April 28, 2022

DSU WALK OFF VICTORY IN GAME TWO VIDEO

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) hosted the North Star Athletic Association regular-season title holder and nationally-ranked No. 7 Bellevue (Neb.) in a doubleheader Thursday at Flynn Field.  The Bruins used a seven-run fifth inning to win the four-game series opener by the score of 16-7, which included an hour-long lightning delay in the bottom fifth inning.  The Trojans rallied back in the nightcap in a wild pitch walk-off 10-9 victory to earn a split in the battle of the conference's top two teams in baseball.

Dakota State, who already secured the No. 2 seed for the upcoming North Star baseball postseason tournament next weekend in Forest City, Iowa, recorded its first-ever victory over NAIA's Top 10 team in program history.  It was DSU's second win over nationally ranked Bellevue in the last four meetings at Flynn Field (defeated No. 25 BU 5-0 in game one of last year's meeting held at Flynn Field). 

The Trojans raised their overall record to 29-14, the most overall victories since 2007 when Dakota State reached their program history 38 victories.  DSU also stretched its program history 15th North Star conference victory (15-7 NSAA conference record).  Bellevue is 39-10 overall record and suffered its second NSAA conference setback in 24 games (22-2 NSAA record). 

Both teams wrap up their regular-season schedule with another doubleheader Friday.  First game is set for 11 a.m.  DSU will hold their Senior Day at Flynn Field.

Game 1 – (7) Bellevue (Neb.) 16, Dakota State (S.D.) 7 – FINAL

• Bellevue used a fast start by hitting a lead-off home run in each of the first three innings.  The Bruins earned a 1-0 opening inning as Kanta Kobayashi opened with a solo home run.
• The Bruins made it 2-0 when Mathieu Sirois hit a lead-off home run in the top second frame.
• With runner on third base in the top second with two outs, Conner Barnett produced an RBI single to stretch Bellevue's lead to 3-0.
• Brenton Davis blasted a solo home run to start the top third inning, ballooning BU's lead to 4-0.
• Alex Stufft added a double with two outs.  Andrew Ishii hit a two-out RBI single to score Stufft to make it 5-0 in favor of Bellevue.
• Logan Hunt kicked off the bottom half of the third inning with a walk.  Josh Van Beek followed up with a 2-run home run as the Trojans trailed 5-2.
• Bellevue poured in seven runs in the top fifth inning, highlighted by Barnett's 3-RBI bases-clearing.  Josh Vaughan and Stufft capped the inning with back-to-back RBI singles to extend the Bruins' lead to 12-2.
• Mason Macaluso hit a solo home run in the bottom sixth inning as the Trojans cut the Bruins' lead to 12-3.  It was his 11th home run this season, which moved him in a sole possession for third most home runs in a single season school record book.
• Bellevue made it 13-3 as Vaughan hit a solo home run in the top seventh inning with one out.
• Van Beek blasted a lead-off home run in the bottom seventh as Dakota State trailed 13-4. 
• A single-season school record was set in the bottom seventh as Kameron Bryant drilled a double with two outs for the Trojans.  It was his 18th double of the season, breaking the previous old single season record held by Shea Tonkin with 17 doubles in 2007.
• Macaluso followed up with an RBI single as DSU trailed 13-5 in the bottom seventh.
• Chris Burke started the bottom eighth with a walk.  Van Beek hit his third home run of the game, hitting a 2-run home run as the Trojans cut BU's lead to 13-7.
• Davis hit a 3-run home run in the top ninth inning to expand Bellevue's lead to 16-7.
• The Trojans left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the victory for the Bruins.
• Bellevue pounded out 23 hits in the game compared to Dakota State nine hits.  A total of nine home runs combined by both teams were registered.
• Van Beek sparked the Trojans' offense attack with three home runs and drove in a game-high five runs.  He was perfect 4-of-4 at the plate and scored three times.  Macaluso added 3-of-5 at the plate with a home run, double, single, and tallied two RBIs.
• Bryant had a double for Dakota State.  Jace Pribyl recorded a single and two walks.  Seth Altwine registered two walks.  Burke and Hunt each had a walk.
• Eight Bellevue batters recorded multi-hits game, led by Davis with two home runs, double and drove in four runs.  Stufft and Ishii each added three hits and an RBI.  Barnett had four hits and collected four RBIs.  Kobayashi had a home run, single and an RBI.
• Vaughan had a home run, single and two RBIs for BU.  Sirois added a home run, single, and an RBI. 
• Will Clair (L, 5-3) recorded the defeat on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He allowed 10 runs (two unearned) on 13 hits.  David Kirby worked 4 1/3 innings in relief, giving up six runs (two unearned) on 10 hits.  He recorded four strikeouts.
• Bellevue's Elijah Johnson started the game after working for four-plus innings.  He allowed two runs on one hit and registered six strikeouts.  Cade Sakamoto (W, 1-0) earned the victory in relief, tossing 2 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits.  Bailey Link pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on three hits.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 10, (7) Bellevue (Neb.) 9 – FINAL

