March 21, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (March 21, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan baseball team (19-6 overall record) steps aside their North Star Athletic Association play Friday and Saturday.  The Trojans were originally scheduled to host Missouri Valley (10-13 overall record) in a four-game series at Flynn Field, but with impending winter storm that will impact the upper Midwest region had prompted to relocate the series to Missouri.

The four-game series is set for Friday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader.  Both teams play another doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m.  The series takes place at Indian Foothills Park (1538 E Vest Street) in Marshall, Mo.

Dakota State carries their six-game winning streak after going 5-0 record for the week, including the North Star Athletic Association season opening four-game series home sweep over Mayville State (N.D.) at Flynn Field on March 15-16.  The Trojans added a 12-6 mid-week nine-inning victory over rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on March 19 in Mitchell, S.D.

Missouri Valley went 1-3 record in the Heart of America Athletic Conference four-game series at home versus Culver-Stockton (Mo.)  The Vikings earned their second straight win after closing the four-game series with a 11-7 win over CSU on March 17 and defeated Central Christian (Kan.) 14-4 in seven innings on March 19.

DSU and MVC are playing their first-ever four-game series, while playing their first-ever meeting held in Tucson, Ariz., as part of the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational on March 11, 2014.  The Trojans are playing their third opponent from the Heart conference (Graceland, Iowa, and William Penn, Iowa). 

Next Up:  Dakota State returns to North Star Athletic Association action next weekend as they visit Viterbo (Wis.) in a four game-series in La Crosse, Wis.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) and Missouri Valley met for the first time ten (10) years ago in the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational in Tucson, Ariz.  The Trojans won the first-ever meeting by the score of 5-1.
+ DSU is 1-1 record against members of the Heart of America Athletic Conference this season, falling short to Graceland (Iowa) 2-1 and defeating William Penn (Iowa) 8-2.   MVC is 2-0 record against North Star Athletic Association opponent, sweeping Dickinson State (N.D.) 7-1 and 14-12 in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 25.
+ Dakota State is 11-2 record on the road this season.  Missouri Valley is 5-6 record at home.
+ The Trojans are 15-6 in non-conference action, while the Vikings are 5-7 in non-conference contests.  DSU closes out their non-conference schedule with a nine-inning game at home versus rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on April 16.
+ Dakota State takes a bye week In the North Star Athletic Association four-game series this weekend.  The Trojans are slated to play conference contests on every weekend during the month of April.
+ This will be the fifth time this weekend that DSU Is making the trip to the state of Missouri (Marshall, Hannibal, Joplin, and Kansas City twice).
+ Dakota State started the North Star Athletic Association play with a 4-0 record for the second consecutive season (swept Waldorf, Iowa in the conference opener in 2023 and Mayville State, N.D., in this year's conference opener).
+ The Trojans are 11-2 record during the month of March.

Noteworthy...
DOUBLE DIGITS RUNS:  Dakota State (S.D.) scored in double digits, 10 runs or more, for the fourth time in the last five games after their 12-6 victory at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on March 19.  The Trojans scored more than 10 runs three times during the series with Mayville State (N.D.) at Flynn Field.  DSU scored at least 10 runs 12 times this season, including a season-high 21 runs in the fourth game at Avila (Mo.) in their season opening weekend.

TWO TROJANS HONORED:   Two Dakota State (S.D.) athletes and head coach Derrion Hardie were honored during the recent NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament First & Second Rounds at DSU Fieldhouse last weekend.  Ryan McDaniel was recognized as the all-time hits in school history, while JD Kirchner surpassed Matt Schuster's all-time record of 190 strikeouts on March 16 at Flynn Field.
 
DSU IN THE NAIA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday, Dakota State (S.D.) ranks second in the NAIA in batting average with .363 and 19th in slugging percentage of .569.  The Trojans rank third in the nation with 70 doubles and 18th in total bases.  Ryan McDaniel ranks 17th in the nation with a batting average of .461.  Will Clair and Hunter Vikemyr tied for 12th in pitching wins this season with five victories for Dakota State.

DSU BASEBALL DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM SCHEDULE UPDATE:  The Dakota State University Trojan baseball developmental team's scheduled game with Bismarck State (N.D.) on March 18 was postponed.  DSU's next scheduled contests are set for Monday at Sioux Falls (S.D.) to be played at the Sioux Falls Canaries' Birdcage.  DSU returns home on April 1 for a doubleheader with Iowa Lakes CC.

DSU earns pair of 10-runs in sweep over MSU
Madison, S.D. (March 16, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) exploded for 32 total hits in the North Star Athletic Association season-opening doubleheader , earning a 10-run doubleheader sweep over Mayville State (N.D.) at Flynn Field.
 
