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Dakota State University

Scoreboard

9
Viterbo (Wis.) VU 14-25, 9-16 NSAA
11
Winner Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 20-20, 13-12 NSAA
Viterbo (Wis.) VU
14-25, 9-16 NSAA
9
Final
11
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU
20-20, 13-12 NSAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Viterbo (Wis.) VU 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 9 9 2
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 0 0 0 4 3 2 0 2 0 11 11 1

W: Kirby, David (1) L: Selke, Dante (1)

5
Winner Viterbo (Wis.) VU 15-25, 10-16 NSAA
0
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 20-21, 13-13 NSAA
Winner
Viterbo (Wis.) VU
15-25, 10-16 NSAA
5
Final
0
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU
20-21, 13-13 NSAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Viterbo (Wis.) VU 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 5 12 1
Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

W: Kleszczynski, Jake (1) L: Tilbury, Kahlil (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

DSU matches most NSAA baseball wins and overall wins since 2016, splits with V-Hawks

April 30, 2021

MADISON, S.D. – Trailing 7-0 in the first game (nine-inning game) of the North Star Athletic Association baseball four-game series Friday afternoon at Flynn Field, Dakota State (S.D.) roared back with nine unanswered runs to gain a 9-7 lead.  The V-Hawks rallied back to tie the game in the top eighth inning while the Trojans answered with a pair of runs to secure a 11-9 game one victory.  Viterbo limited Dakota State to one hit in the second game for a 5-0 victory, earning the doubleheader split.

Dakota State is 20-21 overall record and 13-13 record in North Star Athletic Association.  Viterbo is 15-25 overall record and 10-16 NSAA conference record (seventh place in the NSAA conference standings). 

The Trojans had secured a spot in the upcoming six-team North Star conference tournament next weekend in Valley City, N.D.  DSU also matched its most NSAA conference victories in program history with 13 wins since the 2016 squad.  Dakota State also matched its most wins since the 2016 season.

DSU and VU wrap up their regular-season schedule Saturday with another doubleheader at Flynn Field.  The first game is set for 12 p.m.  The Trojans will be holding their Senior Day ceremony after the first game.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 11, Viterbo (Wis.) 9 – FINAL

  • Viterbo exploded for six runs in the opening inning of the nine-inning game.  Darrian Escobar-Winter hit a single.  Kevin Brandt drilled a double to advance Escobar-Winter to third base.  Cole Benson followed up with an RBI single to score Escobar-Winter for 1-0 VU lead.
  • After Ian Bergstrom's ground out to second to advance Brandt to third and Benson to second base, Braxton Ghelfi hit a 2-RBI double to score Brandt and Benson to widen V-Hawks' lead to 3-0 in the top first.
  • Zach Braun reached safely on base after a defensive error by the Trojans, allowing Ghelfi to score to balloon Viterbo's lead to 4-0.  Remy Stern blasted a 2-run home run to make it 6-0 in favor of the V-Hawks in the top first frame.
  • VU made it 7-0 in the top fourth inning as Braun hit a lead-off home run.
  • Dakota State snapped its scoring drought with four runs scored in the bottom fourth.  Chris Kropuenske led off with a solo home run, his ninth home run of the season, as the Trojans trailed 7-1.
  • DSU continued its scoring surge as Josh Van Beek reached safely on base after VU's miscue.  Chris Burke blasted a 2-run home run as Dakota State trimmed VU's lead to 7-3.
  • With Josh Addington on first base after a fielder's choice with two outs in the bottom fourth, he swiped to second base.  Samuel Drummond hit an RBI double to score Addington as the Trojans' deficit was reduced to 7-4.
  • Dakota State added two more home runs in the bottom fifth inning.  Mason Macaluso led off with a solo home run on the first pitch as the Trojans trailed 7-5.  It was his sixth home run this season.
  • Van Beek hit a single with one out for DSU in the bottom fifth.  Burke hit his second 2-run home run as the Trojans knotted the game at 7-7.  It was his third home run of the season.
  • DSU added two more runs in the bottom sixth inning for their first lead of the game.  Ryan McDaniel led off with a walk.  Drummond followed up with a single to advance Alec Gannon, courtesy runner for McDaniel, to third base.  Macaluso hit an RBI double to score Gannon as DSU led 8-7 (Drummond advanced to third base).
  • Kropuenske fueled the Trojans' offense with another RBI double to score Drummond (Macaluso advanced to third base) to extend their lead to 9-7.
  • Viterbo rallied back with two runs in the top eighth inning, thanks to three straight walks by Bergstrom, Ghelfi, and Braun to set up a bases loaded situation.  Stern produced an RBI fielder's choice to score Camden Smith (pinch runner for Bergstrom) as VU trailed 9-8 (courtesy runner Myles Zimdars was forced out at second base).  Stern advanced to second base after DSU's wild pitch.
  • Escobar-Winter reached on base by an intentional walk with two outs in the top eighth inning.  Ryan Ellingson recorded an RBI walk to score Ghelfi as the V-Hawks tied the game at 9-9.
  • Dakota State's defense halted Viterbo's scoring chances as they left the bases full when the top eighth inning ended.
  • The Trojans recorded the first two outs of the bottom eighth inning.  DSU answered with two runs to regain their lead.  Macaluso and Kropuenske were hit-by-pitch.  Van Beek followed up with a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.
  • After a pitching change for the V-Hawks, Burke produced a 2-RBI single to score Macaluso and Kropuenske as the Trojans earned an 11-9 lead with two outs in the bottom eighth.
  • DSU's David Kirby, who came in the eighth inning in relief, retired the final three VU batters in the ninth inning to secure the victory. 
  • Burke propelled Dakota State's offense attack with a pair of home runs, double and collected a game-high six RBIs.  Macaluso and Kropuenske each added a home run, double, and two RBIs.  Drummond had a double, single and RBI.  McDaniel had a single and two walks.  W. Hultgren reached on base by a walk twice.  Addington swiped one base.
  • Braun and Stern each had a home run for the V-Hawks.  Stern tallied three RBIs.  Benson had two hits and an RBI.  Ellington recorded a single and an RBI.  Escobar-Winter, Brandt, Ghelfi, and Zach Earll each had a hit.  Ghelfi collected two RBIs.
  • DSU outhit VU 11-9 in the game.  The Trojans left nine runners on base compared to the V-Hawks six runners on base.
  • Devin DeBoer started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He tossed six innings and allowed seven runs (three unearned) on seven hits.  Grant Svikulis worked for one-plus inning in relief, giving up two runs on two hits.  Kirby (W, 2-1) earned the victory after pitching two scoreless innings.
  • Ben Strassman pitched four-plus innings for Viterbo.  He gave up five runs (one unearned) on five hits.  Jacob Pinc tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief, allowing four runs on four hits.  Dante Selke (L, 0-3) took the loss after working for 2 1/3 innings and gave up to runs.  Alec Danen worked the final out of the bottom eighth.

