March 19, 2024

MITCHELL, S.D. – All nine Dakota State (S.D.) starting hitters registered a hit Tuesday afternoon, propelling to their fast start and never trailed in a nine-inning baseball contest with rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  The Trojans opened with a 5-0 lead, rolling past the Tigers by the score of 12-6 for the sixth straight victory.

Dakota State raised their overall record to 19-6, their fifth time in the last six games and their ninth time in the last 11 games that the Trojans had scored double digits runs.  Dakota Wesleyan fell to 8-13 overall record.

Another career record was set during the game with Ryan McDaniel surpassing Mason Macaluso for all-time total bases.

The Trojans won their third straight meeting with the Tigers.  DSU also won for the fifth time in the last six meetings with DWU.  Both teams are slated to play their second meeting of the season on April 16 at Flynn Field.

Dakota State is scheduled to host Missouri Valley in a non-conference four-game series Friday and Saturday.  Stay tuned to the DSU Athletics website on dsuathletics.com or download the Trojan Nation fan app for future updates on schedule changes.

Dakota State (S.D.) 12, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 6 – FINAL

Ned Ceklic and McDaniel kicked off the game with back-to-back doubles for the Trojans in the top first inning.  Walker Hultgren produced a 2-RBI single to score Ceklic and McDaniel for a 2-0 DSU lead.

Cassidy Watt followed up with a single to advance Hultgren to second base in the top first for Dakota State.  Cory Brownson smashed a 3-run home run to balloon their lead to 5-0, scoring Hultgren and catcher's courtesy runner Seth Altwine (for Watt).  It was Brownson's fourth home run this season for DSU.

Dakota Wesleyan answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first inning.  Drew Kitchens hit a single with one out, followed by Seth Christiansen's walk, and Diego Jirau fielder's choice to set up a bases loaded situation.  Caleb Meyers hit an RBI single to score Kitchens as the Tigers trailed 5-1.

A wild pitch by the Trojans allowed Christiansen to score as DWU trimmed DSU's lead to 5-2 in the bottom first.

Dakota State made it 6-2 in the top third inning as Bubba Thompson drilled a 2-out RBI double to score Brownson, who hit a single.

Dawson Portner led off the top fourth frame with a single for the Trojans.  He swiped to second base.  He advanced to third base after Ceklic's ground out. 

McDaniel broke the all-time record in total bases after producing an RBI single to score Portner, extending DSU's lead to 7-2 in the top fourth.  McDaniel surpassed Macaluso's career record of 320 total bases from 2020-23. 

Watt kicked off the top fifth frame with a walk for Dakota State.  Altwine, running for Watt, swiped to second base.  Brownson added a walk.  Altwine advanced to third base after DWU's wild pitch.

Thompson recorded an RBI fielder's choice bunt to score Altwine as DSU extended their lead to 8-2 in the top fifth inning. 

Christiansen blasted a 2-run home run in the bottom fifth, scoring Lane Darrow who led off with a single.  DWU trailed 8-4 after five innings.

The Trojans plated three runs in the top seventh inning to widen their lead.  Watt led off with a double.  Brownson followed up with an RBI single to score Altwine, who ran for Watt, to make it 9-4 in favor of DSU.

Michael Buchmann, pinch runner for Brownson, advanced to second base after DWU's wild pitch in the top seventh.  Thompson hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Buchmann to third base.  Aidan Perry hit an RBI double to score Buchmann to balloon Dakota State's lead to 10-4.

After Portner's walk, the Trojans made it 11-4 as Jeremy Green hit an RBI single to score Perry in the top seventh frame.

The Tigers cut DSU's lead to 11-6 in the bottom eighth as Christiansen hit a 2-RBI double with two outs.

Green drilled an RBI double with two outs to score Thompson, who led off with a single and advanced to second base on the same play after DWU's defensive miscue.  Dakota State led 12-6 after eight-and-half innings.

The Trojans' defense ended the game with a double play, securing their 11^th win in the 12 games.

DSU outhit DWU 17-8 in the game.  The Tigers left 10 runners on base compared to the Trojans seven runners left on base. 

Dakota State produced seven extra-bases hits in the game with six doubles and a home run.

Brownson paced the Trojans' offense attack with a home run, single, and drove in four runs.  Thompson collected a double, two singles, and two RBIs.  Green added a double, single and two RBIs.  Portner and Watt each had two hits.  Portner had a stolen base.  McDaniel recorded a double, single, and an RBI.  Hultgren had a single and two RBIs.  Altwine scored three times and swiped one base.

Christiansen was 2-of-4 at the plate with a home run, double, and collected four RBIs for the Tigers.  Darrow added two singles.  Meyers had a single and an RBI.  Kitchens, Jirau, and Carter Olek each registered a single.

Aiden Urbom started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits.  He struck out seven DWU's batters.  Curtis Flint (W, 2-0) earned the victory after tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.  He limited the Tigers to one hit and registered seven strikeouts.

Aiden Rocha pitched the eighth inning, while Collin Grimmel tossed a shutout in the ninth inning in relief for DSU.

Jacob Glovich (L, 0-4) took the setback for Dakota Wesleyan, giving up seven runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings.  Logan Miller, Presten Riddle, Logan Davis, and Brady Christoffels also pitched in relief.