April 22, 2022

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) continued to establish more records this season Friday afternoon in another North Star Athletic Association baseball doubleheader at Flynn Field.  The Trojans cruised to a 13-2 seven inning victory in the first game (nine-inning game), while the Vikings earned a 14-5 game two victory a doubleheader split.  DSU and VCSU split their four-game series for the second straight year.

Dakota State is 27-13 overall record, the most victories since the 2012 season with 28 victories.  The Trojans also established its program history with the most NSAA conference victories with 14 wins, breaking the previous record of 13 NSAA victories in 2016 and 2021.  DSU is 14-6 record in the league.

Valley City State stayed evened at .500 with 19-19 overall record and 10-10 record in North Star contests.

Dakota State continues their nine-game home stand on Tuesday evening in a nine-inning contest with Dordt (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Flynn Field.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 13, Valley City State (N.D.) 2 – FINAL/7 innings

• Dakota State scored at least a run in every inning, except the fourth inning, to roll to their program history 14th conference victory in the North Star conference.
• Ryan McDaniel led off with a single for the Trojans in the bottom first.  Bennett Osborn, courtesy runner for McDaniel, swiped to second base.  Noah Angstadt followed up with a walk.  Osborn advanced to third base after a double play by the Vikings with Kameron Bryant at-bat.
• The Trojans earned a 2-0 lead with two outs in the bottom first after Mason Macaluso blasted a 2-run home run (scored Osborn).  It was his ninth home run this season for Macaluso.
• Seth Altwine drilled a double with one out in the bottom second.  Jackson O'Neal hit an RBI single with two outs to extend DSU's lead to 3-0.
• Ryan Reynolds hit a solo home run with two outs in the top third frame as Valley City State trimmed Dakota State's lead to 3-1.
• Bryant reached on base by a walk with one out in the bottom third for DSU.  He advanced to second base after VCSU's balk.  Macaluso followed up with a ground out to advance Bryant to third base.  The Vikings committed another balk to allow Bryant to score for 4-0 DSU lead.
• Walker Hultgren followed up with a double for the Trojans.  Chris Burke produced an RBI single to score Hultgren to balloon the Trojans' lead to 5-0.
• The Vikings added a run in the top fifth inning with two outs.  Sal Avila hit a single, followed by Judson Seliskar's double to advance Avila to third base.  Dustin Mertz hit an RBI single to score Avila as VCSU trailed 5-2.
• Dakota State answered with five runs in the bottom fifth inning, ignited by Angstadt's lead-off double.  Bryant followed up with an RBI single to score Angstadt for 6-2 DSU lead (Bryant advanced to second base on the same play on throw). 
• With runners on second base (Macaluso) and first base (Hultgren), Burke hit an RBI single to score Macaluso as the Trojans' lead grew to 7-2 (Burke advanced to second base caused by VCSU's defensive error on the same play). 
• Altwine drilled an RBI double to score Hultgren to make it 8-2 in favor of the Trojans in the bottom fifth.  Jace Pribyl capped the inning with a 2-RBI double to score Burke and Altwine for 10-2 DSU lead.
• Bryant hit a lead-off double in the bottom sixth inning, tying the DSU school record for most doubles in a single season with 17 doubles (Shea Tonkin in 2007). 
• After Hultgren reached on base by a walk, Burke blasted an RBI double to score Bryant to extend Dakota State's lead to 11-2 (Hultgren advanced to third base).
• McDaniel hit a double to start the bottom seventh frame for the Trojans.  Osborn, courtesy runner for McDaniel, advanced to third base after Angstadt's ground out. 
• Bryant smashed a walk-off 2-run home run to end the game with one out in 10-run mercy rule in seven innings of the nine-inning contest.  It was his sixth home run of the season for Bryant.
• Dakota State pounded out 16 hits in the game and limited Valley City State with four hits.  The Trojans also tallied eight doubles compared to the Vikings one double.
• Bryant paced the Trojans' offense attack with a home run, double, single, and drove in three runs.  Burke added a double, two singles, and collected three RBIs.  Altwine had two doubles, RBI, and a walk.  Pribyl collected a double and two RBIs.  O'Neal had a hit and an RBI.
• McDaniel and Angstadt each recorded a double and single for DSU.  Macaluso had a home run and two RBIs.  Hultgren had a hit and a walk.
• Reynolds had a solo home run and an RBI for the Vikings.  Mertz added a hit and an RBI.  Seliskar recorded a double.  Avila had a single.
• JD Kirchner (W, 5-3) tossed a complete game victory on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He yielded the Vikings to two runs on four hits.  He recorded five strikeouts and did not issue a walk.
• Chase Feller (L, 2-4) recorded the defeat for Valley City State.  He worked for 4 1/3 innings and gave up 10 runs (two unearned) on 12 hits.  Jace Hanson worked for two-plus innings in relief, giving up three runs on four hits.

