April 10, 2022

La CROSSE, Wis. – Dakota State (S.D.) earned their ninth straight North Star Athletic Association baseball contest after their 5-2 game one victory over Viterbo (Wis.) Sunday at Viterbo Outdoor Activities Center.  The Trojans fell short in a pitcher's duel in the four-game series finale as the V-Hawks held on to a 2-1 victory.

Dakota State won their third North Star Athletic Association baseball four-game series this season.  The Trojans are 25-11 overall record and maintains a sole possession for second place in the NSAA standings with a 12-4 record.  Viterbo is 11-26 overall record and 3-13 NSAA conference record.

DSU earned its first four-game series win over VU since 2016. 

Dakota State's non-conference contest at Minnesota-Morris scheduled for Monday has been canceled due to conference schedule changes for MM (conference games moved to Monday).  The Trojans' next scheduled action is on Friday and Saturday as they return home to host Dickinson State (N.D.) in the NSAA action at Flynn Field.

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

• Both teams could not score in the opening inning, despite leaving two runners on base for Dakota State and bases loaded for Viterbo.
• The game was scoreless through the first three innings of the game.
• DSU earned its first lead of the game after plating two runs in the top fourth frame, ignited by Chris Burke's double.  Seth Altwine followed up with a single to advance Burke to third base.
• Jace Pribyl hit an RBI single to score Burke for Trojans' 1-0 lead (Altwine advanced to second base) in the top fourth. 
• Dakota State made it 2-0 in the top fourth with two outs as Ryan McDaniel hit an RBI single to score Altwine.
• With bases loaded and two outs situation in the top fifth inning, the Trojans produced another two-run production with Pribyl's 2-RBI single as their lead grew to 4-0.
• The V-Hawks snapped their scoring drought with two runs scored in the bottom half of the eighth inning.  With bases full, Cody Wells produced an RBI single followed by Myles Zimdars' RBI walk to trim DSU's lead to 4-2.
• DSU prevented VU to score more runs as the bases were full when the eighth inning ended.
• Noah Angstadt blasted a lead-off home run in the top ninth inning to widen the Trojans' lead to 5-2.  It was his second home run this season.
• Viterbo left one runner on base in the bottom ninth as Dakota State secured the victory.
• Pribyl paced the Trojans' offense attack by going 2-of-4 at the plate with two singles and drove in a game-high three runs.  Mason Macaluso, Burke and Altwine each added two hits.  Angstadt had a home run and an RBI.
• McDaniel tallied a hit and an RBI for DSU.  Jackson O"Neal and Kameron Bryant each had a single.  Bryant reached on base by a walk twice. 
• Wells had a single and an RBI for the V-Hawks.  Zimdars produced an RBI.  Cole Benson and Marcus Hornacek each recorded a single.  Zach Braun, Hornacek, and Zimdars each reached on base by a walk twice.
• Dakota State outhit Viterbo 12-4 in the game.  VU's four hits were all singles.  The V-Hawks left 11 runners on base compared to the Trojans nine runners left on base.
• Mitsuki Shimonishi (W, 5-1) pitched seven innings on the pitching mound, earning the victory for Dakota State.  He limited the V-Hawks to three singles and recorded eight strikeouts.  Cameron Pitts worked for one out in the bottom eight.  Cole Weserlund (S, 5) earned his second save in the series, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.
• Eric Taylor (L, 4-4) took the defeat after tossing 4 2/3 innings for Viterbo.  He allowed four runs on seven hits.  Cale Beckman worked for four innings in relief, yielding one run on five hits.

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

• Viterbo closed the four-game series finale with a 2-1 victory over Dakota State in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader. 
• The V-Hawks scored twice in the bottom first inning and were held scoreless for the rest of the game.  Kendal Hofer led off with a single.  Benson added a single with one out to advance Hofer to second base.
• Blake Warner drilled a 2-out 2-RBI double to score Hofer and Benson to give VU a 2-0 lead in the bottom first.
• Kameron Bryant smashed a lead-off solo home run in the top fourth inning as Dakota State trailed 2-1.  Macaluso followed up with a walk and Walker Hultgren with a single to advance Macaluso to second base.  The Trojans were unable to convert the scoring chances as VU held on to a 2-1 lead.
• DSU also could not score in the top sixth inning, despite leaving runners on third and second bases.
• Alec Danen shut down the Trojans in the final inning by retiring the final three batters, securing the victory for the V-Hawks.
• Bryant had a home run and an RBI for Dakota State.  Macaluso had a double.  McDaniel, Hultgren, Burke, and Altwine each tallied a single.
• Macaluso, Hultgren, and O'Neal each reached on base by a walk for the Trojans.
• Hofer and Benson each had a double, single, and run scored for Viterbo.  Warner added a double and drove in two runs.  Zimdars and Keaton Westhoff each had a hit.
• Both teams left six runners on base in the game.  VU outhit DSU 7-6.
• Nicholi Arbach (L, 3-1) tossed a complete game, despite the defeat for Dakota State.  He gave up two runs on seven hits.  He registered a game-high 10 strikeouts.
• Ben Strassman (W, 2-6) earned the victory for Viterbo.  He pitched five innings and allowed one run on five hits.  Jacob Pinc tossed a scoreless sixth inning in relief.  Danen (S, 1) earned the save after tossing a shutout seventh inning.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director