February 17, 2024

JOPLIN, Mo. – Dakota State (S.D.) poured in 16 runs, thanks to their eight extra-bases hits, Saturday afternoon as they completed their season series sweep of Kansas Christian in the Joplin (Mo.) baseball tournament.  The Trojans extended their winning streak to seven games after defeating the Falcons 16-3 at Joplin High School baseball field.

Dakota State remained undefeated this season at 7-0 overall record.  Kansas Christian fell to 0-6 overall record.

The Trojans finish their Joplin tournament versus Graceland (Iowa) at 3:30 p.m. on the same Joplin High School baseball field.

Dakota State (S.D.) 16, Kansas Christian 3 – FINAL

Dakota State continued their fast start in the tournament, opening with four runs in the first inning.  Jeremy Green hit a single with one out and swiped to second base.  Bubba Thompson followed up with a walk.

Walker Hultgren blasted a 3-run home run to give DSU a 3-0 lead in the top first.  It was his second home run and his 17^th career home run at Dakota State.

Cassidy Watt followed up with a walk for the Trojans in the opening inning.  Cory Brownson hit a single to advance catcher's courtesy runner Seth Altwine to second base.  Both Altwine and Brownson advanced one base after KCC's balk.  Dawson Portner produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Altwine to extend the Trojans' lead to 4-0.

Drew Lippold started the bottom half of the first inning with a single.  Chris Hunter added a walk to advance Lippold to second base.  With bases loaded situation with one out, the Falcons scored their first run of the game caused by DSU's defensive error (Lippold scored) as KCC trailed 4-1.

Manny Valenzuela added an RBI ground out to score Hunter as Kansas Christian trimmed DSU's lead to 4-2 in the bottom first.

Dakota State exploded for five runs in the top third inning, thanks to their first six batters of the top third reaching safely on base.  After Watt led off with single, Brownson blasted a 2-run home run to widen the Trojans' lead to 6-2. 

Portner drilled a double, while Cameron DeMaria was hit-by-pitch for DSU in the top third.  Aidan Perry hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation.  Ryan McDaniel hit an RBI single to score Porter to balloon DSU's lead to 7-2. 

Dakota State's lead grew to 8-2 after Green's RBI sacrifice fly to score DeMaria in the top third frame (Perry advanced to third base).  Perry scored home to make it 9-2 DSU after McDaniel was caught stealing at second base.

Valenzuela smashed a lead-off solo home run in the bottom fourth as the Falcons trailed 9-3.

Portner hit an RBI single to score Hultgren, who led off the top sixth with a walk, to extend Dakota State's lead to 10-3.
The Trojans erupted for six runs in the top seventh frame, thanks to four extra-bases hits.  Perry blasted his first career home run to lead off the top seventh, widening their lead to 11-3.

McDaniel followed up with a double and scored home after Green's RBI double (DSU led 12-3) in the top seventh.  Thompson added an RBI single to score Green to make it 13-3 in favor of the Trojans.

Brownson had an RBI sacrifice fly, while Michael Buchman produced an RBI double, and DeMaria earned an RBI to extend DSU's lead to 16-3 in the top seventh.

Dakota State outhit Kansas Christian 18-3 in the game. 

McDaniel powered the Trojans' offense attack by going 4-of-5 at the plate with a double, three singles, and an RBI.  Hultgren collected a home run, double, two walks, and drove in three runs.  Brownson had a home run, single and three RBIs.  Portner had two hits and two RBIs.  Perry collected a home run, single, and an RBI.

Green tallied a double, single, and two RBIs for Dakota State.  Buchmann added a double and an RBI.  Watt registered two hits.  Thompson had a hit and an RBI. 

Valenzuela had a home run and collected two RBIs for Kansas Christian.  Lippold added a single.

Will Clair (W, 2-0) earned the victory on the pitching mound for DSU.  He worked for six innings and allowed three runs (one unearned) on three hits.  He recorded seven strikeouts.  Treyten Kolan tossed a shutout in the seventh inning in relief.

Cody Ziegelmeyer (L, 0-1) recorded the defeat after working for two innings, giving up six runs on six hits for KCC.  The Falcons used four other pitchers in the game.