Game 2 – Valley City State (N.D.) 14, Dakota State (S.D.) 5 – FINAL

• Valley City State used a six-run second inning outburst in the second game of the doubleheader to earn a four-game series split.
• After McDaniel led off with a walk, Angstadt drilled an RBI double down the right field line to score courtesy runner Osborn as the Trojans grabbed the first lead of the game at 1-0.
• With bases loaded situation and two outs in the top second inning, the Vikings produced three straight scoring plays.  Avery Bennefeld hit a 2-RBI single, followed by David Demeter's 2-RBI double, and capped with a 2-run home run by Drew Nixon as the Vikings earned a 6-1 lead.
• The Trojans scored twice in the bottom half of the second inning.  Burke reached on base by VCSU's error.  Altwine followed up with a single followed by Pribyl's walk to set up a bases loaded situation.
• Logan Hunt recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Burke as the Trojans trailed 6-2 in the bottom second.
• Dakota State reduced their deficit to 6-3 after Bryant's RBI single to score Altwine in the bottom second.
• Demeter hit a 2-run home run in the top fourth inning and scored Mertz, who hit a lead-off double.  VCSU led 8-3 after four innings.
• Demeter reached on base by a walk with one out in the top sixth.  Nixon followed up with a double and advanced Demeter to third base.  Jaden Babiuk hit a two-out 2-RBI double to score Demeter and Dixon as the Vikings' lead grew to 10-3.
• Logan Hunt blasted his first career collegiate home run at Dakota State in the bottom sixth inning, scoring Pribyl who hit a lead-off single.  The Trojans trailed 10-5 after six innings.
• Valley City State plated four more runs in the top seventh inning, capped by Demeter's 3-run home run as their lead grew to 14-5.
• The Trojans left a runner on base when the game ended, securing the victory for the Vikings.
• VCSU outhit DSU 18-9 in the game.  The Trojans left eight runners on base compared to the Vikings seven runners left on base.
• Hunt led Dakota State with a home run and earned three RBIs.  Macaluso hit two doubles.  Angstadt and Bryant each had a hit and an RBI.  Angstadt had two walks.  McDaniel had a single and reached on base by a walk twice.
• Burke, Altwine, and Pribyl each registered a single for DSU.  Altwine and Pribyl each also had a walk.
• Demeter smashed two home runs in the game, added a double, and drove in game-high seven runs for Valley City State.  Bennefeld added three singles and earned three RBIs.  Babiuk registered three hitsi and two RBIs.  Mertz and Seliskar each tallied two hits.
• Nicholai Arbach (L, 3-2) took the defeat on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for two innings and allowed six runs on seven hits.  Kahlil Tilbury pitched four innings in relief, giving up four runs on six hits.  He struck out eight times.  Devin DeBoer tossed the seventh inning in relief.  He recorded two strikeouts.
• Brooks Brown (W, 2-0) earned the win after tossing five-plus innings for Valley City State.  He gave up five runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  He issued six walks in the game.  Zach Veneman pitched two scoreless innings in relief, scattering two hits.  He registered three strikeouts.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director