May 8, 2022

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Trailing 14-10 in the North Star Athletic Association Baseball Postseason Tournament's elimination game Sunday at Forest City High School Baseball Field, second-seeded Dakota State (S.D.) fought to keep their season alive by earning a 15-14 dramatic comeback victory over fourth-seeded and host-team Waldorf (Iowa).  The Trojans took advantage of seven walks in the bottom night inning and produced five runs to end the game with one out.

The game was delayed for two hours due to rain and started the game at 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.

Dakota State lifted their overall record to 31-17 (most overall wins since program history 38 victories in 2007).  It marked the first time in program history that the Trojans had won two games in the North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament.

Waldorf ended their season at 16-27 overall record.  The Trojans went 4-1 record this season versus Waldorf in Forest City, including the NSAA's four-game series with a 3-1 record earlier this season. 

Dakota State waits for the winner of fifth-seeded Valley City State (N.D.) and seventh-seeded Viterbo (Wis.) in another elimination game.  This game will not be played on Sunday evening and will move to the first game on Monday.  First pitch time has not yet been determined, stay tuned to the DSU Athletics on dsuathletics.com or follow DSU Athletics' social media platforms for an update.

Dakota State (S.D.) 15, Waldorf (Iowa) 14 – FINAL

• The Warriors earned the first lead of the game in the top first.  Damien Sanchez reached on base by a walk with one out.  He advanced to second base caused by DSU's defensive error.  Thomas Capllonch reached safely on base by another defensive error by the Trojans, allowing Sanchez advance to third.
• A double steal by the Warriors as Sanchez scored home with two outs for a 1-0 lead (Capllonch swiped to second base).
• Mason Macaluso hit a single in the bottom second inning, tying the single season record of 70 hits with Anyelo Roman in 2012 (DSU trailed 1-0).
• Waldorf plated two runs in the top third.  Josh Fussy led off the inning by being hit-by-pitch.  Sanchez hit an RBI double to score Fussy to extend WU's lead to 2-0.
• Davis Churchman hit a single to advance Sanchez to third base in the top third frame.  Churchman swiped to second base, allowing Sanchez to score home caused by DSU's defensive error to make it 3-0 in favor of the Warriors.
• WU added two runs with two outs in the top fourth.  With runners on second and third bases after singles by Atticus Smith and Anthony Hibl, Sanchez reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error to score courtesy runner Jimmy Mapakou (for catcher Smith).  Capllonch followed up with an RBI single to score Hibl to stretch their lead to 5-0.
• Dakota State snapped its scoring drought with four runs in the bottom fourth.  The Trojans opened with a bases loaded situation after Noah Angstadt was hit-by-pitch, followed by Kameron Bryant's single, and another hit-by-pitch on Macaluso.
• Walker Hultgren drilled a 2-RBI double to score Angstadt and Bryant as DSU trailed 5-2 in the bottom fourth.
• Jace Pribyl reached safely on base caused by WU's defensive error, allowing Macaluso and W. Hultgren to score as the Trojans cut the Warriors' lead to 5-4 in the bottom fourth.
• Dakota State and Waldorf did not score in the fifth and sixth innings.
• The Warriors exploded for five runs in the top seventh, highlighted by five extra-bases hits (four doubles and a home run). 
• WU ignited the top seventh with a solo home run by Churchman to make it 6-4. 
• James Hook followed up with a double, while Ryan Webster reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error with one out in the top seventh for WU.  Smith hit an RBI double to score Hook as Waldorf's lead grew to 7-4 (Webster advanced to third base).
• Hibl added a 2-RBI double to score Webster and courtesy runner Mapakou to balloon Waldorf's lead to 9-4.
• Waldorf made it 10-4 in the top seventh frame as Fussy drilled an RBI double to score Hibl.
• Dakota State answered with five runs in the bottom seventh inning, fueled by Ryan McDaniel's lead-off home run (DSU trailed 10-5).  It was his fourth home run this season and his seventh career home run.
• Bryant hit a single with one out followed by Macaluso's walk in the bottom seventh for DSU.  W. Hultgren blasted an RBI double to score Bryant (Macaluso advanced to third base) as the Trojans reduced their deficit to 10-6.
