March 24, 2023

ST. GEORGE, Kan. – The North Star Athletic Association baseball four-game series between Dakota State (S.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) had been forced to relocated to Rock Creek High School in St. George, Kan., this weekend.  While both teams opened their NSAA conference play with an undefeated 4-0 record last weekend, the Trojans opened the four-game series with a pair of 3-0 shutout victories over the Comets.

Dakota State ballooned their season-high winning streak to eight games, the first time since March 28-April 10, 2010 (nine-game winning streak), that the Trojans had won eight straight games.  DSU improved their overall record to 15-13 and remained undefeated in the North Star conference play with a 6-0 mark (tied with No. 9 ranked Bellevue, Neb., for first place in the conference standings after Friday's games).

The Trojans produced their best North Star Athletic Association start at 6-0 record for the first time since the league was formed in 2013-14.  Dakota State also matched its best six-game conference start since 2010 in the former Dakota Athletic Conference after their four-game series sweep over Valley City State (N.D.) and a doubleheader sweep over Minot State (N.D.).

Mayville State fell to 10-11 overall record and 4-2 NSAA conference record.  Dakota State had won the last three meetings with the Comets.

Both teams wrap up their NSAA's four-game series Saturday at the same place, playing another doubleheader with the first game starting at 12 p.m.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Mayville State (N.D.) 0 – FINAL

• Dakota State used a fast start in a nine-inning contest in the four-game series opener, scoring three runs after the first two innings and shut down Mayville State to secure the victory.
• Jeremy Green was hit-by-pitch with two outs for the Trojans in the top of the first inning.  Mason Macaluso drilled an RBI double to score Green to give DSU a 1-0 lead.
• Cade Wenninger and Dawson Portner hit back-to-back singles with one out in the top second frame for DSU.  Both Wenninger and Portner advanced on base after the Comets committed a wild pitch.
• Seth Altwine produced a 2-RBI single to score Wenninger and Portner to extend Dakota State's lead to 3-0 in the top second.
• Dakota State halted Mayville State from scoring in the bottom third inning as they left the bases full after Adam Senden's double, Marcus Hughes' single, and Alan Larocque's walk.  DSU led 3-0 after three innings.
• The Comets also left bases loaded in the bottom half of the fourth inning and did not score.  Kole Jessamine was hit-by-pitch, while Ricky Marquez and Tanner Boyle hit back-to-back singles to set up a bases loaded situation.
• Mayville State failed to score in the bottom eighth inning as they left runners on third and second base, despite back-to-back lead-off single by Jared McCorrister and Jessamine. 
• Dakota State secured the victory in the bottom ninth as Mayville State left a runner when the game ended.
• MSU outhit DSU 9-6 in the game.  The Comets left 12 runners on base compared to the Trojans five runners left on base.
• Altwine had a single and drove in two runs for Dakota State.  Macaluso added a double and an RBI.  Portner had a single and two walks.  Jace Pribyl, Chris Burke, and Wenninger each had a single.  Pribyl recorded a walk.
• Senden collected a double and single for Mayville State.  Carson Lundmark added a double and a walk.  Hughes, Larocque, Jared McCorrister, Jessamine, Marquez, and Tanner Boyle each had a hit.  Larocque recorded two walks.
• DSU used a pair of pitchers for a combined shutout victory on the pitching mound.  Grant Svikulis (W, 3-0) earned the victory after tossing six scoreless innings.  He allowed six hits.  JD Kirchner (S, 2) earned the save after pitching three scoreless innings in relief, yielding the Comets to three hits.
• Braxton Greenburg (L, 2-2) took the setback after working for seven innings for MSU.  He allowed three runs on five hits and recorded six strikeouts.  Jack Patten tossed two scoreless innings in relief, limiting the Trojans to one hit.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Mayville State (N.D.) 0 – FINAL

• DSU used another fast start and held Mayville State scoreless for the second straight game.  The Trojans held the Comets scoreless for 16 straight innings.
• McDaniel led off the game with a single.  Walker Hultgren followed up with another single and advanced courtesy runner Danny Lesher (for McDaniel) to third base. 
• Green produced an RBI fielder's choice to score Lesher for Dakota State 1-0 lead in the top first inning.
• DSU plated two more runs in the top third inning to stretch their lead.  McDaniel hit a single with one out.  Hultgren followed up with a single and advanced Lesher to third base.
• A wild pitch committed by the Comets allowed Lesher to score for DSU 2-0 lead (Hultgren advanced to second base) in the top third. 
• Green and Macaluso recorded back-to-back walks to set up a bases loaded situation with one out for DSU.  Pribyl produced an RBI walk to score Hultgren as the Trojans' lead grew to 3-0.
• Mayville State did not past second base during the seven-inning contest, securing the victory for Dakota State.  The Comets left a runner on second base when the game ended.
• DSU outhit MSU 6-3.  The Trojans left eight runners on base compared to the Comets five runners on base.
• Hultgren was perfect at the plate going 3-of-3 with three singles, walk, and a run for Dakota State.  McDaniel added two singles, while Lesher scored twice.  Macaluso had a single and two walks.
• Pribyl collected an RBI and a walk for the Trojans.  Green had an RBI and a walk.  Macaluso and Pribyl each swiped one base.
• McCorrister, Jessamine, and Boyle each had a single for the Comets.  Lundmark swiped one base.
• Sam Tyrpa (W, 4-0) earned a complete game victory for Dakota State.  He limited the Comets to three singles and did not issue a walk.  He struck out eight MSU's batters.
• Kaito Farquharson (L, 2-3) took the defeat on the pitching mound for Mayville State.  He worked for 2 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits.  Ryan Froemke pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed two hits.  Preston Edinger also tossed two scoreless innings in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director