Game 2:  Viterbo (Wis.) 5, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

  • Viterbo shut down Dakota State in the second game of the doubleheader, limiting the Trojans to one double to earn a doubleheader split.
  • After two scoreless innings, the V-Hawks plated one run in the top third.  Earll led off with a single.  Brandt hit a single with two outs and advanced Earll to second base.  Benson followed up with an RBI single to score Earll for 1-0 Viterbo lead.
  • Escobar-Winter and Ellingson started the fifth inning with back-to-back singles.  Brandt hit a ground out to advance Escobar-Winter to third and Ellingson to second base.  A wild pitch by the Trojans allowed Escobar-Winter to score as the V-Hawks' lead grew to 2-0.
  • Viterbo opened the sixth inning with a bases loaded situation after Ghelfi's bunt single, Braun's single and Stern's walk.  Earll produced a 2-RBI single to score Ghelfi and Zimdars (courtesy runner for Braun) as the V-Hawks expanded their lead to 4-0 (Stern advanced to third). 
  • VU made it 5-0 after Ellingson's RBI ground out to score Stern in the top sixth frame.
  • Dakota State could not convert their scoring chances in the final inning as they left bases full after three walks recorded by Kropuenske, Drummond and W. Hultgren.
  • McDaniel had a double for the Trojans.  Van Beek reached on base by a walk twice.  Macaluso, Kropuenske, Drummond, and W. Hultgren each recorded a walk.
  • Ghelfi was 3-of-4 at the plate with three singles for the V-Hawks.  Earll added two singles and two RBIs.  Braun had two singles.  Benson and Ellingson each tallied a single and an RBI.  Escobar-Winter, Stern, and Brandt each had a single.  Stern and Ghelfi each swiped one base.
  • Viterbo pound out 12 hits in the game.  The V-Hawks left eight runners on base compared to the Trojans seven runners left on base.
  • Kahlil Tilbury (L, 2-3) took the setback after tossing five-plus innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits for Dakota State.  Jared Urbach retired the final three batters in the top sixth inning.  Max Luesebrink pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
  • Jake Kleszczynski (W, 3-2) pitched a complete game victory for Viterbo, yielding the Trojans to one hit.  He issued six walks in the game.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director

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