March 2, 2024

STERLING, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) completed a doubleheader sweep of Sterling (Kan.) Saturday afternoon in two different tales at Sterling Baseball Complex.  The Trojans held off the Warriors' late comeback in the first game, while DSU roared back in the final inning with six-run production to erase their 8-6 deficit.  Dakota State won both games by identical scores of 12-8.

The Trojans extended their winning streak to three games, lifting their overall record to 11-5.  Sterling, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, fell to 10-7 overall record.

DSU won their four-game series with a 3-1 record, raising their record against members of the KCAC to 7-1 record this season (4-0 record at Avila, Mo., in the season opener on Feb. 9-10).

Dakota State continues their action on the road next weekend as they play another four-game series.  The Trojans visit Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) with a doubleheader on Friday and next Saturday, starting at 12 noon on both days.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 12, Sterling (Kan.) 8 – FINAL

The Trojans earned the first lead of the game in the opening inning with two outs.  Ryan McDaniel recorded a walk.  Walker Hultgren hit a single and advanced catcher's courtesy runner Seth Altwine to second base.  Altwine scored home on the same play caused by Sterling's defense error for 1-0 DSU lead.

Sterling left bases loaded in the bottom half of the first inning as the Trojans' defense halted their scoring opportunities.

Cory Brownson led off the top second frame with a walk for DSU.  He advanced to second base after Aidan Perry's sacrifice bunt.  Dawson Portner was hit-by-pitch.  Jeremy Green smashed a 3-run home run to score Brownson and Portner to balloon Dakota State's lead to 4-0.

It was Green's third home run this season and his eighth career home run at DSU.

The Warriors answered with two runs in the bottom second inning.  Nate Heffline led off with a double, followed by Eric Beyale hit-by-pitch.  Luis Morales drilled a 2-RBI double to score Heffline and Beyale as SC trimmed DSU's lead to 4-2.

Dakota State continued its scoring attack in the top third inning.  McDaniel led off with a single.  Hultgren blasted a 2-run home run to balloon DSU's lead to 6-2.  It was his fourth home run this season and his 19^th career home run.

Cassidy Watt followed up with a bunt single in the top third for the Trojans.  Brownson drilled an RBI double to score Watt to make it 7-2 in favor of DSU.  After a pitching change by SC, Perry hit a single to advance Brownson to third base.  Perry swiped to second base. 

DSU made it 8-2 in the top third frame as Bubba Thompson recorded an RBI sacrifice bunt to score Brownson.

The Trojans hit three doubles in the top fifth inning.  Perry hit a double with one out, followed by Thompson's RBI double to score Perry for 9-2 DSU lead.  Portner added a single to advance Thompson to third base.

Green drilled a 2-RBI double to score Thompson and Portner to balloon Dakota State's lead to 11-2.

Sterling mounted a comeback in the bottom sixth inning with a pair of 2-RBI singles with two outs from Nicholas Keller and Albert Bisono, trimming the Trojans' lead to 11-6.

Dakota State made it 12-6 in the top seventh inning as Portner hit a solo home run with one out.  It was his first home run this season for the Trojans, his fifth career home run.

Andrew Dutro hit a 2-RBI single with two outs as Sterling trailed 12-8.  The Trojans secured the victory as the Warriors left a runner on base when the game ended.

Dakota State outhit Sterling 14-6 in the game. 

The Trojans hit seven extra-bases hits in the game, with three home runs and four doubles.  Green led DSU's offense attack with a home run, double, and drove in a game-high five runs.  Hultgren added a home run, two singles, a walk, and two RBIs.  Portner had a home run, single and an RBI.  Perry tallied a double and a single.  McDaniel, Watt, and Thompson each registered a hit.  Thompson drove in two runs.

Morales led the Warriors with a double, single, and two RBIs.  Dutros, Bisono, and Keller each added a hit and two RBIs. 

Nicholai Arbach (W, 2-2) collected the victory on the pitching mound for DSU.  He worked for five innings and allowed two runs on three hits.  He struck out six SC batters.  Alex Swack and Alexander Ferrin each worked for two outs in relief.  Collin Grimmel tossed a scoreless final two outs of the game.