Despite trailing 2-0 to open the game in the first game, the Trojans erupted for 12 runs for the rest of the game including a 7-run explosion in the second inning to secure the victory.  DSU outhit MSU 14-5 in the game.

Jeremy Green, Ned Ceklic, Ryan McDaniel, and Walker Hultgren each recorded multi-hits.  Hultgren drove in four runs.  Hultgren and Ceklic each hit a home run.  Sam Tyrpa (W, 3-2) earned the victory after tossing a complete game with six strikeouts. 

Dakota State shut down Mayville State in the second game, rolling to an 11-1 eight-inning victory in a nine-inning game.  The Trojans opened with a 5-0 lead after four innings and never trailed in the game.

Hultgren had three hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs for DSU.  Green and Ceklic each added three hits and two RBIs.  McDaniel had three hits.  Cassidy Watt, Cory Brownson, and Bubba Thompson each tallied two hits.

Hunter Vikemyr (W, 5-1) earned the victory after tossing seven innings with nine strikeouts.  Aiden Urbom pitched a shutout eighth inning in relief.

Trojans complete NSAA 4-game sweep of Comets
Madison, S.D. (March 16, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) faced windy conditions at Flynn Field, but that does not stop the Trojans from completing their four-game series sweep of the Comets.

Dakota State shut down Mayville State 9-0 in the first game, thanks to a complete game victory from Will Clair (W, 5-0).  He limited the Comets to three hits in the game.

Ned Ceklic had two hits and four RBIs in the game for DSU.  Ryan McDaniel and Bubba Thompson each added two hits and an RBI. 

The final game of the four-game series featured a high scoring affair by both teams.  The Trojans led 4-1 after four innings, while the Comets tied the game at 4-4 in the top fifth.  DSU led 6-4 in the bottom fifth, while MSU earned an 8-6 lead in the top sixth.  Dakota State scored the next 12 runs in the bottom sixth and seventh innings to earn an 18-8 mercy run rule victory in a nine-inning game.

Jeremy Green, Ceklic, McDaniel, Walker Hultgren, Cory Brownson, Aidan Perry, and Dawson Portner each registered a multi-hits game.  McDaniel and Perry each had three RBIs.  Ceklic, Brownson, and Portner each had two RBIs.  Nicholai Arbach started the game, while JD Kirchner (W, 2-1) earned the win.

Trojans use fast start to defeat rival Tigers
Mitchell, S.D. (March 19, 2024)—All nine Dakota State (S.D.) starting hitters registered a hit at Drake Field, propelling to a 12-6 nine-inning non-conference victory over rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  DSU won their third straight meeting with DWU.

Ryan McDaniel produced another career record at Dakota State, breaking the all-time total bases previously held by Mason Macaluso.  .The Trojans opened with a 5-2 lead after the first inning and extended to 8-4 after five innings.  DSU plated three runs in the top seventh inning and never trailed in the game.

Cory Brownson had a home run, two singles, and drove in four runs for the Trojans.  Bubba Thompson had three hits and two RBIs.  Jeremy Green added two hits and two RBIs.  Dakota State outhit Dakota Wesleyan 17-8 in the game, with the Trojans collecting seven extra-bases hits.  Aiden Urbom started the game on the pitching mound for DSU.  Curtis Flint (W, 2-0) earned the win after tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings.  Urbom and Flint each registered seven strikeouts.  Aidan Rocha and Collin Grimmel each pitched in relief.

2024 DSU Baseball team leaders

· Hits:  Ryan McDaniel—41 hits

· Batting Average:  Ryan McDaniel—.461 batting average (41-of-89 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Cory Brownson—.768 slugging percentage (15 singles, 6 doubles, 4 home runs)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Jeremy Green—37 RBIs

· Doubles:  Jeremy Green, Ryan McDaniel, Bubba Thompson—10 doubles

· Triples:  Bubba Thompson—2 triples

· Home Runs:  Walker Hultgren—6 home runs

· Total Bases:  Walker Hultgren—64 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Seth Altwine, Jeremy Green—27 runs

· Walks:  Ned Ceklic—15 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  Dawson Portner—11 hit-by-pitches

· Stolen Bases: Jeremy Green—16 stolen bases

· On-base percentage:  Cory Brownson—.536 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Sam Tyrpa—33 2/3 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Hunter Vikemyr—2.27 earned run average (8 earned runs in 31 2/3 innings)

· Strikeouts (Pitching):   Sam Tyrpa—48 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):   Will Clair—2 complete games

· Wins:  Will Clair, Hunter Vikemyr—5 wins

· Saves:  JD Kirchner—3 saves

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