March 4, 2023

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) continued their action Saturday afternoon in a nine-inning baseball contest with Baker (Kan.) from the Heart of America Athletic Conference at Sauder Field.  The Trojans extended their season-high winning streak to three games after holding off the Wildcats by the score of 5-2 in the three-game series opener.

Dakota State improved their overall record to 6-7, while Baker fell to 5-8 overall record.

Both teams play a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, starting at 12 p.m.

Dakota State (S.D.) 5, Baker (Kan.) 2 – FINAL

• Dakota State took the first lead of the game in the top second inning.  Walker Hultgren reached safely on first base after Baker's defensive miscue.
• Mason Macaluso followed up with a walk to advance Hultgren to second base.  Jace Pribyl also recorded a walk with one out and set up a bases loaded situation.
• Hakeem Yatim hit a 2-RBI single to score Hultgren and Macaluso to give DSU a 2-0 lead in the top second frame.
• Quinton Graham blasted a solo home run in the bottom third as the Wildcats trimmed the Trojans' lead to 2-1.
• After Ryan McDaniel's lead-off walk in the top fifth inning. Jeremy Green smashed a 2-run home run to score Ayden Spicer (courtesy runner for McDaniel) to balloon DSU's lead to 4-1.
• It was Green's first career collegiate home run at Dakota State.
• The Trojans defense halted the Wildcats' scoring opportunity after John Raybourn's double in the bottom sixth frame with two outs.
• Green hit a lead-off single in the top seventh inning for the Trojans.  Macaluso added a single to advance Green to third base.  Dawson Portner produced an RBI fielder's choice to score Green as DSU's lead grew to 5-1 (Macaluso was forced out at second base).
• Baker answered with a run scored in the bottom half of the seventh inning, thanks to Darwin Oleaga's double with one out.  Peyton Sparks, pinch runner for Oleaga, advanced to third base after DSU's wild pitch.
• Javier Aguirre collected an RBI ground out to score Sparks as the Wildcats trailed 5-2 in the bottom seventh.
• Baker left two runners on base in the bottom ninth inning, despite a double from Tanner Twillman.  Brennan Johnson added a walk, as the Trojans secured the victory after a foul out by the Wildcats.
• DSU recorded nine hits in the game compared to BU eight hits.  The Wildcats committed two defensive errors, while the Trojans did not commit a defensive error.
• Green paced Dakota State's offense attack with a home run, single, and tallied two RBIs.  Portner added two singles and an RBI.  Yatim had a single and earned two RBIs.
• Hultgren, Pribyl, and Macaluso each had a single and a walk for DSU.  Seth Altwine recorded a single.
• Graham hit a double, single, and an RBI for Baker.  Twillman and Oleaga each added a single and double.  Peyton Lewis and Raybourn each had one hit.
• Luke Guest (W, 2-1) earned the win on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He allowed two runs on six hits.  He struck out four BU batters.  JD Kirchner (S, 1) earned the save after tossing two scoreless innings in relief, yielding the Wildcats to two hits.
• Baker's Christian Spirtz took the loss after working for four innings.  He allowed two runs (one unearned) on two hits.  Jason Kutch tossed two innings in relief, giving up two runs on three hits.  Logan Whelan pitched the final three innings, yielding one run on four hits.

Nick Huntimer, Daktoa State University Sports Information Director