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Dakota State University

Scoreboard

7
Valley City State (N.D.) VCSU 7-15, 0-1 NSAA
9
Winner Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 8-7, 1-0 NSAA
Valley City State (N.D.) VCSU
7-15, 0-1 NSAA
7
Final
9
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU
8-7, 1-0 NSAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Valley City State (N.D.) VCSU 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 7 13 4
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 9 9 2

W: Kirby, David (1) L: Almanza, Phil (1)

14
Winner Valley City State (N.D.) VCSU 8-15, 1-1 NSAA
8
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 8-8, 1-1 NSAA
Winner
Valley City State (N.D.) VCSU
8-15, 1-1 NSAA
14
Final
8
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU
8-8, 1-1 NSAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Valley City State (N.D.) VCSU 3 3 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 14 18 3
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 1 0 2 0 2 2 1 0 0 8 11 4

W: Taylor, Mitch (1) L: Hultgren, Carver (1) S: Butz, Reed (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Macaluso blasts walk-off 3-run home run as DSU splits NSAA baseball with VCSU

March 28, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – It took two days to determine the North Star Athletic Association baseball season opener at Flynn Field.  The game between Valley City State (N.D.) and Dakota State (S.D.) was knotted at 2-2 in the top seventh inning before the game was halted due to weather Saturday afternoon.  The nine-inning game resumed Sunday afternoon as the Trojans rallied back with a walk-off 3-run home run by Mason Macaluso for a 9-7 victory.  VCSU started fast in the second game, holding on to a 14-8 nine-inning contest win over DSU to earn a doubleheader split.

Dakota State is 8-8 overall record, while Valley City State is 8-15 overall record.  Both teams are 1-1 record in NSAA.

The Trojans and the Vikings conclude their four-game series Monday afternoon in a pair of seven-inning games.  First game is slated for 1 p.m.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 9, Valley City State (N.D.) 7 – FINAL

