February 27, 2022

OMAHA, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) fell short in the first game on the second day of the Joplin (Mo.) Baseball Tournament Sunday afternoon at Millard North High School.  The Trojans dropped a non-conference contest to Clarke (Iowa) of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) by the score of 3-1.

DSU is 6-3 overall record.  CU lifted their overall record to 8-6.

Dakota State wraps up the tournament with a contest with Morningside (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference on the same field.

Clarke (Iowa) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

• Both teams did not score in the first two innings of the seven-inning contest.  The Pride left one runner on base, while the Trojans left two runners on base after two innings.
• After first two outs were recorded in the top half of the third inning.  Victor Lara hit a single.  Taiga Sato smashed a 2-run home run to give Clarke a 2-0 lead.
• Dakota State snapped its scoring drought with a run in the bottom fourth.  Kameron Bryant led off with a walk.  He advanced to second base after an error cause by the Pride.
• Mason Macaluso drilled an RBI double to score Bryant as the Trojans trailed 2-1 with no outs in the bottom fourth. 
• The Pride added a run in the top seventh.  Bailin Markridge hit a single with one out.  Lara produced an RBI triple to score Markridge to extend CU's lead to 3-1.
• DSU could not convert their scoring chances in the bottom seventh inning, despite a lead-off double by Chris Burke.
• Macaluso and Burke each had a double for the Trojans.  Macaluso produced an RBI.  Ryan McDaniel recorded a single.  Bryant reached on base by a walk and scored once. 
• Lara went 2-of-4 at the plate with a triple, single and recorded an RBI for Clarke.  Sato had a home run and drove in two runs.  Markridge had a double and single.  Bryce Hinton recorded a single.
• JD Kirchner (L, 1-2) recorded the setback despite tossing a complete game.  He allowed three runs on six hits.  He struck out eight Pride batters.
• Brendon Boily started the game on the pitching mound for Clarke.  He worked for three-plus innings and gave up one run on two hits.  Isaac Rohde earned the victory after pitching four scoreless innings in relief.  He limited the Trojans to two hits and recorded eight strikeouts. 
• Both teams left five runners on base.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director