February 27, 2023

McPHERSON, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) racked up a season-high 15 runs in the first game of the four-game non-conference series with host-team Central Christian (Kan.) Monday afternoon at Light Capital Stadium, earning a 15-1 victory.  The Tigers nailed down a 2-1 extra inning victory over the Trojans in the second game to earn a doubleheader split.

Dakota State is 3-7 overall record.  Central Christian, a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference, is 3-12 overall record.

Both teams wrap up their four-game series Tuesday with another doubleheader.  First game is set for 12 p.m.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 15, Central Christian (Kan.) 1 – FINAL

• After a scoreless first inning, Dakota State took the first lead of the game after plating two runs in the top second frame.
• Mason Macaluso drilled a double with one out in the top second, followed by Ryan McDaniel's single to advance Macaluso to third base.  Ayden Spicer, courtesy runner for catcher McDaniel, swiped to second base.  Hakeem Yatim recorded a walk with two outs to set up a bases loaded situation.
• Seth Altwine reached safely on base after a fielder's choice, while Yatim was safe at second base caused by CCC's throwing error.  As a result, Macaluso and Spicer scored home to give DSU a 2-0 lead in the top second.
• Jeremy Green hit a single and swiped to second base with one out, followed by Walker Hultgren's walk for the Trojans in the top third.
• McDaniel blasted a two-out 3-run home run to score Green and Hultgren as Dakota State ballooned their lead to 5-0 in the top third.
• It was McDaniel's first home run this season and his ninth career home run at DSU.
• The Trojans plated four more runs in the top fifth inning.  Macaluso led off with a walk, followed by McDaniel's double to advance Macaluso to third base.  McDaniel extended the all-time school record of 35 doubles. 
• DSU made it 6-0 in the top fifth after Jace Pribyl hit an RBI single to score Macaluso (Spicer advanced to third base, courtesy running for McDaniel).
• Yatim followed up with an RBI sacrifice bunt to score Spicer, extending the Trojans' lead to 7-0 in the top fifth frame. 
• Chris Burke produced an RBI double to score Michael Buchmann, pinch runner for Pribyl, to make it 8-0 in favor of the Trojans in the top fifth. 
• Dakota State made it 9-0 after Dawson Portner reached safely on first base after Tigers' defensive error, allowing Burke to score in the top fifth inning.
• Jace Phillips led off the bottom half of the fifth frame with a single.  He advanced to second base after Jose Esparza's ground out.
• CCC snapped their scoring drought with an RBI single from Carlos Gusman, allowing Phillips to score to cut DSU's lead to 9-1 in the bottom fifth.
• With bases loaded situation in the top sixth with Pribyl's walk, Seth Altwine's single, and Burke's walk, Portner hit a bases-clearing 3-RBI double as DSU's lead grew to 12-1 with two outs.
• Hultgren led the top seventh with a walk.  Macaluso followed up with a 2-run home run to score Hultgren to balloon Dakota State's lead to 14-1.
• Pribyl added a double with one out in the top seventh, followed by Yatim's single.  Altwine produced an RBI single to score Pribyl to extend the Trojans' lead to 15-1.
• The Tigers left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the four-game series opening victory for Dakota State.
• McDaniel sparked the Trojans' offense attack by going 3-of-3 at the plate with a home run, double, single and drove in three runs.  Macaluso added a home run, double and two RBIs.
• Portner had a double and collected three RBIs for DSU.  Burke added two hits and an RBI.  Pribyl had a double, single, two walks, and two RBIs.  Altwine tallied two singles and an RBI.  Hultgren recorded three walks.  Green had two hits and a run scored.
• Dakota State swiped five bases, led by Green with three stolen bases.  Hultgren and Spicer each added a stolen base.
• Gusman had a double for Central Christian.  Joseph Gusman had a hit and an RBI.  Cam Whittle, Philips, and E. Delaportilla each had a single.
• Sam Tyrpa (W, 2-0) earned the victory on the pitching mound, working for five innings.  He allowed one run on four hits and registered eight strikeouts.  Will Clair tossed two scoreless innings in relief, yielding the Tigers to one hit.  He struck out five CCC's batters.
• Brandon Vegas (L, 1-2) took the setback for the Tigers, working for two innings.  He gave up two unearned runs on two hits and recorded five strikeouts.  Kacey Parrett and Cole Hancock each worked for an inning and allowed three runs each.  Ryan McFarland pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief, giving up seven runs (one unearned) on eight hits.  David Herrera tossed two scoreless outs in the top seventh.

Game 2:  Central Christian (Kan.) 2, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL/8 innings

• The Tigers earned the first lead of the game in the bottom second inning.  Noel Aquino recorded a walk with one out and advanced to second base after Phillips's single.
• Tim Escamilla produced an RBI single to score Aquino to give CCC a 1-0 lead in the bottom second.
• Dakota State knotted the game at 1-1 after Hultgren's solo home run in the top fourth frame.  It was his second home run this season and his eighth career home run at DSU.
• Both teams were unable to score for the rest of the game, forcing the game into extra inning.
• DSU did not score in the top eighth inning, remaining in a 1-1 tie ball game.
• Aquino recorded a walk with one out in the bottom eighth frame.  Escamilla followed up with a single with two outs and advanced Aquino to second base.
• Joseph Gusman hit a walk-off RBI single to score Daniel Pacheco, pinch runner for Aquino, to secure the victory with two outs.
• Dakota State outhit Central Christian 7-6 in the game.  The Tigers left nine runners on base compared to the Trojans three runners left on base.
• Hultgren was 2-of-3 at the plate with a home run, single, and an RBI.  Burke added two singles.  Green, Pribyl, and Yatim each had a hit. 
• Escamilla went 2-of-4 at the plate with two singles and an RBI.  Gusman added a single and an RBI.  Phillips, Sam Chavez, and Julius Sifuentes each had a hit.
• Grant Svikulis started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for four innings and allowed one run on three hits.  He recorded three strikeouts.  JD Kirchner pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, limiting the Tigers to one hit.  Cole Westerlund (L, 0-2) took the defeat after tossing 1 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits.  He struck out three CCC's batters.
• Michael Pelosi pitched five innings for Central Christian.  He allowed one run on seven hits and registered six strikeouts.  Colt Gniech (W, 1-0) earned the victory after pitching three shutout innings in relief.  He had three strikeouts.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director