April 2, 2021

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) blasted 11 doubles and six home runs in propelling to the North Star Athletic Association baseball doubleheader sweep over Waldorf (Iowa) at Waldorf Baseball Field Friday.  The Trojans won in a high scoring affair in the first game 23-13 and held on to an 8-7 victory. 

It was the first time since April 3, 2010 when the Trojans scored at least 23 runs (29 runs versus Valley City State, N.D. at Flynn Field).  DSU also earned its first doubleheader sweep at WU and their first win since April 29, 2016 (last time DSU swept WU was on May 1, 2016 in Madison, S.D.).

Dakota State lifted their overall record to 11-10 and 4-2 record in North Star contests.  It was the first time since the 2016 season that the Trojans had at least 11 victories and four league wins.  In addition, it was the first time since the league formed in 2013-14 that DSU started their six-game conference with a 4-2 record (previous best six-game NSAA start was 3-3 in 2015 and 2016).

The Trojans moved in a four-way tie for first place in the conference standings after Friday's league games (Bellevue, Neb.; Mayville State, N.D., and Valley City State). 

Waldorf fell to 9-16 overall record and 3-3 NSAA conference record.

Both teams finish off their North Star Athletic Association four-game series Saturday at 12 p.m.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 23, Waldorf (Iowa) 13 – FINAL

• A total of nine doubles and eight home runs combined by both teams were recorded in the NSAA four-game series opener.  In addition, 36 runs and 39 hits combined were registered in the game.
• Dakota State scored at least a run in all innings, except the third inning in a nine-inning contest.
• Ryan McDaniel started the game with a double for the Trojans.  Jace Pribyl hit a single with one out and advanced Alec Gannon (courtesy runner for McDaniel) to third base.  Mason Macaluso drilled an RBI double to score Gannon to give DSU a 1-0 lead (Pribyl advanced to third base).
• Samuel Drummond added 2-RBI double with two outs to score Pribyl and Macaluso to widen Trojans' lead to 3-0 in the top first. 
• After Esai Hernandez reached on base by a walk in the top first, Dakota State made it 4-0 when Walker Hultgren hit an RBI single to score Drummond.
• Waldorf scored once in the bottom first frame, highlighted by Thomas Capllonch's RBI double to cut DSU's lead to 4-1.
• Dakota State plated three more runs in the top second frame.  Jackson O'Neal hit a single with one out.  Pribyl reached safely on base by WU's error and advanced O'Neal to third base (Pribyl advanced to second base).  Macaluso added a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.
• With two outs in the top second, Drummond hit a 3-RBI bases-clearing single to widen DSU's lead to 7-1.
• The Warriors scored twice in the bottom third frame.  Alejandro Gonzalez led off with a double.  Jack Muhleck hit an RBI single to score Gonzalez as WU trailed 7-2 (Muhleck advanced to second on DSU's miscue). 
• Waldorf added a run after another defensive error by the Warriors, allowing Muhleck to score (DSU led 7-3).
• DSU answered with two runs in the top fourth inning, thanks to Hernandez's 2-RBI double with two outs.  Pribyl reached safely on base by WU's defensive error.  Chris Kropuenske added a single to advance Pribyl to second base.  Pribyl and Kropuenske scored home after Hernandez's double as Dakota State ballooned their lead to 9-3.
• Capllonch blasted a 2-run home run in the bottom fourth inning as Waldorf trailed 9-5.
• Josh Addington started the top fifth with a walk for DSU.  O'Neal hit a 2-run home run as the Trojans expanded their lead to 11-5.  It was his third home run this season for O'Neal.
• Waldorf cut DSU's lead to 11-6 as Justin Nock led off the bottom sixth with a solo home run.
• Kropuenske started the top sixth frame with a single, followed by Drummond's hit-by-pitch to advance Kropuenske to second base.  W. Hultgren drilled an RBI double to score Kropuenske to put DSU up 12-6 (Drummond advanced to third base).
• DSU widen their lead to 13-6 as Addington followed up with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Drummond.
• The Trojans scored a run in the top seventh inning, highlighted by Pribyl's lead-off double.  He advanced to third base after Macaluso's ground out.  Kropuenske reached on base by a walk.  Pribyl scored home on the same play by Waldorf's passed ball for 14-6 DSU lead.
• Waldorf belted a pair of home runs in the bottom seventh frame.  Dusty Rogers hit a 3-run home run, followed by a solo home run by Angel Mojica as WU trimmed DSU's lead to 14-10.
• Dakota State answered with a pair of home runs in the top eighth inning, plating five runs with two outs.  McDaniel blasted a solo home run for 15-10 DSU lead.  It was his first career collegiate home run.
• The Trojans continued its scoring surge in the top eighth as O'Neal was hit-by-pitch followed by Pribyl's single.  Kropuenske blasted a 3-run home run to score Macaluso and Jeremiah Zimmerman (pinch runner for Pribyl), ballooning DSU's lead to 18-10.  It was Kropuenske's fourth home run this season.
• Addington, McDaniel and Pribyl reached safely on base in the top ninth inning to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU.  Macaluso hit a grand slam with two outs for the largest lead of the game at 23-10.
• The Warriors scored three times in the bottom half of the ninth inning with a 2-RBI double by Gonalez and an RBI ground out by Muhleck.  DSU secured the victory as Sergio Olivares struck out looking.
• Macaluso fueled the Trojans' offense attack with a home run, two singles and drove in a game-high six RBIs.  Kropuenske added a home run, two singles and tallied five RBIs. 
• W. Hultgren added a double, single and two RBIs for Dakota State.  McDaniel had a home run, single and an RBI.  O'Neal added a home run, single and two RBIs.  Pribyl had three hits.  Hernandez recorded a double and two RBIs.  Hernandez and Addington each reached on base by a walk twice.
• Capllonch was 4-of-6 at the plate with a home run, double, two singles and tallied three RBIs for Waldorf.  Gonzalez added four hits (two doubles) and two RBIs.  Rogers had a home run, single and three RBIs.
• Mojica hit a home run, single and produced an RBI for the Warriors.  Nock had a home run, single and an RBI.  Muhleck had a hit and an RBI.   Olivares had two hits and an RBI.
• Dakota State had 20 hits in the game compared to Waldorf 19 hits.  The Warriors left 11 runners on base, while the Trojans left nine runners on base.
• Devin DeBoer (W, 3-2) earned the win after tossing six innings for DSU.  He allowed six runs (two unearned) on 10 hits.  He struck out three WU batters.  Kevin Krumm tossed the seventh inning in relief, giving up four runs on four hits.  Grant Svikulis pitched the final two innings, giving up three runs on five hits.
• Heath Chapman (L, 3-2) took the setback after working for 5 1/3 innings for WU.  He gave up 13 runs (5 unearned) on 12 hits.  He recorded four strikeouts.  Jeff Roach pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief, yielding one run on two hits.  Mike Fitzpatrick worked for an inning with five runs on five hits.  Kai Meuronen worked the final inning in relief, allowing four runs (two unearned) on one hit.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 8, Waldorf (Iowa) 7 – FINAL

