February 10, 2024

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Dakota State (S.D.) completed a perfect 4-0 record over Avila (Mo.) on their season opening weekend in baseball, earning a 3-2 victory in the first game Saturday afternoon at The Z.  The Trojans poured in a season-high 21 runs in the four-game series finale for a 21-5 victory over the Eagles.  It was the first time since the 2007 season that DSU began their season with a 4-0 record.

The Trojans earned their first four-game series sweep over the Eagles in series history.  Avila, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, dropped their fourth straight game and fell to 4-8 overall record.

Dakota State continues their action next weekend as they play four games in the Joplin (Mo.) Tournament.  The Trojans face Kansas Christian at 11 a.m. and William Woods (Mo.) at 1:30 p.m. at Wendall Redden Stadium.  DSU also play Kansas Christian for the second time at 10 a.m., followed by a contest with (RV) Concordia (Neb.) at 12:30 p.m. next Saturday at Joplin High School.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Avila (Mo.) 2 – FINAL

It was a pitcher's duel in the first game Saturday between DSU's Nicholai Arbach and AU's Alex Walton.  The game was scoreless through five innings and neither team could past second base. 

Hunter Vikemyr started the game with a single in the opening inning for the Trojans.  Aidan Perry added a single in the top third frame.

The Eagles got two runners on base in the bottom half of the third inning after Nick Bowers' walk and Landon Vahle's single with two outs (catcher's courtesy runner Josiah Singleton advanced to second base after Vahle's single).

Dakota State snapped their scoring drought with a pair of solo home runs in the top sixth inning.  Vikemyr led off the inning with a home run to put DSU up 1-0.  It was his second home run in the series.

Two outs later in the top sixth inning, Walker Hultgren smashed a solo home run to balloon the Trojans' lead to 2-0.  It was his 16^th career home run at DSU.

The Eagles responded with two runs in the bottom sixth inning, despite recording the first two outs.  Tyler King was hit by pitch, followed by Ricky Dober's 2-run home run to tie the game at 2-2.

Dawson Portner led off the top seventh inning with a single for Dakota State.  Dalton Nelson followed up with a double to advance Porter to third base.  Ned Ceklic produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Portner as DSU regained their lead at 3-2.

The Trojans survived the Eagles' comeback in the bottom seventh with two runners on base, securing the victory for DSU.

Vikemyr finished the game by going 2-of-4 at the plate with a home run, single, RBI, and run scored for DSU.  Hultgren added a home run, RBI, and run scored.  Portner had a single and a run scored.  Nelson tallied a double.  Ceklic recorded an RBI.  Perry had a single.

Dober paced AU with a home run and drove in two runs.  Vahle added a single.

Arbach (W, 1-0) tossed six innings and allowed two runs on two hits for Dakota State.  He struck out nine AU batters.  JD Kirchner (S, 1) pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief for his first save of the season.

Walton started the game with five innings on the pitching mound for Avila.  He yielded the Trojans to two hits and registered four strikeouts.  Dominic Davies pitched the sixth inning in relief, giving up two home runs on two hits.  Jared Billington (L, 0-1) recorded the setback after working in the seventh inning, allowing one run on two hits.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 21, Avila (Mo.) 5 – FINAL

Dakota State poured in 10 runs in the top second inning in the four-game series finale, rolling to a 21-5 victory over Avila.

The Trojans kicked off the game with a one-out single from Jeremy Green.  He advanced to second base after AU's wild pitch.  Bubba Thompson recorded a walk.  Cassidy Watt produced a two-out RBI single to score Green to give DSU a 1-0 lead in the top first.

Dakota State opened the top second frame with five straight batters reaching safely on base, highlighted by Perry's RBI single and Green's base-clearing 3-RBI triple to balloon their lead to 5-0.

After a pair of walks from Hultgren and Cory Brownson to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU, Green scored after Avila committed a balk for 6-0 lead.

Ceklic and Perry added back-to-back 2-RBI doubles to widen Dakota State's lead to 10-0 in the top second inning.  Vikemry added an RBI single to score Perry for an 11-0 Trojans lead.

The Eagle scored two runs in the bottom half of the second inning with JJ Stubblefield's 2-RBI single (DSU led 11-2).

DSU's offensive explosion continued in the top third inning with five runs scored.  The Trojans recorded 2-RBI single from Brownson, an RBI single from Ceklic, an RBI walk from Vikemry and an RBI single from Thompson to as their lead increased to 16-2.

Green hit a 2-RBI double in the top fifth inning to make it 18-2 in favor of Dakota State. 

Cameron DeMaria blasted his first DSU home run in the top sixth inning, hitting a 2-run home run to balloon their lead to 20-2.

The Eagles plated three runs in the bottom sixth inning with an RBI double from Albert Guerrero, RBI ground out from Josiah Singleton, and an RBI single from Diego Solis (DSU led 20-5).

The Trojans made it 21-5 after a solo home run from Cade Wenninger in the top seventh frame. It was his first career collegiate home run at DSU.

Dakota State outhit Avila 18-9 in the game. 

Green sparked the Trojans' offensive outburst by going 3-of-5 at the plate with a triple, double, single, and drove in a game-high five runs.  Perry added two doubles, a single, three RBIs, and three runs scored.  Ceklic was 3-of-3 at the plate with a double, two singles, three RBIs, and four runs scored. 

DeMaria and Wenninger each hit a home run for Dakota State.  Brownson had a hit and two RBIs.  Watt recorded two singles and an RBI.  Hultgren had two hits and two runs scored.  Vikemyr had a single and drove in two runs. 

King led the Eagles with two hits and two runs scored.  Stubblefield added a single and two RBIs.  Singleton and Guerrero each had a hit and an RBI.

Will Clair (W, 1-0) tossed five innings on the pitching mound for the Trojans.  He allowed two runs on four hits.  Alexander Ferrin worked the sixth inning in relief, giving up three unearned runs on four hits.  Aiden Urbom tossed a shutout seventh inning with three straight strikeouts.

Holton Miller (L, 1-1) took the defeat after working for one-plus inning, giving up four runs on four hits for the Eagles.  Zach Dillman, Ryan Wingerd, Zach Zwicky, Julio Perez, and Corbin Hamman each worked in relief.