  • On Saturday, the Trojans kicked off the bottom first with a walk by Ryan McDaniel.  Alec Gannon, courtesy runner for McDaniel, advanced to second base after VCSU's defensive miscue with one out. 
  • Macaluso produced an RBI single to score Gannon to give DSU a 1-0 lead in the bottom first fame. 
  • The Trojans added a run, thanks to back-to-back singles by Chris Kropuenske and Samuel Drummond.  Drummond collected an RBI by scoring Macaluso as DSU's lead grew to 2-0.
  • Valley City State could not convert their scoring opportunities in the top fourth inning as they left bases full. 
  • The Vikings ended its scoring drought with a run scored in the top sixth.  Pinch hitter Dustin Mertz started with a single.  Jayden Shipman added a single with one out and advanced Mertz to second base.  Colton Berg hit an RBI single with two outs to score Mertz as VCSU trimmed DSU's lead to 2-1.
  • JT Reed reached on base with a walk to lead off the top seventh for Valley City State.  David Demeter followed up with a bunt single and advance Reed to second.  Mertz recorded an RBI single to score Reed as the Vikings knotted the game at 2-2.
  • The game was halted due to rain/snow showers with Demeter on third base and Mertz on second base after a throw in the top seventh inning with no outs.
  • The game resumed Sunday late afternoon.  Shipman was hit-by-pitch with one out to set up a bases loaded situation for VCSU.  Ryan Reynolds produced a 2-RBI single to score Demeter and Mertz as VCSU earned a 4-2 lead.
  • The Trojans answered with two runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning.  Chris Burke led off with a walk.  McDaniel reached on base caused by VCSU's defensive error, advancing Burke to second base.  The Vikings followed up with a wild pitch to allow Burke and Gannon (courtesy runner for McDaniel) advance one base.
  • Jackson O'Neal hit an RBI ground out to score Burke as the Trojans trailed 4-3 with one out in the bottom seventh (Gannon advanced to third base).  Jace Pribyl added an RBI sacrifice fly to score Gannon as DSU rallied back to tie the game at 4-4.
  • VCSU's Zach Venman was hit-by-pitch to start the top eighth.  After two outs were recorded, Demeter blasted a 2-run home run as Valley City State regained their lead to 6-4.
  • The Vikings added one more run to extend their lead to 7-4 in the top eighth.  Mertz reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error.  Drew Nixon hit an RBI double to score Mertz as VCSU earned a three-run lead.
  • Valley City State left three runners on base in the top ninth frame and could not covert their scoring chances.
  • Dakota State stormed back in the bottom half of the ninth inning to secure their first North Star season opening win for the first time since 2017.
  • Burke reached on base after VCSU committed a defensive error.  McDaniel drilled an RBI double to score Burke as Dakota State's deficit was reduced to 7-5 with one out.
  • The Vikings committed another defensive error, allowing O'Neal to reach safely on base.  Gannon, courtesy runner for McDaniel, scored on the same play as the Trojans trailed 7-6.
  • Pribyl followed up with a single to advance Jeremiah Zimmerman, pinch runner for O'Neal, to second base. 
  • Macaluso hit the walk-off 3-run home run blast to right field on 0-1 count as the Trojans rallied back for a dramatic victory.  Zimmerman and Walker Hultgren (pinch runner for Pribyl) also scored to end the game.
  • It was Macaluso's third home run this season for Dakota State.
  • Macaluso finished the game by going 2-of-5 at the plate with a home run, single and drove in a game-high four runs for DSU.  Taylor Musgrave added a double and single.  McDaniel recorded a double and an RBI.  Gannon scored three times.  O'Neal produced two RBIs. 
  • Pribyl added a single and an RBI for the Trojans.  Drummond registered a hit and an RBI.  Kropuenske added a single.  McDaniel, Pribyl, Kropuenske and Burke each reached on base by a walk.
  • Nixon had a double and an RBI for VCSU.  Demeter had a home run, single and two RBIs.  Reynolds also had two hits and two RBIs.  Colton Berg recorded two singles and an RBI.  Gedon Ellis and Jorun Hamre each had a single.
  • Valley City State outhit Dakota State 13-8 in the game.  The Vikings committed five defensive errors compared to the Trojans two errors.  VCSU left 14 runners on base compared to DSU six runners on base.
  • DSU's Devin DeBoer started the game on the pitching mound on Saturday, working for 6 1/3 innings.  He allowed four runs on nine hits and struck out five VCSU's batters.  JD Kirchner started the game on Sunday, tossing 1 2/3 innings in relief.  He yielded three runs (one unearned) on three hits. 
  • David Kirby (W, 1-0) earned the victory after tossing a scoreless ninth inning for Dakota State.
  • Tyler Kliniske pitched five innings on the pitching mound for Valley City State.  He gave up two runs on five hits and recorded four strikeouts.  Matthew Suda pitched a shutout sixth inning in relief. 
  • Phil Almanza (L, 1-3) recorded the defeat as he pitched on Sunday, working 2 1/3 innings in relief.  He gave up seven runs on three hits.

