March 20, 2022

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) pounded out a combined 33 hits in producing the North Star Athletic Association baseball doubleheader sweep over Waldorf (Iowa) at Waldorf Baseball Field Sunday afternoon.  The Trojans held on to a 10-7 victory, despite jumping to an 8-0 lead after two innings in the first game.  DSU exploded for seven runs in the four-game series finale, earning an 8-1 victory over the Warriors.

Dakota State won the first NSAA four-game series on the conference opening weekend, lifting their overall record to 15-7 and 3-1 record in North Star contests.  Waldorf dropped to 2-17 overall record and 1-3 NSAA conference record.

The Trojans continue their North Star conference play next weekend as they play another four-game series.  DSU is scheduled to host Mayville State (N.D.) Friday and next Saturday at Flynn Field in Madison, S.D.  The doubleheader is set for Friday at 1 p.m.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 10, Waldorf (Iowa) 7 – FINAL

• Dakota State poured in five runs in the opening inning to fuel to a 5-0 lead in the third game of the four-game series.
• Noah Angstadt drilled a double with one out for the Trojans in the bottom first.  Kameron Bryant followed up with a single to advance Angstadt to second base.
• DSU grabbed a 1-0 lead after Mason Macaluso's RBI single to score Angstadt in the bottom first frame (Bryant advanced to second base).
• Walker Hultgren hit an RBI single with two outs to score Bryant as DSU's lead grew to 2-0 (Macaluso advanced to second base).
• The Trojans continued its scoring surge as Chris Burke hit an RBI double to score Macaluso for a 3-0 lead (Hultgren advanced to third base).
• Jackson O'Neal produced 2-RBI single to widen DSU's lead to 5-0, scoring Hultgren and Burke.
• Dakota State continued its scoring surge with three more runs in the bottom half of the second inning. 
• Angstadt and Bryant hit back-to-back singles with one out for Dakota State in the bottom second (Angstadt advanced to third after Bryant's single).  Bryant swiped to second base.
• Macaluso hit a 2-RBI double to score Angstadt and Bryant as DSU stretched its lead to 7-0 in the bottom second.
• With bases loaded situation after Pribyl and Hultgren with back-to-back singles, Burke added an RBI single to score Macaluso to balloon Trojans' lead to 8-0.
• Waldorf scored its first run of the game in the top third.  James Hook led off with a single.  Jake Denney hit an RBI double to score Hook as the Warriors trailed 8-1.
• The Trojans' defense halted the Warriors' scoring chances as they left the bases full when the top third inning ended.
• WU added four more runs in the top fourth frame.  Josh Fussy led off with a single.  Ryan Webster reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error and advanced Fussy to second base.  The Trojans committed another error as Fussy advanced to third base.
• Hook hit an RBI single to score Fussy as Waldorf trimmed DSU's lead to 8-2.  Waldorf added another run after DSU committed their third defensive error of the fourth inning (DSU led 8-3).
• Atticus Smith capped the top fourth frame with a 2-RBI double as the Warriors trailed 8-5.
• With two outs and runners on first and second bases in the bottom fifth, Dakota State extended their lead to 9-5 after Bryant's RBI single.
• Webster hit an RBI single as the Warriors reduced their deficit to 9-6 in the top seventh inning.
• Bryant smashed a lead-off solo home run as DSU's lead grew to 10-6 in the bottom eighth.
• Davis Churchman and Fussy led off with back-to-back singles in the top ninth inning for WU.  Webster reached safely on DSU's defensive error, allowing Churchman to score as the Warriors trailed 10-7.
• DSU's Cole Westerlund (S, 2) retired the next three WU's batters with three straight strikeouts, securing the victory and his second save of the season. 
• DSU outhit WU 20-11 in the game.  The Warriors left 11 runners on base compared to the Trojans nine runners left on base.
• Bryant powered the Trojans' offense attack by going 4-of-5 at the plate with a home run, three singles and drove in two runs.  He swiped one base.  Macaluso added a double, two singles, and collected three RBIs.
• Burke and O'Neal each tallied two hits and two RBIs for Dakota State.  Hultgren registered three singles and an RBI.  McDaniel and Seth Altwine each added a single.  Angstadt and Pribyl each had two hits. 
• Smith had a double, single, and drove in two runs for the Warriors.  He also had a walk.  Hook and Denney each added two hits and an RBI.  Churchman and Fussy each recorded two hits.
• Nathan Westfield had a stolen base for Waldorf.
• Mitsuki Shimonishi (W, 3-0) earned the victory after tossing seven innings on the pitching mound for DSU.  He allowed six runs (three unearned) on seven hits.  He struck out seven WU's batters. 
• Westerlund pitched the final two innings in relief, giving up an unearned run on four hits for Dakota State.
• Alva Banuelos (L, 0-3) took the loss after working for 1 1/3 innings for Waldorf.  He gave up seven runs on eight hits.  Matthew Tran pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief and allowed two runs on eight hits.  Dane Churchman pitched 3 1/3 innings and yielded one run on four hits.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 8, Waldorf (Iowa) 1 – FINAL

• The North Star Association four-game series finale featured a pitcher's duel between DSU's JD Kirchner and WU's Sam Jones.  The Trojans used a seven-run sixth-inning explosion to complete the doubleheader sweep.
• Dakota State took the first lead in the bottom second frame at 1-0, thanks to Macaluso's lead-off solo home run.
• Waldorf answered with a run in the top half of the third inning, thanks to a pair of doubles by Tyler Farrell and Damien Sanchez.  Sanchez produced an RBI to score courtesy runner Westfield (for Farrell) as the Warriors knotted the game at 1-1 with two outs.
• DSU poured in seven runs in the bottom sixth inning and never trailed for the rest of the game.  Pribyl led off with a single.  Hultgren reached safely on base after a defensive error caused by the Warriors to advance Pribyl to second base.
• Burke hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation for the Trojans in the bottom sixth.
• Altwine was hit-by-pitch with one out, producing an RBI to allow Pribyl to score as DSU regained a 2-1 lead.
• Dakota State pounded out four straight hits to score six runs to increase their lead.  McDaniel hit a 2-RBi single, followed by Angstadt's RBI single, Bryant's RBI double, and Macaluso 2-RBI single as the Trojans ballooned their lead to 8-1.
• Kirchner retired the final three Warrior batters to secure the victory for DSU in the top seventh.
• Macaluso fueled the Trojans' offense with a home run, single and drove in a game-high three runs.  McDaniel added a double, single, and two RBIs.  Bryant recorded a double, single, and an RBI.
• Angstadt and Atlwine each had a hit and an RBI for Dakota State.  Pribyl had two singles and a walk.  Hultgren tallied two singles.
• Sanchez led the Warriors with a double and an RBI.  Webster and Farrell each added a double.  Denney had a single.
• Dakota State outhit Waldorf 13-4 in the game. 
• Kirchner (W, 2-2) tossed a complete game victory for DSU.  He yielded the Warriors to one run on four hits and recorded five strikeouts.
• Jones (L, 0-3) registered the setback after pitching 5 1/3 innings for WU.  He allowed seven runs (one unearned) on 11 hits.  He struck out seven Trojan batters.  Trevor Brace worked for two outs in relief, giving up a run on two hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director