March 25, 2023

ST. GEORGE, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) continued their best start in the North Star Athletic Association baseball play Saturday afternoon at Rock Creek High School, completing their four-game series sweep of Mayville State (N.D.).  The Trojans held off the Comets 4-3 in the first game and rolled to a 12-2 victory in the second game after a seven-run production in the seventh inning.

Dakota State's winning streak grew to 10 straight games, the first time since the 2007 season when the Trojans opened the season with 22 consecutive victories.  The Trojans lifted their overall record to 17-12 and remained undefeated in the North Star conference play with an 8-0 record.  It was the first time that DSU had an 8-0 start in the NSAA conference play since the league was formed in 2013-14.

The Trojans extended their winning streak to seven games in the series meeting with the Comets, producing their first NSAA four-game series sweep of Mayville State.  MSU fell to 10-14 overall record and 4-4 NSAA conference record.

DSU is scheduled to face Mount Marty (S.D.) in a non-conference nine-inning game on Wednesday evening in Yankton, S.D.  The first pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Riverside Park.

Dakota State continues their NSAA conference play next Friday and Saturday versus Presentation (S.D.)  The Trojans were originally scheduled to host the Saints, but the series will be relocated to a different site due to unfavorable field playing conditions.  Stay tuned to the DSU athletics website for further updates on schedule changes and relocation.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 4, Mayville State (N.D.) 3 – FINAL

• Ryan McDaniel and Walker Hultgren sparked the opening inning with back-to-back doubles.  Hultgren produced an RBI double to score Daniel Lesher, courtesy runner for catcher McDaniel, to give Dakota State a 1-0 lead.
• Mayville State tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the first frame after Carson Lundmark hit a solo home run with one out.
• The Comets added a run to take the lead in the bottom second inning.  Kole Jessamine led off with a double.  Ricky Marquez followed up with an RBI single to score Jessamine for a 2-1 MSU lead.
• The Trojans answered with two runs in the top third inning to regain their lead.  Hultgren and Jeremy Green led off with back-to-back singles (Hultgren advanced to third base and Green to second base on the same play).
• After Jace Pribyl was intentionally walked to set up a bases loaded situation, Chris Burke hit an RBI single to score Hultgren as DSU knotted the game at 2-2 in the top third inning.
• MSU was forced to change the pitcher on the next play, Cade Wenninger hit an RBI fielder's choice to score Green as Dakota State took a 3-2 lead in the top third frame.
• Dakota State scored a run in the top sixth inning to extend their lead.  Dawson Portner was hit-by-pitch to start the sixth inning.  He swiped to second base and advanced to third base after MSU's throwing error. 
• Seth Altwine hit an RBI sacrifice fly out to score Portner as DSU extended their lead to 4-2 in the top sixth inning.
• The Comets answered with a run in the bottom sixth inning.  Alan Larocque led off with a walk.  Josh Majors, pinch runner for Larocque, advanced to second base after DSU's wild pitch.
• Jessamine smashed an RBI double to score Majors as Mayville State trailed 4-3 in the bottom sixth.
• MSU left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the win for Dakota State.
• The Trojans outhit the Comets 9-7 in the game.  Both teams committed a defensive error.
• Hultgren led Dakota State with a double, single and an RBI.  McDaniel added a double.  Green, Mason Macaluso and Pribyl each recorded a single.  Burke had a single and an RBI.  Altwine went 2-of-3 at the plate with two singles and an RBI.  Wenninger collected an RBI and a walk.  Portner swiped one base.
• Lundmark was 2-of-4 at the plate with a home run, single and an RBI for Mayville State.  Larocqe added two doubles and a walk.  Jessamine tallied two doubles and an RBI.  Marquez had a single and an RBI.
• Will Clair started the game on the pitching mound for DSU.  He worked for two innings and gave up two runs on four hits.  JD Kirchner (W, 2-2) earned the victory after tossing five innings in relief.  He limited the Comets to one run on three hits.
• Gregor Farquharson (L, 1-4) took the setback on the pitching mound for MSU.  He pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits.  Connor Cory tossed 4 2/3 innings in relief, yielding one run on three hits.  He registered four strikeouts.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 12, Mayville State (N.D.) 2 – FINAL

• Tied 2-2 after four innings in the four-game series finale, Dakota State erupted for 10 runs in the fifth through seventh innings to complete the sweep after a 12-2 victory.
• DSU earned the first lead of the game in the top second inning.  Macaluso led off with a single, followed by Priybl's double to advance Macaluso to third base.
• The Comets answered with a run in the bottom second.  Jessamine led off with a single.  Marquez reached safely on first base after DSU's defensive error and advanced Jessamine to second base.
• Tanner Boyle hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation with one out in the bottom third for the Comets.  Adam Senden hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Jessamine as Mayville State trailed 2-1.
• Lundmark blasted a lead-off home run as the Comets tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom third inning.
• Altwine fueled Trojans' offense surge in the top fifth inning with a lead-off double.  After McDaniel's walk. Hultgren hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Altwine to third base and courtesy runner Lesher (for McDaniel) to second base.
• Green hit an RBI sacrifice fly out to score Altwine as DSU regained a 3-2 lead in the top fifth (Lesher advanced to third base).  Dakota State made it 4-2 as Macaluso hit an RBI single to score Lesher.
• Portner and Altwine hit back-to-back singles in the top sixth inning with one out for Dakota State.  Hultgren hit an RBI single to score Portner as the Trojans extended their lead to 5-2.
• Dakota State exploded for seven runs in the top seventh inning, sparked by a lead-off solo home run by Macaluso for a 6-2 lead.  Green capped the top seventh inning with a grand slam to balloon DSU's lead to 12-2.
• Portner had an RBI walk and Hultgren added an RBI single during DSU's seventh inning offense explosion.
• Mayville State left two runners on base when the game ended, securing the win for Dakota State.
• The Trojans outhit the Comets 14-9 in the game.  MSU left eight runners on base compared to DSU seven runners left on base.
• Macaluso was 3-of-5 at the plate with a home run, two singles, and drove in two runs for Dakota State.  Green added a home run and collected a game-high of five RBIs.  Altwine had a double and single.
• Hultgren tallied two singles and two RBIs for the Trojans.  Pribyl added two singles and two walks.  Burke had a single and two RBIs.  Wenninger had two hits.  Portner recorded a single, RBI, and walk.
• Lundmark had a home run, single, and an RBI for Mayville State.  Larocque added a double and single.  Jessamine had two singles and a run scored.  Boyle hit two singles.  Marquez had a single.
• Luke Guest (W, 4-2) earned the victory on the pitching mound for DSU.  He gave up two runs (one unearned) on five hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.  He struck out six MSU's batters.  Nicholai Arbach closed out the sixth inning in relief, while Cole Westerlund tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
• Derek Palmiere (L, 1-3) took the defeat after pitching four innings for MSU.  He gave up three runs on four hits.  Gunner Thompson, Calvin Watkins, Maverick Lawin, and Jack Patten also pitched in relief.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director