April 12, 2018

OMAHA, Neb. – Valley City State (N.D.) rolled to a 12-0 North Star Athletic Association Baseball's four-game series opener victory over Dakota State (S.D.) Thursday afternoon at Westgate Field.  The Trojans bounced back in the second game of the doubleheader, earning their first win of the season by holding off the Vikings 7-5.

Dakota State is 1-20 overall record and 1-10 record in North Star conference games.  Valley City State is 10-20 overall record and 4-8 record in league play.

Both teams conclude their four-game series with another doubleheader Friday at Westgate Field.  The first game is set for 11 a.m.

Game 1 – Valley City State (N.D.) 12, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL/7 innings

Valley City State scored in every inning except for the third inning, rolling to a 12-0 victory over the Trojans.  The game was scheduled for a nine-inning game, but the game ended in seven innings due to mercy rule.

The Vikings earned the first lead of the game in the bottom first inning.  Brady Smith led off with a single and advanced to second base after Emmanuel Leyva's ground out to third base.  Smith swiped to third base and advanced home on the same play caused by DSU's defensive error to give VCSU a 1-0 lead.

Valley City State made it 2-0 after the second inning after an RBI single by Tyler Ukestad.  The Vikings plated six runs in the bottom fourth inning to expand their lead to 8-0.

Smith added an RBI double in the bottom fifth frame to extend VCSU's lead to 9-0.  Valley City State scored three more runs in the sixth inning to balloon their lead to 12-0.

Dakota State was unable to score in the game, despite leaving 12 runners on base.

Dyshawn Proudlove went 3-of-4 at the plate with three singles for the Trojans.  Jalen Boyd added two singles.  Hayden Klibbe had a hit.  Boyd, Zach Sutera, Connor Nagel, Marcos Alvarez and Micah DeHarty each reached on base by a walk.

Smith, Nate Soulis and Ukestad each tallied two hits for the Vikings.  Soulis drove in three runs.  Smith and Ukestad each registered two RBIs.  Kody Lane scored three times and reached on base by a walk three times.  Ukestad recorded two stolen bases.  Lane and Smith each swiped one base.

VCSU outhit DSU 11-6 in the game.  The Vikings committed four defensive errors compared to the Trojans three defensive miscues.

Andrew Dayton (L, 0-2) took the loss on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for 3 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs (three unearned) on seven hits.  Kyle Grant tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief, giving up a run on three hits.  Kyle Gosh pitched in the sixth inning, while Bailey Belisario closed the sixth inning for the Trojans.

Nicholas Vargas (W, 2-4) notched the pitching victory for Valley City State.  He pitched 5 1/3 innings and limited the Trojans to five hits.  He recorded seven strikeouts.  Jacob Miller worked for two outs in the sixth inning.  Derek Stiedley tossed a scoreless seventh inning after issuing three walks.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 7, Valley City State (N.D.) 5 – FINAL

Dakota State used a huge seventh-inning with three runs scored and held off Valley City State's comeback for a 7-5 victory, snapping DSU's 20-game losing skid this season (as well as 29-game losing skid from last season).

After a scoreless first inning, the Trojans earned the first lead of the game in the top half of the second inning.  Nagel led off with a double.  Marcos Alvarez recorded a bunt single and advanced Nagel to third base.  Proudlove produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Nagel for DSU's 1-0 lead.

Valley City State plated three runs in the bottom third inning to overtake the lead from Dakota State.  Ukestad led off with a walk.  Austin Smith hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Ukestad to second base.  Leyva produced an RBI single to score Ukestad as the Vikings knotted the game at 1-1.

VCSU made it 3-1 in the bottom third after a 2-run home run blast by Grant Wehseler.

The Trojans answered back with three runs scored in the top fifth inning, all run scored with two outs.  Sutera reached on base with a walk.  A balk committed by VCSU allowed Sutera to advance to second base.  Jordan Hoffer added a walk.  Boyd drilled a 2-RBI double to score Sutera and Hofer as DSU tied the game at 3-3.

Nagel followed up with an RBI single to score Boyd as Dakota State regained their lead at 4-3 in the top fifth.

Valley City State scored once in the bottom fifth to record the third tie of the game.  Ukestad hit a single to start the bottom fifth.  He swiped to second base.  Smith hit a bunt single to advance Ukestad to third base.  Brady Smith hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Ukestad as the Vikings tied the game at 4-4.

Both teams did not sure in the sixth inning.

The Trojans exploded for three runs to regain their lead in the final inning.  Sutera kicked off the seventh inning with a single.  Hofer followed up with a walk and advanced Sutera to second base.  Boyd recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance Sutera to third base and Hofer to second base.  Alvarez reached on base by a walk to set up a bases loaded with two outs situation.

Proudlove recorded an RBI hit-by-pitch to score Sutera to put Trojans up 5-4 in the top seventh inning.  DSU continued its scoring outburst as Klibbe hit a 2-RBI single to score Hofer and Alvarez to extend their lead to 7-4.

The Vikings attempted a comeback in the bottom half of the seventh inning.  Brady Smith opened up with a single to left field.  Leyva reached on base caused by DSU's defensive errors and advanced Brady Smith to third base.  Wehseler hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Brady Smith as VCSU cut DSU's lead to 7-5.

Jorun Hamre hit a double and advanced Leyva to third base with one out for Valley City State.  Breenen Neva popped out to first base for VCSU's second out in the bottom seventh.  Lane was hit-by-pitch to set up a bases loaded situation, but the Trojans secured the victory after VCSU's Alejandro Gutierrez flied out to center field.

Nagel, Alvarez and Klibbe each tallied two hits for Dakota State.  Boyd had a double and two RBIs.  Sutera had a hit and scored twice.  Hofer reached on base-on-balls two times and scored twice.  Proudlove and Klibbe each drove in two runs.  Nagel recorded a stolen base.

Wehseler hit a home run and collected three RBIs for Valley City State.  Brady Smith and Leyva each had a hit and an RBI.  Hamre, Ukestad and Austin Smith each had a hit.  Ukestad scored two times.

DSU outhit VCSU 8-6 in the game.  The Vikings left eight runners on base compared to the Trojans seven runners left on base.  DSU committed four defensive errors while VCSU did not commit an error.

Samuel Drummond made his first career starting appearance on the mound for Dakota State.  He worked for four-plus innings and gave up four runs on four hits.  Trey Randel tossed a scoreless inning in relief.  Jacob Yaeger (W, 1-0) earned the victory after pitching a scoreless sixth inning, recording two strikeouts.  Hunter Hazen (S, 1) gained his first career save, despite giving up a run on two hits in the final inning.

Andrew Hirsch started the game for Valley City State.  He pitched five innings and gave up four runs on five hits.  He struck out four DSU's batters.  Max Koprek (L, 3-2), who holds the best earned run average (ERA) in the North Star conference, took the loss after tossing two innings in relief.  He allowed three runs on three hits. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director