April 24, 2021

DICKINSON, N.D. – Prior to today's doubleheader, the North Star Athletic Association four-game series between Dakota State (S.D.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark had become a tripleheader on Saturday.  The Blue Hawks used a five-run fourth inning explosion to take the first game by the score of 6-3.  DiSU added a 6-2 victory in the second game.

Both teams will play the third game of the tripleheader in the nightcap.

Game 1:  Dickinson State (N.D.) 6, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL

• Dakota State grabbed its first lead of the game in the top second inning.  Chris Kropuenske led off with a walk.  Samuel Drummond added a walk to advance Kropuenske to second base.  Josh Van Beek blasted a 3-run home run on the first pitch to give DSU a 3-0 lead.  It was his second home run this season for the Trojans.
• Dickinson State scored once in the bottom half of the third frame.  Derrick Calvillo and Cade Ostenson hit back-to-back singles.  Robert Encinas drilled an RBI double to score Alberto Nieto (courtesy runner for Calvillo) as the Blue Hawks trailed 3-1.
• The Blue Hawks plated five runs in the bottom fourth with five singles.  Jacob Clinton led off with a single, followed by Mathias Dufner's hit-by-pitch and Karson Backer's bunt single to set up a bases loaded situation.  Angel Faras hit a 2-RBI single with one out to score Clinton and Dufner as DiSU tied the game at 3-3.
• Dickinson State continued its scoring surge as with another bases loaded situation after Calvillo's walk in the bottom fourth.  Ostenson hit another 2-RBI single to score Backer and Faras as DiSU earned a 5-3 lead.  Robert Encinas added an RBI single to score Nieto (courtesy runner for Calvillo) to make it 6-3 in favor of DiSU.
• Dakota State could not come back in the final inning as they left a runner on base after Van Beek's single, securing the victory for Dickinson State.
• Van Beek finished the game by going 2-of-3 at the plate with a home run, single and three RBIs for the Trojans.  Ryan McDaniel added a double and a walk.  Drummond had a single and a walk. 
• Encinas had two doubles, single and drove in two runs for the Blue Hawks.  Ostenson and Faras each had two singles and two RBIs.  Backer tallied two singles.  Calvillo, Clinton, and Dufner each recorded a single.
• Dickinson State tallied 12 hits in the game compared to Dakota State four hits.  The Blue Hawks left six runners on base, while the Trojans had four runners left on base.
• Devin DeBoer (L, 4-4) recorded the loss on the pitching mound, despite tossing a complete game.  He gave up six runs on 12 hits.
• Joel Torres (W, 1-5) earned his first win of the season after pitching a complete game.  He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out eight Trojan batters.

Game 2:  Dickinson State (N.D.) 6, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL

• Dickinson State scored six runs in the first three innings of the second game to held off Dakota State 6-2.
• Calvillo led off with a solo home run in the bottom first inning on the first pitch to give DiSU a 1-0 lead.
• The Trojans answered with a run scored in the top second inning.  Mason Macaluso led off with a single, followed by Kropuenske's walk to advance Macaluso to second base.  Drummond hit an RBI double to score Macaluso as DaSU knotted the game at 1-1.
• Dakota State was unable to convert their scoring chances as they left bases full when the top second frame ended.
• The Blue Hawks had a bases loaded situation in the bottom third after Backer's single and back-to-back walks.  Ostenson hit a 2-RBI single to score Backer and Faras to as DiSU regained their lead at 3-1 (Nieto – courtesy runner for the Blue Hawks – advanced to third base).  Encinas hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Nieto to extend Blue Hawks' lead to 4-1.
• Faras hit a 2-RBI double with two outs in the bottom third to balloon Dickinson State's lead to 6-1.
• Dakota State snapped its scoring drought with a run scored in the top sixth.  Drummond and Chris Burke hit back-to-back singles.  Josh Addington added a walk with two outs to set up a bases loaded situation.
• A passed ball by the Blue Hawks allowed Drummond to score as the Trojans trailed 6-2 in the top sixth inning.
• The Blue Hawks ended the game with a double play, defensively, in the top seventh inning to secure the win.
• Drummond paced Dakota State with a double, single and an RBI.  Macaluso and Burke each added two singles.  Addington recorded a single and reached on base by a walk twice.  Kropuenske tallied a single and a walk.
• Calvillo hit a home run and produced an RBI for Dickinson State.  Faras had a double and two RBIs.  Ostenson added a single and two RBIs.  Encinas had a double and an RBI.  Kael Richards, Dufner and Backer each recorded a single.
• Dakota State outhit Dickinson State 8-7 in the game.  The Trojans left nine runners on base compared to the Blue Hawks five runners left on base.
• Trey Randel (L, 3-3) recorded the defeat after tossing five innings on the pitching mound for DaSU.  He allowed six runs on seven hits.  He recorded five strikeouts.  Jared Urbach shut down the Blue Hawks in the bottom sixth inning, striking out two DiSU batters.
• Jacob Scully (W, 4-3) earned the victory for the Blue Hawks.  He worked for six innings and gave up two runs on seven hits.  He recorded seven strikeouts.  Nathan Delahanty pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director