• After a scoreless first inning, the Trojans earned the first lead in the second game of the four-game series.  Drummond blasted a solo home run with one out to give DSU a 1-0 lead in the top second frame.
• The Warriors hit a pair of home runs in the bottom half of the second inning.  Nock led off with a solo home to tie the game at 1-1.
• WU continued its offensive outburst in the bottom second as Olivares hit a double followed by TarQuin Daley's walk.  Mojica blasted a 3-run home run as the Warriors grabbed a 4-1 lead by the end of the second inning.
• The Trojans produced four extra-base hits in the top third inning, scoring four runs to overtake the lead.  O'Neal hit a double, followed by Pribyl's double to score O'Neal as the Trojans trailed 4-2.
• Kropuenske added an RBI double with two outs to score Pribyl as DSU trimmed WU's lead to 4-3 in the top third.  Drummond followed up with a 2-run home run as Dakota State take a 5-4 lead.  It was Drummond's fifth home run this season and his seventh career home run at DSU.
• Waldorf knotted the game at 5-5 in the bottom half of the third inning, thanks to Muhleck's solo home run with one out.
• Addington hit a double with one out in the top fourth inning for DSU.  McDaniel followed up with a hit-by-pitch.  Both Addington and Gannon (courtesy runner for McDaniel) advanced one base after WU's wild pitch.  Pribyl hit a 2-RBI single as the Trojans earned a 7-5 lead after Addington and Gannon scored.
• The Warriors answered with a 2-run home run by Davis Churchman in the bottom fourth, tying the game at 7-7.
• W. Hultgren led off the top sixth inning with a double.  He swiped to third and scored home after WU's defensive miscue as the Trojans regained their lead at 8-7.
• Dakota State secured the victory as their defense recorded three straight outs in the final inning.
• Drummond led the Trojans by going 3-of-4 at the plate with a pair of home runs, single and collected three RBIs.  Pribyl added three singles and three RBIs.  W. Hultgren, Addington, Kropuenske each hit a double.  McDaniel and O'Neal each had a hit.  W. Hultgren swiped one base.
• Churchman and Mojica each had a home run and single for Waldorf.  Mojica tallied three RBIs, while Churchman added two RBIs.  Muhleck and Nock each had a home run and an RBI.
• DSU outhit WU 11-9 in the game.  The Trojans left six runners on base compared to the Warriors three runners left on base.
• Chris Burke (W, 2-1) pitched a complete game victory for Dakota State.  He gave up seven runs on nine hits and struck out five Warrior batters.
• David Calderon-Tatis started the game on the pitching mound for Waldorf.  He allowed seven runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.  Nic Tebeau (L, 2-2) recorded the defeat after working 3 2/3 innings.  He gave up an unearned run on four hits. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director