March 10, 2023

DALLAS, Texas – Dakota State (S.D.) continued their baseball action on the road Friday, visiting Dallas Christian (Texas) for a four-game series at Dixon Field.  The Crusaders rallied back to defeat the Trojans 8-7 in the first game and used a fast start in game two to complete a doubleheader sweep by the score of 7-4.

Dakota State dropped their overall record to 6-11.  Dallas Christian improved to 4-12 overall record.

Both teams wrap up their four-game series Saturday with another doubleheader, starting at 12 noon.

Game 1 – Dallas Christian (Texas) 8, Dakota State (S.D.) 7 – FINAL

• Dakota State earned the first lead of the game in the opening inning.  Ryan McDaniel led off with a single.  Daniel Lesher, courtesy runner for catcher McDaniel, swiped to second base and advanced to third base after a defensive error by DCC.
• Walker Hultgren reached safely on base after another defensive error by the Crusaders, allowing Spicer to score for 1-0 DSU lead in the top first.
• The Trojans were unable to convert their scoring chances as they left runners on first and third base, despite a single from Jeremy Green that extended his hitting streak to 16 games (Hultgren advanced to third base).
• Stefon Reyes blasted a solo home run in the bottom half of the first frame as DCC knotted the game at 1-1.
• After a pair of scoreless innings, DSU regained their lead after plating two runs in the top fourth inning.  Dawson Portner led off with a walk.  He advanced to third base after Chris Burke's single. 
• Hakeem Yatim produced an RBI single to score Portner to give the Trojans a 2-1 lead in the top fourth (Burke advanced to third base).
• Seth Altwine hit an RBI sacrifice bunt to score Burke to extend Dakota State's lead to 3-1 in the top fourth.
• Dallas Christian poured in four runs in the bottom fourth to overtake the lead from the Trojans, sparked by Emmanuel Valenzuela's lead off double.  Josh Freeman reached on base by a walk. 
• Marcos Franjul hit a ground out and advanced Valenzuela to third base and Kyle Brealand, pinch runner for Freeman, to second base.
• Zachary Andrews drilled a 2-RBI two-out double to score Valenzuela and Brealand to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom fourth for DCC.
• Dakota State committed a defensive miscue as Travis Whitehurst reach safely on base, allowing Andrews to score for a 4-3 lead.  DSU added another defensive error to allow Whitehurst to score as DCC's lead grew to 5-3 in the bottom fourth.
• Cooper Ness, Valenzuela, and Freeman hit three straight singles to start the bottom fifth for Dallas Christian.  Lewis hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Ness to make it 6-3 in favor of the Crusaders.
• Dakota State stormed back with four runs in the top sixth inning.  Jace Pribyl led off with a single, followed by another since by Burke.  Seth Altwine added a single to set up a bases loaded situation (Ayden Spicer pinch ran for Pribyl).
• The Trojans scored two runs after DCC's defensive error, allowing Spicer and Burke to score to trim DCC's lead to 6-5 in the top sixth (Altwine advanced to third base).
• Lesher, courtesy runner for McDaniel, swiped to second base and allowed Altwine to score home to tie the game at 6-6 for Dakota State.
• DSU regained their lead at 7-6 when Hultgren hit an RBI single to score Lesher in the top sixth inning.
• The Crusaders answered with a pair of runs in the bottom sixth.  Reyes reached on base by a walk.  Andrews blasted an RBI triple to score Reyes, knotting the game at 7-7.
• Ness followed up with an RBI single to score Andrews as Dallas Christian took an 8-7 lead in the bottom sixth frame.
• Dakota State was unable to convert their scoring opportunity in the final inning, despite a walk by Yatim.
• The Trojans outhit the Crusaders 12-9 in the game.  DCC committed four defensive errors compared to DSU two defensive errors.
• Green was perfect 4-of-4 at the plate with four singles for the Trojans.  Burke added three singles and a stolen base.  McDaniel and Yatim each had a hit and an RBI.  Hultgren produced two RBIs and a single.
• McDaniel registered two walks for Dakota State.  Lesher swiped two bases and scored twice. 
• Reyes had a home run, two RBIs, two walks, and scored twice for Dallas Christian.  Ness added two singles and an RBI.  Valenzuela had a double and a single.  Andrews hit a triple and drove in two runs. 
• Sam Tyrpa started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for 3 2/3 innings and allowed five runs (two unearned) on four hits.  He recorded four strikeouts.  Cole Westerlund (L, 0-3) took the setback in relief, pitching 1 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (one unearned) on four hits.  JD Kirchner toss the final out of the bottom sixth inning.
• Bryce Garza pitched six innings for Dallas Christian.  He allowed seven runs (three unearned) on 12 hits.  Andrew Hickey collected the victory after tossing a scoreless seventh inning.

Game 2 – Dallas Christian (Texas) 7, Dakota State (S.D.) 4 – FINAL

• The Crusaders racked up seven runs in the first three innings and held off the Trojans for a doubleheader sweep.
• Dallas Christian opened with a pair of runs in the bottom first frame.  Jaidon Erivez led off with a walk.  Reyes hit a single toa dvance Erivez to second base.  Andrews drilled an RBI double to score Erivez for DCC 1-0 lead (Reyes advanced to third).
• Valenzuela hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Reyes to balloon Dallas Christian's lead to 2-0.
• Andrews added an RBI single in the bottom second to make it 3-0 DCC.  Valenzuela and Franjul capped the second inning with back-to-back RBI singles to widen their lead to 6-0.
• Riekkhen Bostick hit a lead-off home run in the bottom third as DCC's lead grew to 7-0.
• Dakota State snapped their scoring drought with a pair of runs in the top fifth inning.  Altwine led off with a single.  McDaniel drilled a double to advance Atlwine to third base. 
• Green extended his hitting streak to 17 games after producing an RBI single to score Altwine as DSU trailed 7-1.
• Mason Macaluso added an RBI single to score Lesher (courtesy runner for McDaniel) as the Trojans cut the Crusaders' lead to 7-2.
• Yatim hit a single with one out in the top sixth inning for Dakota State.  McDaniel recorded a walk with two outs and advanced Yatim to second base.  Hultgren hit an RBI single to score Yatim, cutting DCC's lead to 7-3.
• Lesher also scored on the same play caused by the Crusaders' defensive error, reducing DSU's deficit to 7-4 in the top sixth inning.
• DSU was unable to score in the final inning, securing the victory for DCC.
• The Crusaders outhit the Trojans 10-7 in the game.  Dallas Christian committed three defensive errors, while Dakota State had one defensive error.
• McDaniel had a double and a walk for Dakota State.  Lesher scored twice as a courtesy runner for McDaniel.  Hultgren, Green, and Macaluso each had a hit and an RBI.  Portner, Yaim, and Altwine each hit a single.  Pribyl recorded two walks.
• Botstick was 2-of-4 at the plate with a home run, single, and an RBI.  Andrews had a double, single, and two RBIs.  Joel Stone had two singles and a walk.  Franul had a hit, walk, and an RBI.  Reyes recorded a single and two walks.
• Luke Guest (L, 2-2) took the defeat after tossing one-plus inning for Dakota State.  He allowed five runs on three hits.  Aiden Rocha worked the second inning, giving up a run on four hits.  Alex Swack pitched  2 1/3 innings and registered five strikeouts.  Aiden Urbom pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.
• Tobin Jones secured the pitching victory for Dallas Christian.  He gave up two runs on four hits and struck out four DSU's batters.  Hickey worked 2 2/3 innings in relief, giving up two runs (one unearned) on three hits.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director