March 8, 2022

MOORE, Okla. – Dakota State (S.D.) halted their four-game baseball losing skid Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of host-team Randall (Okla.).  The Trojans edged the Saints 6-2 in eight innings and completed the doubleheader sweep with a 9-3 game two victory at Randall Baseball Field.

Dakota State lifted their overall record to 8-5.  Randall fell to 6-14 overall record.

DSU stays on the road as they play a four-game schedule at Dallas Christian (Texas) Baseball Field this weekend.  The Trojans play the host team Friday at 9:30 a.m., followed by another contest versus Blackburn (Ill.) at 12 p.m.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 6, Randall (Okla.) 2 – FINAL/8 innings

• Dakota State erased a 2-0 deficit after four innings and rallied back for a 6-2 victory in extra innings to take the first game of the doubleheader.
• Randall scored the game's first runs with two outs in the bottom third inning.  Cache Garrett kicked off with a single.  Lance Nunley reached on base by a walk (Garrett on second base).
• Both Garrett and Nunley advanced to one base after DSU's passed ball in the bottom third.  Zach Clarkson produced a 2-RBI single to score Garrett and Nunley as the Saints earned a 2-0 lead.
• DSU snapped its scoring drought in the top fifth frame, plating two runs.  Jackson O'Neal started the inning by reaching safely on first base after an error committed by Randall.  Josh Van Beek added a walk to advance O'Neal to second base with one out.
• Noah Angstadt hit an RBI single to score O'Neal with two outs, trailing 2-1 in the top fifth inning for the Trojans (Van Beek advanced to third base).
• Both teams were unable to score in the next two innings, extending the game into extra inning.
• Dakota State exploded for four runs in the top eighth.  Ryan McDaniel led off with a walk.  Angstadt followed up with a sacrifice bunt to advance McDaniel to second base. 
• Kameron Bryant hit a single to advance McDaniel to third base.  The Trojans earned a 3-2 lead when the Saints committed a wild pitch, allowing McDaniel to score (Bryant advanced to second base on the same play).
• Mason Macaluso reached on base safely after an error by Randall and advanced Bryant to third base.
• Dakota State ballooned their lead to 4-2 after Jace Pribyl's RBI single to score Bryant (Macaluso advanced to second base).
• Chris Burke hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Macaluso to third base and Pribyl to second base. For DSU in the top eighth.
• O'Neal hit a 2-RBI single to score Macaluso and Seth Altwine (pinch runner for Pribyl) to widen the Trojans' lead to 6-2 in the top eighth.
• Randall left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the victory for Dakota State.
• Pribyl was 2-of-4 at the plate with an RBI for DSU.  Angstadt added a single and two RBIs.  McDaniel had a double.  O'Neal collected a single and drove in two runs.  Bryant and Macaluso each had a hit and a run scored.
• Clarkson had a single and two RBIs for the Saints.  Garrett added a single.
• DSU outhit Randall 7-2 in the game. 
• Grant Svikulis (W, 3-0) earned the victory after tossing seven innings on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He allowed two runs on two hits.  He struck out seven Saints' batters.
• Kahlil Tilbury (S, 1) recorded the save after tossing a shutout eighth inning in relief. 
• Jett Sparks (L, 0-1) pitched a complete game for the Saints, despite the defeat.  He allowed six runs (two unearned) on seven hits.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 9, Randall (Okla.) 3 – FINAL

• Despite trailing 2-1 after four innings in the second game of the doubleheader, the Trojans outscored the Saints 8-1 in the final three innings to secure a doubleheader sweep. 
• The Trojans took the first lead of the game in the top first inning.  Angstadt hit a single with one out.  He advanced to second base after Bryant's ground out.  Macaluso drilled an RBI double to score Angstadt as Dakota State grabbed a 1-0 lead.
• The Saints answered with a run in the bottom half of the first inning.  William Young hit a single with one out.  Cauy Hollis reached on base by a walk and advanced Young to second base.  Young swiped to third base.
• Dakota State committed a defensive error, allowing Young to score as Randall tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom first frame.
• The Saints scored once in the bottom fourth inning to earn a lead.  Louis Cottone, Jr. led off with a single.  He advanced to second base after DSU's wild pitch.  Mickey Sykes hit a ground out to advance Cottone, Jr. to third base.
• RU earned a 2-1 lead after an RBI sacrifice bunt by Ryan Stotts to score Cottone, Jr. in the bottom fourth.
• Walker Hultgren smashed a lead-off home run as Dakota State tied the game at 2-2 in the top fifth inning.
• The Trojans continued its offense attack as McDaniel hit a single with one out.  Angstadt reached safely on base after an error by the Saints, allowing McDaniel to advance to third base. 
• DSU regained their lead to 3-2 after a wild pitch by Randall and scored McDaniel (Angstadt advanced to second base).
• After Bryant reached on base by a walk, Macaluso ignited a 2-RBI double to score Angstadt and Bryant to cap a four-run fifth inning.  The Trojans led 5-2.
• Randall scored once in the bottom fifth after Cottone, Jr. RBI single to cut DSU's lead to 5-3.
• DSU added two more runs in the top sixth to extend their lead.  O'Neal was hit-by-pitch to lead off the inning.  Hultgren reached on base by a walk and advanced O'Neal to second base.
• McDaniel reached safely after RU's defensive miscue, allowing Hultgren and O'Neal to score as Dakota State ballooned their lead to 7-3 in the top sixth.
• Bryant was hit-by-pitch to start the seventh inning for DSU.  Macaluso followed up with a 2-run home run as the Trojans increased their lead to 9-3.
• Randall left a runner on base when the game ended, earning a sweep for Dakota State.
• Macaluso powered DSU's offense by going 3-of-5 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, and drove in a game-high five RBIs.  Hultgren added a home run and an RBI.  He scored twice and walked two times.
• McDaniel had a single and an RBI for DSU.  Angstadt, Pribyl, Burke, and Van Beek each added a hit.
• Young led the Saints with a double and single.  Cottone, Jr. added two hits and an RBI.  Stotts recorded an RBI.
• Dakota State outhit Randall 9-5 in the game.  Both teams committed two defensive errors.
• Cameron Pitts (W, 1-0) earned the victory after working for four innings on the pitching mound for DSU.  He yielded the Saints to two runs (one unearned) on three hits. 
• Mitsuki Shimonishi (S, 1) recorded the save after tossing three innings in relief for the Trojans.  He gave up one run on two hits.
• Zach Clarkson (L, 0-2) took the defeat after working for 4 1/3 innings for Randall.  He gave up five runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  Braxton Davis worked for 2 2/3 innings in relief, allowing four runs (one unearned) on two hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director