March 16, 2022

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) jumped to a 2-0 early lead Wednesday afternoon over host-team Briar Cliff (Iowa) in a non-conference nine-inning baseball action at Bishop Mueller Field.  The Chargers scored seven straight runs in the second and third innings combined, ending Trojans' six-game winning streak by the score of 12-7.

Dakota State is 12-6 overall record.  Briar Cliff, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, lifted their overall record to 10-6.

The Trojans open the North Star Athletic Association season in a four-game series versus Waldorf (Iowa) at Flynn Field in Madison, S.D.  Both teams play a doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m. and another doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. 

Briar Cliff (Iowa) 12, Dakota State (S.D.) 7 – FINAL

• Ryan McDaniel led off with a walk for the Trojans.  Noah Angstadt reached safely on base caused by Briar Cliff's defensive miscue, advancing McDaniel to third base (Angstadt advanced to second base on the same play).
• Kameron Bryant produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score McDaniel as DSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top first inning (Angstadt advanced to third base).
• Dakota State made it 2-0 as Mason Macaluso hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Angstadt.
• Walter Hunt smashed a solo home run with one out in the bottom second frame as BCU trailed 2-1.
• After the first two outs were recorded in the bottom third inning, the Chargers exploded for six runs.  Cam Riemer reached on base by a walk and advanced to second base after DSU's wild pitch.
• Connor Lange hit an RBI single to score Riemer as Briar Cliff knotted the game at 2-2.
• With two runners on base in the bottom third, Hunt drilled a 2-RBI double as the Chargers earned a 4-2 lead.
• Briar Cliff continued its scoring surge in the bottom third frame with bases loaded situation, Trevor Adler and Jared Sitzmann recorded back-to-back RBI walks as their lead grew to 6-2.
• The Chargers made it 7-2 after Quentin Evers scored after DSU committed a wild pitch in the bottom third.
• Macaluso and Jace Pribyl led off the top fourth frame with back-to-back singles.  Chris Burke hit an RBI single to score Macaluso as the Trojans trimmed BCU's lead to 7-3.
• After Pribyl and Burke advanced one base after Walker Hultgren's ground out, Braxton Lacher produced an RBI ground out to score Pribyl as the Trojans trailed 7-4 in the top fourth.
• The Chargers added a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning, ballooning their lead to 8-4.
• BCU extended their lead to 10-4 in the bottom fifth when Riemer hit a 2-RBI single.
• Briar Cliff plated two more runs in the bottom eighth to widen their lead to 12-4, capped by Adler's RBI sacrifice fly.
• The Trojans snapped its scoring drought in the top ninth inning, mounting a comeback.  Hultgren and Lacher led off with back-to-back singles. 
• McDaniel drilled a 2-RBI double with one out to score Hultgren and Lacher as DSU trimmed BCU's lead to 12-6.
• DSU continued its scoring opportunity as Angstadt hit a single to advance McDaniel to third base.
• DSU cut their deficit to 12-7 in the top ninth as Macaluso hit an RBI single to score McDaniel.
• The Chargers halted the Trojans' scoring opportunity as the game ended with two runners left on base.
• Macaluso led Dakota State with two singles and drove in two runs.  Angstadt added two singles and a run scored.  Burke collected two singles and an RBI.  Hultgren had two hits.
• McDaniel recorded a double, walk and tallied two RBIs for the Trojans.  Pribyl and Lacher each added a single.  Lacher had an RBI. 
• Hunt paced the Chargers with a home run, double, single and three RBIs.  Mike Anthony added a double and an RBI.  Lange, Jake Allen and Sitzmann each had a hit and an RBI.  Adler collected two RBIs.
• Dakota State outhit Briar Cliff 11-9 in the game.  The Trojans committed four defensive errors while the Chargers committed one miscue.  BCU left nine runners on base compared to DSU seven runners left on base.
• JD Kirchner started the game on the pitching mound for DSU.  He gave up one run on two hits in two innings of work.  Cameron Pitts (L, 1-1) recorded the setback after tossing two outs, allowing four runs on two hits.  Kahlil Tilbury, Cole Westerlund, David Kirby, Noah Daugherty, and Carver Hultgren also worked in relief.  Daugherty struck out three Chargers' batters.
• Mason Bennett tossed three innings for BCU, allowing four runs (two unearned) on four hits.  Brett Sitzmann (W, 1-0) earned the victory after tossing three scoreless innings, yielding the Trojans to one hit.  He recorded four strikeouts.  Alex Kremer, Ryan Riddle, and Austin Carter also pitched in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director