Game 2:  Valley City State (N.D.) 14, Dakota State (S.D.) 8 – FINAL

  • Valley City State roared to a 10-3 lead after three innings of the second game and held off Dakota State's late comeback attempt to secure a doubleheader split.
  • Ellis led off the game with a single.  Demeter hit a double with one out and advanced Ellis to third base.  Hamre hit a 3-run home run on a 3-2 count to give VCSU a 3-0 lead.
  • McDaniel and O'Neal hit back-to-back singles in the bottom half of the first frame for the Trojans.  Pribyl hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Gannon (courtesy runner for McDaniel) to third and O'Neal to second base.
  • Macaluso produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Gannon as the Trojans trailed 3-1 after the first inning.
  • The Vikings produced another three-inning in the top second frame.  Chase Feller and Gage Gellner hit back-to-back singles.  Reed hit a 3-run home run blast with two outs on a 3-1 count as the Vikings extended their lead to 6-1.
  • Valley City State's lead grew to 7-1 after a solo home run by Reynolds on a 1-0 count in the top third inning. 
  • After Adam Thompson reached on base by DSU's defensive error followed by Colton Berg's walk, the Vikings added three straight singles from Gellner, Ellis and Reed to produce three more runs, widening their lead to 10-1.
  • DSU plated two runs in the bottom third.  McDaniel led off with a single.  Gannon, courtesy runner for McDaniel, advanced to second base after O'Neal's single.  Gannon scored home on the same play as the Vikings committed a defensive error as the Trojans cut VCSU's lead to 10-2 (O'Neal advanced to second base).
  • A passed ball by VCSU allowed O'Neal advance to third.  Pribyl recorded an RBI ground out to score O'Neal as the Trojans trailed 10-3 after three innings.
  • Burke led off the bottom fifth with a double for the Trojans.  O'Neal produced an RBI single to score Burke as DSU cut VCSU's lead to 10-4.  O'Neal advanced to second on the same play.
  • DSU's scoring surge continued as Pribyl hit an RBI single to score O'Neal as they trailed 10-5.  The Trojans could not continue their scoring chances, despite leaving bases full when fifth inning ended.
  • Dakota State added two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning.  Burke reached safely on base after VCSU's defensive error.  Burke swiped to second base.  O'Neal hit an RBI single to score Burke as the Trojans reduced their deficit by four runs at 10-6.
  • Pribyl walked on the next at-bat in the bottom sixth inning, advancing O'Neal to second base.  O'Neal and Pribyl each advanced one base after a passed ball by VCSU.  A balk committed by the Vikings' pitcher allowed O'Neal to score home as the Trojans trailed 10-7 after six innings.
  • Kropuenske hit a lead-off solo home run to right field fence on a 1-2 count in the bottom seventh inning as the Trojans trimmed VCSU's lead to 10-8.  It was his third home run of the season at DSU.
  • VCSU snapped their scoring drought since the third inning, thanks to a solo home run by Hamre.  The Vikings' lead grew to 11-8.
  • Valley City State scored three more runs in the top ninth inning to widen their lead to 14-8.  The Vikings secured the game in the bottom ninth frame as the Trojans left a runner on second base when the game ended.
  • O'Neal sparked Dakota State's offense attack by going 4-of-5 at the plate with four singles and drove int wo runs.  Pribyl added a single and two RBIs.  McDaniel had two singles, while Gannon scored twice.  Kropuenske hit a home run, single and an RBI.  Drummond and Burke each tallied a double.  Burke swiped one base.
  • Valley City State blasted four home runs in the game, fueled by Hamre with two home runs.  He also had a single and drove in four runs.  Reed also had a home run, two singles and collected four RBIs.  Reynolds had a home run, single and an RBI.  Gellner had three hits and three runs scored. 
  • VCSU outhit DSU 18-11 in the game.  The Trojans had four defensive errors compared to the Vikings three defensive miscues.  Valley City State left 12 runners on base, while the Trojans had seven runners left on base.
  • Carver Hultgren (L, 1-2) recorded the setback after working for 2 1/3 innings for DSU.  He allowed eight runs on seven hits.  Kevin Krumm worked for the final two outs of the top third inning in relief.  Ty Christensen tossed 5 2/3 innings, yielding three runs on eight hits.  He recorded four strikeouts.  Billy Plummer worked the final out of the top ninth inning.
  • Almanza started the game on the pitching mound for VCSU, giving up three runs (one unearned) on five hits in three innings of work.  Mitch Taylor (W, 1-0) earned the victory in relief.  He tossed 2 2/3 innings and allowed four runs (two unearned) on five hits.  Reed Butz (S, 1) earned the save after closing the game in the final 3 1/3 innings.  He limited the Trojans to one run on one hit.  He registered five strikeouts.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director

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