• Dakota State held off Bellevue in the nightcap, despite giving up five runs in the top sixth inning for BU's first lead of the game.  The Trojans rallied back to knot the game in the bottom sixth inning and recorded a come-from-behind victory in extra innings for their first win over the NAIA's Top 10 team.
• Ryan McDaniel led off with a walk in the bottom first.  Walker Hultgren followed up with a 2-run home run, scoring courtesy runner Bennett Osborn for 2-0 DSU lead.
• After Van Beek reached on base by a walk with one out in the bottom second, McDaniel drilled an RBI double to score Van Beek as DSU's lead grew to 3-0.
• Diehl hit a double with one out in the top third inning for BU's first hit of the game.  Kobayashi followed up with an RBI double to score Diehl as the Bruins trailed 3-1.
• Davis hit a lead-off home run in the top fourth inning as Bellevue cut Dakota State's lead to 3-2.
• Stufft hit an RBI single in the top sixth inning as the Bruins knotted the game at 3-3.
• Bellevue continued its scoring surge by scoring four more runs with two outs.  With bases loaded situation, Diehl recorded an RBI walk followed by Kobayashi's bases-clearing 3-RBI double as the Bruins earned a 7-5 lead in the top sixth.
• Van Beek and McDaniel each hit a single in the bottom sixth for DSU.  Van Beek and Osborn (courtesy runner for McDaniel) each advanced one base after a wild pitch committed by the Bruins.
• Hultgren followed up with a 2-RBI single to score Van Beek and Osborn as the Trojans tied the game at 7-7.
• Both Bellevue and Dakota State were unable to score in the seventh inning, extending the game into extra inning.
• After BU recorded the first two outs of the top eighth inning, Ishii and Diehl recorded back-to-back walks.  Both advanced one base after a wild pitch by DSU.
• Kobayashi produced a 2-RBI single to score Ishii and Diehl as Bellevue regained their lead to 9-7 in the top eighth frame.
• Hultgren reached on base with one out in the bottom eighth inning for Dakota State.  Bryant followed up with a single to advance Hultgren to second base.
• Macaluso drilled a 2-RBI double to center field to score Hultgren and Bryant as the Trojans tied the game at 9-9.
• Macaluso advanced to third base after a wild pitch committed by the Bruins after a 2-1 count.  Pribyl was hit-by-pitch.
• With Burke at-bat with 2-2 count and one out, another wild pitch by BU allowed Macaluso scored in Trojans' come-from-behind 10-9 victory.
• Dakota State outhit Bellevue 12-9 in the game. 
• Hultgren led the Trojans' offense with two home runs, single and drove in six runs.  Macaluso added a double, single, and collected two RBIs.  McDaniel had a double, single, and an RBI.
• Bryant tallied two singles for Dakota State.  Van Beek added a single, three walks, and scored three runs.  Pribyl and Bryant each had two hits.
• Kobayashi led the Bruins with two doubles, two singles, and produced six RBIs.  Davis had a home run, single, and an RBI.  Stufft and Diehl each had a hit and an RBI.  Vaughan had a single.
• JD Kirchner started the game on the pitching mound for DSU.  He worked for 5 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits.  He struck out BU's batters seven times.  Cole Westerlund worked for two outs in the top sixth inning.  Noah Daugherty (W, 1-0) earned the victory after pitching two innings in relief, giving up two runs on one hit.  He recorded three strikeouts.
• Alexandro Celiceo pitched the first 5 1/3 innings for Bellevue.  He allowed seven runs on eight hits and recorded four strikeouts.  Nate Smith pitched two scoreless innings in relief, yielding two hits.  Charlie Patterson (L, 5-2) recorded the setback after working in the bottom eighth frame, allowing three runs (one unearned) on two hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director