• After Seth Altwine recorded a walk to set up a bases loaded situation with two outs for Dakota State in the bottom seventh, Pribyl produced a 2-RBI single to score Macaluso and W. Hultgren (DSU trailed 10-8).
• Dakota State cut Waldorf's lead to 10-9 as Josh Van Beek hit an RBI single to score Altwine in the bottom seventh.
• Waldorf produced two runs in the top eight, highlighted by Churchman's double with one out followed by Hook's walk.  Webster hit a 2-RBI double to score Churchman and Hook as Waldorf led 12-9.
• Bryant reached safely on base caused by WU's defensive miscue in the bottom eighth for the Trojans.  With Bryant on third base, W. Hultgren hit an RBI single to score Bryant as DSU trailed 12-10.
• The Warriors made it 13-10 to kick off the top ninth inning with a lead-off home run by Fussy.
• Sanchez followed up with a double for the Warriors in the top ninth.  Hook hit a 2-out RBI single to score Sanchez to increase the Warriors' lead to 14-10.
• Dakota State mounted a furious comeback in the bottom ninth inning, producing five runs and seven walks.
• Altwine led off the bottom ninth with a walk.  He advanced to second base after WU's wild pitch and third base by another wild pitch by the Warriors.  Pribyl and Van Beek recorded back-to-back walks to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU.
• McDaniel followed up with an RBI single to score Altwine as the Trojans trailed 14-11 with no outs.
• A passed ball committed by the Warriors allowed Pribyl to score as DSU cut their deficit to 14-12 (Van Beek advanced to third base and McDaniel to second base).
• Angstadt recorded the fourth walk of the bottom ninth inning for Dakota State, setting up another bases loaded situation.  Bryant registered an RBI walk to score Van Beeok as the Trojans pulled within one run at 14-13.
• After a pitching change by the Warriors, Macaluso hit a fly out to right field for the first out for DSU.
• W. Hultgren followed up with an RBI walk to score McDaniel as the Trojans tied the game at 14-14.
• Chris Burke closed the game with a walk-off RBI walk to score Angstadt to complete a dramatic comeback for the victory at 15-14.
• A total of 29 runs and 32 hits combined by both teams were recorded in the game.  WU outhit DSU 18-14.
• The Trojans committed seven defensive errors compared to the Warriors' three defensive miscues.
• W. Hultgren powered DSU's offense attack by going 3-of-5 at the plate with two doubles, single and drove in a game-high five runs.  McDaniel added a home run, two singles and collected two RBIs. 
• Bryant tallied three singles, RBI, and scored three runs for Dakota State.  Pribyl had a single and two RBIs.  Van Beek had two singles and an RBI.  Angstadt and Macaluso had a hit and a walk.
• Altwine reached on base by a walk two times for the Trojans.  He had two walks.  W. Hultgren, Burke, Pribyl, and Van Beek each had a walk.
• Waldorf drilled eight doubles in the game and hit two home runs.  Fussy had a home run, double, and drove in two runs.  Sanchez added two doubles, RBI, and scored three runs.  Churchman had a home run, double, single and an RBI.
• Smith tallied three hits, including a double, and drove in one run for the Warriors.  Hibl also had a double, two singles and two RBIs.  Webster recorded a double, single and two RBIs.  Hook had two hits and an RBI.  Capllonch had a single and an RBI. 
• JD Kirchner started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for four innings and allowed five runs (three unearned) on five hits.  Cole Westerlund worked for 2 1/3 innings in relief, giving up four runs (one unearned) on three hits.
• Noah Daugherty, Nicholai Arbach, and Kahlil Tilbury also worked in relief for the Trojans.  Grant Svikulis (W, 4-1) earned the victory after tossing one scoreless inning.
• Marshal Furner tossed the first four innings on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He allowed four runs (two unearned) on five hits.  Dane Churchman pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief, giving up five runs on five hits.  Gabriel Jaramillo tossed 1 1/3 innings in relief (gave up an unearned run on three hits).
• Jamie Olson (L, 6-7) took the loss after tossing the ninth inning for the Warriors.  He gave up five runs (one unearned) on one hit and issued five walks.  AJ Oddo worked for one out in the ninth inning and allowed two walks.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director