February 11, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Avila (Mo.) rallied back in the first game of the baseball non-conference doubleheader in a walk-off fashion, defeating Dakota State (S.D.) 4-3 Saturday afternoon at The Z.  The Eagles held on to defeat the Trojans 3-1 in the second game to earn a 3-1 record in the four-game series.

Dakota State fell to 1-3 overall record.  Avila, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), improved to 4-7 overall record after registering their third straight win.

The Trojans return to the state of Missouri next weekend for a four-game Joplin (Mo.) Tournament.  DSU takes on Morningside (Iowa) at 3 p.m. and William Penn (Iowa) at 5:30 p.m. next Saturday (Feb. 18).  Dakota State faces Hastings (Neb.) and (RV) Columbia (Mo.) next Sunday (Feb. 19).

Game 1:  Avila (Mo.) 4, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL

• The Eagles grabbed the first lead of the game in the bottom first inning.  Austin Reams hit a single with one out and swiped to second base.  Jack Virden drilled an RBI double to score Reams for 1-0 AU lead.
• DSU answered with a run scored in the top second frame, thanks to a pair of defensive miscues by Avila.  Chris Burke reached on base by an error.  Dawson Portner hit a single to advance Burke to second base. 
• Seth Altwine reached safely on base after AU's defensive miscue, allowing Burke to score home as Dakota State knotted the game at 1-1 in the top second inning.
• Burke led off the top fourth inning with a single and swiped to second base for DSU.  Portner followed up with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Burke as Trojans earned a 2-1 lead.
• Dakota State extended their lead to 3-1 in the top fifth inning, highlighted by Walker Hultgren's lead off double.  Jeremy Green produced an RBI single to score Hultgren to widen the Trojans' lead by two runs.
• Avila mounted a comeback in the bottom sixth inning after producing two runs.  Kurt Trotter led off the bottom sixth with a single.  Bryce Culp, courtesy runner for Trotter, advanced to second base after DSU's wild pitch.
• Garrett Kalm hit an RBI single with one out to score Culp as the Eagles trailed 3-2 in the bottom sixth. 
• Ricky Dober was hit by pitch and advanced Kalm to second base in the bottom sixth for AU.  Both Kalm and Dober advanced one base after Trojans' passed ball.
• Jacob Nevels hit a two-out RBI single to score Kalm as Avila knotted the game at 3-3. 
• DSU was unable to score in the top seventh inning, leaving a runner on first base after Mason Macaluso's single with two outs.
• Virden and Trotter hit back-to-back singles with one out in the bottom seventh inning for the Eagles.  Paxton Andrade hit a walk-off RBI single to score Virden to secure a 4-3 victory over the Trojans.
• Macaluso finished the game by going 3-of-4 at the plate with a double and two singles.  Portner added a double, single, and an RBI.  Green had a hit and an RBI.  Hultgren tallied two hits and scored a run.  Burke scored twice and recorded a hit. 
• Virden was 3-of-4 at the plate with a double, two singles, and an RBI.  Nevels added three singles and an RBI.  Travis Curry had a double.  Andrade and Kalm each had a single and an RBI.  Reams tallied two hits.
• Nicholai Arbach started the game on the pitching mound for DSU, tossing 4 1/3 innings.  He yielded the Eagles to one run on seven hits and registered eight strikeouts.  Luke Guest worked for one inning in relief, giving up two runs (one unearned) on two hits.  Cole Westerlund (L, 0-1) took the setback after working for an inning and allowing one run on four hits.
• Keaton Ashby pitched four innings for Avila.  He gave up three runs (one unearned) on eight hits.  Alex Walton (W, 1-0) earned the win after tossing three scoreless innings in relief.  He gave up a hit and struck out four DSU's batters.
• The Eagles outhit the Trojans 13-9 in the game. DSU left eight runners on base compared to AU seven runners left on base.

Game 2:  Avila (Mo.) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

• The Trojans were unable to score in the opening inning of the second game, despite a double by Green and swiped to third base with two outs.
• Avila poured in two runs in the bottom half of the first inning, highlighted by back-to-back RBI doubles by Virden and Trotter for a 2-0 lead.
• The Trojans snapped their scoring drought in the top third inning.   Ryan McDaniel reached first base by an error from the Eagles.  Hultgren added a walk to advance McDaniel to second base.  Both McDaniel and Hultgren advanced one base after AU's wild pitch.
• Green hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score McDaniel as the Trojans trailed 2-1 in the top third frame.
• Virden drilled a lead-off double in the bottom fifth inning for the Eagles.  Trotter followed up with a single to advance Virden to third base. 
• Andrade produced an RBI single to score Virden as Avila's lead grew to 3-1 in the bottom fifth with one out.
• Dakota State left a runner on base in the top seventh inning when the game ended, securing the victory for the Eagles.
• Hultgren was 2-of-3 at the plate with a double, single, and walk for the Trojans.  Green added a double and an RBI.  Burke, Chase DeWitt, and Jace Pribyl each recorded a hit.  Portner registered a hit and a walk.
• Virden had two doubles, an RBI, a walk, and scored twice for the Eagles.  Trotter added two hits, RBI, and a walk.  Andrale had a single and an RBI.  Nevels and Landon Vahle each registered a single.
• Will Clair (L, 0-1) took the defeat after pitching two innings for DSU.  He allowed two runs on five hits.  Mitsuki Shimonishi worked for 3 1/3 innings in relief, giving up a run on four hits.  Alex Swack tossed 2/3 shutout innings.
• Chase VanSteenburg (W, 1-0) earned the victory after working for five innings.  He allowed an unearned run on four hits.  Gaven Mooney (S, 2) earned the save after working two scoreless innings in relief.  He gave up three hits.
• Avila tallied nine hits in the game compared to Dakota State seven hits.  The Eagles left 10 runners on base compared to the Trojans nine runners left on base.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director