March 4, 2019
WESTWEGO, La. – Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to hold on to their 6-3 lead in the first game of the non-conference baseball doubleheader against host-team Loyola (La.) at Bayou Segnette Field Monday. Trailing 6-5 in the final inning, the Wolfpack rallied back with two runs scored for a 7-6 victory. LU shut down DSU 9-0 in the second game to complete a doubleheader sweep.
Dakota State dropped to 0-6 overall record. Loyola improved to 11-9 overall record.
Game 1 – Loyola (La.) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 6 – FINAL
DSU jumped to a 3-0 early lead. Jerrett Plunkett led off the game with a walk. He swiped to second base. Jalen Boyd followed up with a single and advanced Plunkett to third base. Samuel Drummond produced an RBI single to score Plunkett as the Trojans earned the first lead of the game at 1-0 (Boyd advanced to second base).
After Chris Kropuenske's ground out to first to advance Boyd to third and Drummond to second base, Marcos Alvarez reached on base caused by LU's defensive error and produced an RBI to score Boyd to extend Trojans' lead to 2-0 (Drummond advanced to third base).
DSU made it 3-0 in the top first inning after Tanner Landman hit an RBI ground out to score Drummond.
Loyola answered back with three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Zachary Cook led off with a single and advanced to second base after Nathan Law's walk. Brandon Wilson, Jr. reached safely on first base on fielder's choice, where Law was out on second base (Cook advanced to third base). Allen Dennis hit an RBI single to score Cook for LU's first run of the game (Wilson, Jr. advanced to third).
Payton Alexander reached on base caused by Trojans' defensive miscue, allowing Wilson, Jr and Dennis to score as the Wolfpack knotted the game at 3-3.
Dakota State produced another three-run inning in the top second frame. Keaton Hoeke led off with a single. Adrian Butrimas drilled an RBI double to score Hoeke as DSU regained their lead to 4-3.
Plunkett reached on base by a walk and advanced Christian Sanchez, courtesy runner for Butrimas, to second base. Drummond added a 2-RBI double to score Sanchez and Plunkett as DSU widen their lead to 6-3.
The Wolf pack scored once in the bottom second inning to trim the Trojans' lead to 6-4. With two outs, Cook reached on base by a walk. He advanced to second base after Law's single. Cook scored after DSU committed a passed ball as the Trojans' lead went down by two runs.
Patrick Chen See led off with a walk in the bottom fourth inning for Loyola. Gabriel Trastoy hit a bunt single infield and advanced Chen See to second base. Cook added a bunt single, but Chen See was tagged out at home (Jesse Jordan – courtesy runner for Trastoy – advanced to third base). A wild pitch by Adam Berryhill allowed Jordan to score as the Wolf pack cut Trojans' lead to 6-5 in the bottom fourth inning.
Loyola mounted a comeback in the final inning with two runs scored with no outs. Dennis led off with a double to deep right-center. Payton Alexander followed up with a walk. Charlie Seiter bunted and reached on a base hit to set up a bases loaded situation for the Wolf pack.
Luke Lacoste was hit-by-pitch and scored Dennis to tie the game for the second time at 6-6. Jordan hit a game-winning RBI single to score Alexander to secure a 7-6 victory.
Boyd was 3-of-4 at the plate with a double, two singles and scored a run for Dakota State. Drummond added a double, single and drove in three runs. Butrimas recorded a double and an RBI. Hoeke had two hits and a run scored. Chris Burke had a hit. Alvarez and Landman each produced an RBI. Plunkett scored twice, reached on base two times and swiped a base.
Dennis led Loyola after going 3-of-4 at the plate with two doubles, a single and drove in a run. Cook had two singles and two runs scored. Jordan, Trastoy, Charlie Seiter and Law each added a hit. Alexander registered two RBIs. Wilson, Jr. Michael Toscano and Dennis each had a stolen base.
Both teams recorded nine hits in the game. The Wolfpack left 10 runners on base compared to the Trojans six runners left on base.
Berryhill started the game on the pitching mound for DSU. He tossed six innings and allowed five runs (one unearned) on six hits. He struck out five LU's batters. Brett Sanchez (L, 0-1) recorded the loss, despite working in the bottom seventh frame in relief. He gave up two runs on three hits.
Matthew Champagne worked for the first 1 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on five hits for LU. Wyatt Lankford (W, 3-1) earned the victory after limiting the Trojans to four hits in 5 2/3 innings and did not give up a run.
Game 2 – Loyola (La.) 9, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL
Loyola held Dakota State to two hits in the second game of the doubleheader, cruising to a 9-0 victory.
The Wolfpack raced to an 8-0 lead after three innings. LU scored three runs in the first inning, two runs in the second inning and another three-run inning in the third frame. Loyola scored once in the bottom sixth inning to complete the final score.
Ryan Jackovich had a double for the Trojans. Hoeke added a single. Plunkett and Burke each reached on base by a walk two times. Boyd, Alvarez and Hoeke each had a walk.
Dennis led the Wolfpack's offensive attack with a triple, double, single and drove in three runs. Wilson, Jr. added three singles and two RBIs. Jase Biehl produced two singles, two RBIs and stole the base twice. Alexander had a hit and an RBI. Nicholas Caldwell, Cole Nalesnik and Jordan each had a single.
Loyola outhit Dakota State 12-2 in the game. LU left 11 runners on base while DSU had 10 runners left on base.
The Trojans committed seven defensive miscues compared to the Wolfpack one error.
Ryan Peterson (L, 0-1) recorded the loss for DSU. He worked for two innings and allowed five runs (one unearned) on six hits. Justin Butler pitched for one inning, giving up three runs on four hits. Andrew Dayton tossed two scoreless innings and yielded LU to just one hit. Max Luesebrink pitched in the bottom sixth inning and gave up an unearned run on one hit.
Toscano (W, 1-1) earned the win on the pitching mound for LU. He gave up one hit and recorded six strikeouts in three innings. Lawrence Frishberg pitched three innings and allowed one hit. He gave up four walks. Joseph Snowden worked the final inning in relief.
Up Next
Dakota State is seeking for their first wins of the season as they continue their action in Louisiana. The Trojans play Champions Christian (Ark.) in a doubleheader as part of LSU-Alexandria triangular on Tuesday. First pitch is at 12:30 p.m. The games will be held at Generals Field.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
