February 18, 2023

JOPLIN, Mo. – Morningside (Iowa) jumped to a 2-0 early lead on the first day of the Joplin (Mo.) Baseball Invitational Saturday afternoon at Joplin High School Baseball.  The Trojans could not make a come back to snap their losing skid, falling short by the score of 4-1 to the Mustangs.

Dakota State dropped their overall record to 1-4.  Morningside went 2-0 record after the first day of the tournament, holding off North Star's foe Viterbo (Wis.) 14-13 earlier Saturday in the same tournament.

The Trojans face William Penn (Iowa) Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. in the second game of the tournament.

Morningside (Iowa) 4, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

• Dakota State produced two singles from Chris Burke and Walker Hultgren in the opening inning and could not convert their scoring opportunities.
• Carter Ades led off with a single, followed by a walk from Ryan Kiolbassa to start the bottom half of the first inning for Morningside.  Jayson Willers drilled a 2-RBI double to score Ades and Kiolbassa to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.
• The Trojans left the bases full in the top second inning, despite a lead-off single by Jace Pribyl and an error by the Mustangs as Dawson Portner reached safely on base.  Ryan McDaniel added a walk with two outs to set up a bases loaded situation.
• Morningside added a run in the bottom second frame to extend their lead.  Alex Calabrese led off with a walk and advanced to second base after Nick Grajeda's ground out.  Gunnar Kale reached safely on base caused by DSU's defensive error, allowing Grajeda score home for a 3-0 MC lead.
• Kiolbassa led off the bottom third with a single for the Mustangs.  A pair of defensive miscues by the Trojans allowed Kiolbassa to score to make it 4-0 in favor of Morningside.
• Dakota State snapped its scoring drought with a run scored in the top fifth inning.  Burke drilled a double with one out.  Jeremy Green extended his hitting streak to five games after hitting an RBI single to score Burke as DSU trailed 4-1.
• Hultgren followed up with a double to advance Green to third base in the top fifth inning, but the Trojans could not convert their scoring chances as MC held on to a 4-1 lead.
• Morningside shut down Dakota State in the final inning, securing the victory.
• Burke and Hultgren each went 2-of-4 at the plate with a double and single for the Trojans.  Green added a double and an RBI.  Pribyl and Portner each had a single.  McDaniel registered two walks.  Hakeem Yatim had a walk.
• Willers led the Mustangs with a double and drove in two runs.  Ades and Kiolbassa each had a single. 
• Luke Guest (L, 0-2) tossed a complete game setback for Dakota State, allowing four runs (two unearned) on three hits.  He recorded six strikeouts.
• Wade Canaday (W, 1-0) earned the victory after working five innings for Morningside.  He gave up a run on six hits and recorded seven strikeouts.  Josh Thurman (S, 1) earned the save after pitching two shutout innings, yielding DSU to one hit. 
• The Trojans left 10 runners on base compared to the Mustangs three runners left on base.  DSU outhit MC 7-3 in the game.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director