasted a two-out 2-run home run (Guzman was hit-by-pitch) in the bottom fifth frame.
With bases loaded situation in the bottom sixth inning, the Saints made it 7-4 after an RBI walk by Spangler.
Klibbe finished the game by going perfect 3-of-3 at the plate with three singles for the Trojans. Nagel and Hofer each added a double. Kemper recorded a single. Proudlove had an RBI. Hofer, Nagel, DeHarty and Boria each scored once. Hofer swiped one base.
Christoff had a pair of home runs in the game and drove in a game-high six RBIs for the Saints. Spangler added a single and an RBI. Eric Hernandez reached on base by a walk two times. Spangler and Hernandez each swiped one base.
PC left six runners on base compared to DSU two runners left on base.
Andrew Dayton started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State. He worked for four innings and allowed four runs on two hits. He struck out three PC's batters. Trae Ramsey (L, 0-2) took the loss after pitching the five innings, giving up two runs on one hit. Christian Sanchez worked in the sixth inning, while Stading closed out the sixth inning for DSU.
Wollman (W, 3-1) recorded the win after tossing five innings for Presentatino. He gave up four runs on six hits in five innings. Chris D'Amico pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief. Austin Crain (S, 5) earned the save after closing out the game in the seventh inning.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
