April 21, 2018

DICKINSON, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) stormed to a 7-0 first-inning lead Saturday afternoon in the North Star Athletic Association Baseball four-game series opener at Astoria Field, holding off Dickinson State's (N.D.) late comeback bid by the score of 7-6.  The Trojans fell short in the second game of the doubleheader as the Blue Hawks scored the game's winning run with one out in the final inning, earning a 4-3 victory.

Dakota State is 2-23 overall record and 2-13 record in league play.  Dickinson State is 3-24 overall record and 2-15 NSAA conference record.

Both teams will conclude their four-game series Sunday afternoon with the first game starting at 1 p.m. (Central Time)/12 p.m. (Mountain Time).

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 7, Dickinson State (N.D.) 6 – FINAL

Dakota State exploded for a season-high seven runs in the first inning, all by two outs.  Jalen Boyd hit a double.  Connor Nagel followed up with an RBI single to score Boyd to give DaSU a 1-0 lead (Nagel advanced to second base on the throw).

Dyshawn Proudlove reached on base by a walk.  Marcos Alvarez reached safely on base caused by DiSU's defensive error and allowed Nagel to score for 2-0 Trojans lead (Proudlove advanced to third base).

Dakota State was bases loaded after Hayden Klibbe recorded a walk (Alvarez advanced to second base).  Samuel Drummond produced a 2-RBI single to score Proudlove and Alvarez as the Trojans' lead grew to 4-0.

The Trojans continued its scoring surge as Smith Kemper blasted a 3-run home run to balloon their lead to 7-0.  It was his first home run of the season.

Dickinson State snapped their scoring drought with two runs scored in the bottom third frame.  Karson Hanosky led off with a walk.  Daniel Moreno hit a single and advanced Hanosky to second base.  Hanosky and Moreno each swiped one base with one out.

Dylan Skabo drilled a 2-RBI triple to score Hanosky and Moreno as the Blue Hawks cut Trojans' lead to 7-2.

DiSU plated four runs in the bottom fifth inning to trim DaSU's lead by one run.  The Blue Hawks were bases loaded with no outs after Hanosky and Moreno recorded back-to-back walks, followed by Gabe Lizarraga's single.  Nate Demarais registered an RBI walk to score Hanosky as the Blue Hawks trailed at 7-3.

Dickinson State reduced their deficit to 7-4 after Skabo's RBI sacrifice fly to score Moreno.  Ryan Absher reached on base by a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.  Karson Sweeny recorded an RBI fielder's choice to score Lizarraga as DiSU trim DaSU's lead to 7-5 (Demarais advanced to third base, while Absher was forced out at second base).

Lucas Rissler hit an RBI single to score Demarais as the Blue Hawks cut Trojans' lead to 7-6.  The Blue Hawks failed to continue their scoring outburst as they left the bases full when the fifth inning ended.

Dickinson State left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the victory for Dakota State.

Kemper had a home run, single and drove in three runs for the Trojans.  Nagel added a double, single and an RBI.  Drummond tallied a single and two RBIs.  Boyd had a double.  Proudlove, Jordan Hofer and Klibbe each had a hit.  Alvarez collected an RBI. 

Skabo led the Blue Hawks with a triple and produced three RBIs for the Blue Hawks.  Sweeney and rissler each had a hit and an RBI.  Moreno and Lizzarraga each had a hit.  Demarais had an RBI.

DaSU outhit DiSU 9-5 in the game. 

Garrison Collier (W, 1-4) earned the victory on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He tossed four-plus innings and allowed five runs on three hits.  He struck out six DiSU's batters.  Jacob Yaeger worked for two outs in the fifth inning and gave up a run on one hit.  Trey Randel closed out the fifth inning in relief.  Hunter Hazen (S, 2) notched his second save of the season, shutting out the Blue Hawks in the final two innings, retiring six of the last seven batters.

Absher (L, 1-4) pitched a complete game defeat for Dickinson State.  He gave up seven runs (six unearned) on nine hits.  He registered seven strikeouts.

Game 2 – Dickinson State (N.D.) 4, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL

There was a total of three ties in the second game of the doubleheader, before Dickinson State scored the game's winning run with one out in the final inning to earn a split.

The Trojans earned the first lead of the game in the top first inning, thanks to three straight singles by Alvarez, Hofer and Boyd.  Boyd produced an RBI single to score Alvarez to give DaSU a 1-0 lead.

DiSU answered back with a run scored in the bottom first frame.  Demarais led off with a single and advanced to second base after Skabo's sacrifice bunt.  Rissler hit an RBI two-out double to score Demarais as the Blue Hawks knotted the game at 1-1.

Dakota State regained their lead at 2-1 in the top third inning, thanks to a lead-off triple by Hofer.  Boyd followed up with an RBI single to score Hofer.

Dickinson State tied the game for the second time in the bottom fourth frame.  Rissler led off with a double.  He advanced to third base after Will Quito's ground out to second base.  Moreno hit an RBI single to score Rissler as the Blue Hawks tied the game at 2-2.

Hofer led off with a single in the top fifth inning for DaSU.  He swiped to second base and advanced to third base after Boyd's sacrifice bunt.  Nagel hit an RBI single to score Hofer as the Trojans regained their lead at 3-2.

Moreno kicked off the bottom sixth with a walk for DiSU.  He swiped to second base.  Lizarraga reached on base by a walk.  Demarais hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Moreno to third base and Lizarraga to second base.  Skabo recorded an RBI fielder's choice to score Moreno to record the third tie of the game at 3-3.

Dickinson State mounted a rally in the bottom seventh inning.  Rissler and Quito hit back-to-back singles to start the bottom seventh.  Hanosky recorded a sacrifice bunt to advance James Dunn (pinch runner for Rissler) to third base and Quito to second base.

Moreno reached on base by an intentional walk to set up a bases loaded situation with one out for the Blue Hawks.  Lizarraga hit an RBI fielder's choice to score Dunn as the Blue Hawks sealed a 4-3 thriller.

Hofer led the Trojans by going 3-of-4 at the plate with a triple, two singles and two runs scored for Dakota State.  He swiped one base.  Boyd added two singles and two RBIs.  Nagel had a hit and an RBI.  Alvarez, Proudlove, Kemper and Drummond each registered a single. 

Rissler was 3-of-3 at the plate with two doubles, single and an RBI for Dickinson State.  Quito added two singles.  Moreno had a hit and an RBI.  Demarais had two singles.  Skabo and Lizarraga each had an RBI.

The Trojans had 10 hits in the game compared to the Blue Hawks nine hits.  DiSU left 13 runners on base while DaSU had nine runners left on base.

Andrew Dayton started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for 3 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits.  Randel pitched for 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.  Hazen (L, 0-3) recorded the loss after pitching 1 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits.

Lizarraga (W, 1-5) earned a complete game victory for Dickinson State.  He allowed three runs on ten hits.  He struck out five batters.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director