Cipiano Rivera (L, 1-1) took the defeat after pitching two innings, giving up eight runs (one unearned) on six hits.  Tyler Duffey and Aaron Elasser each pitched in relief.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 12, Sterling (Kan.) 8 – FINAL

The final game of the four-game series saw a see-saw battle between DSU and SC.  The Warriors overtook the lead in the bottom sixth inning at 8-6, but the Trojans answered with a furious comeback in the top seventh with six runs for another 12-8 victory.

Sterling produced three runs in the bottom first inning, thanks to back-to-back doubles by Eduardo Tarafa (2 RBIs) and Keller (RBI) for a 3-0 lead.

Dakota State answered with three runs in the top second frame.  Hunter Vikemry led off with a double.  Thompson added a walk with one out, followed by Portner's walk to set up a bases loaded situation.

Green hit a 2-RBI single to score Vikemyr and Thompson as the Trojans trailed 3-2 in the top second.  With Pornter on third base and Green on second base, Ned Ceklic produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Portner as DSU knotted the game at 3-3.
Dakota State produced another three-run in the top third.  Perry hit a single with one out and advanced to third base after Thompson's double.  The Trojans earned a 4-3 lead after Portner's RBI sacrifice fly to score Perry.

DSU extended their lead to 5-3 after Green's RBI single to score Thompson in the top third frame.  Ceklic drilled an RBI double to score Green to balloon their lead to 6-3.

Keller hit an RBI double in the bottom half of the third inning as SC trailed 6-4.

The Warriors hit three straight singles with two outs (Morales, Tyler Gates, and Dutro) to set up a bases loaded situation.  Morales scored home after DSU's wild pitch as Sterling trimmed Dakota State's lead to 6-5.

Sterling had a bases full after Dustin Chartrand's single, Morales' double, and a hit-by-pitch on Gates.  The Trojans' defense made a double play on the next batter as Dutro was lined out, followed by a forced out on third base (Morales).

Tarafa smashed a 3-run home run on the next at-bat as Sterling overtook an 8-6 lead.

Dakota State erupted for six runs in the top seventh inning to regain their lead.  Hultgren led off with a double.  Watt followed up by reaching first base caused by SC's defensive error.  Vikemyr hit a single to set up a bases loaded situation with no outs (pinch runner Michael Buchmann advanced to third, while courtesy runner Altwine advanced to second base).

Perry recorded an RBI walk to score Buchmann as the Trojans trailed 8-7 in the top seventh. 

Thompson drilled a base-clearing 3-RBI triple to score Altwine, Vikemyr, and Perry as DSU grabbed a 10-8 lead.

Green added an RBI single to score Thompson to extend Dakota State's lead to 11-8.  Green swiped to second base.  McDaniel hit an RBI single to score Green to make it 12-8 DSU.

Sterling left a runner in the bottom half of the seventh inning, securing the victory for Dakota State.

A total of 27 hits were registered in the game, with the Warriors collecting 15 hits compared to the Trojans 12 hits.

Green powered Dakota State's offense by going 4-for-5 at the plate with a double, three singles, and drove in four runs.  Thompson added a triple, double, and tallied three RBIs.  Ceklic had a double and two RBIs.  Hultgren recorded a single and recorded two walks.

Vikemyr collected two hits and scored twice for DSU.  Portner recorded an RBI and a walk.  McDaniel and Perry each had a single, RBI, and walk.

Morales was 4-for-5 at the plate with a double, three singles, and scored twice for Sterling.  Tarafa hit a home run, double, and collected five RBIs.  Keller added two doubles, two singles, and two RBIs.  Gates and Chartrand each had two hits.

Will Clair started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He allowed four runs (one unearned) on six hits.  JD Kirchner worked for 2 2/3 innings in relief, giving up four runs on eight hits.  He registered five strikeouts.  Curtis Flint (W, 1-0) tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings in relief.  He limited the Warriors to one hit and recorded two strikeouts.

Andrew Mason tossed six-plus innings for Sterling.  He gave up seven runs on eight hits, issued six walks, and registered three strikeouts.  Ryan Speer (L, 2-2) took the setback after pitching the seventh inning, allowing five runs on four hits.