March 22, 2024

MARSHALL, Mo. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Missouri Valley split a pair of one-run non-conference contests Friday afternoon at Indian Foothills Park.  The Vikings stormed back with four runs in the bottom seventh inning, erasing a 9-6 deficit for a 10-9 victory with two outs.  The Trojans earned their 20^th win of the season by winning the second game of the doubleheader in a pitcher's duel by the score of 1-0.

Dakota State is 20-7 overall record, their fourth straight seasons with 20 victories under head coach Derrion Hardie's coaching era.  Missouri Valley, a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, is 11-14 overall record.

Both teams wrap up their four-game series with another doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m.

Game 1 – Missouri Valley 10, Dakota State (S.D.) 9 – FINAL

Dakota State took the first lead of the game in the top first inning.  Jeremy Green led off by reaching first base safely by MVC's defensive error.  He swiped to second base.  Green added another stolen base with one out and advanced home after another defensive error by the Vikings, giving DSU a 1-0 lead.

Ivory Daniels led off the bottom first with a double for Missouri Valley.  Josias Mogollon added an RBI double with one out to score Daniels, tying the game at 1-1.  Mogollon swiped to third base and scored home after DSU's defensive error on the same play as the Vikings grabbed a 2-1 lead.

The Trojans plated two runs in the top second to regain their lead.  Cory Brownson led off with a single and advanced to third after Bubba Thompson's double.  Aidan Perry hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Brownson as DSU tied the game at 2-2.

Dawson Porter followed up with a single to advance Thompson to third base in the top second.  Green hit an RBI single to score Thompson to earn a 3-2 lead for DSU.

Walker Hultgren recorded a walk and advanced to second base after Brownson hit a single with two outs in the top third.  Thompson added a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.  Perry hit a 2-RBI single to score Hultgren and Brownson to extend the Trojans' lead to 5-2.

Dakota State ballooned their lead to 6-2 as Ned Ceklic blasted a solo home run with one out in the top fourth.  It was his third home run this season.

The Trojans continued their offense attack as Ryan McDaniel drilled a double, followed by Hultgren's RBI single to score catcher's courtesy runner Seth Altwine for a 7-2 lead.  Cassidy Watt hit a single, followed by Brownson's walk to set up a bases loaded situation.

Thompson produced a 2-RBI single to score Hultgren and Watt as DSU's lead grew to 9-2 in the top fourth.

Missouri Valley exploded for four runs in the bottom fifth inning.  Mogollon started the scoring run with an RBI single, followed by three straight RBI walks by Jayden Mah, Mason Baer, and Joe Hedger as the Vikings trailed 9-6.

MVC mounted a furious comeback in the bottom seventh inning to secure the victory.  Hiroto Kobayashi kicked off with a double.  Mah reached safely on base after DSU's defensive error and advanced Kobayahi to third base.  Baer drilled an RBI double to score Kobayashi as Missouri Valley trailed 9-7 (pinch runner Ruben Fernandez advanced to third base).

Joe Hedger was hit-by-pitch for the Vikings to set up a bases loaded situation for the Vikings.  After the second out was recorded.  Ty Ellis registered an RBI walk to score Fernandez as MVC trailed 9-8.

Conner Bell closed the game by hitting a walk-off 2-RBI single to secure the victory for Missouri Valley. 

The Trojans outhit the Vikings 14-8 in the game.  DSU left seven runners on base compared to MVC four runners left on base. 

Thompson led Dakota State with a double, single, and drove in two runs.  Ceklic had a home run, RBI, and walk.  Green and Hultgren each had two hits and an RBI.  Green swiped two bases.  Perry tallied a single and collected three RBIs.  McDaniel had a double.  Watt and Brownson each recorded two hits.

Mogollon recorded a double, single and drove in two runs for Missouri Valley.  Kobayashi added two hits.  Baer had a double and two RBIs.  Bell registered a single and two RBIs.  Ellis had a hit and an RBI.

Sam Tyrpa started the game on the pitching mound for DSU.  He pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed nine runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  He recorded six strikeouts.  Curtis Flint (L, 2-1) took the defeat after pitching for one out in the bottom seventh, giving up a run.  JD Kirchner also pitched in relief.

Baer pitched the first three innings for Missouri Valley.  He gave up five runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  Mason Chamberlain worked for one inning in relief, allowing four runs on five hits.  Coy Smith (W, 2-1) earned the win after tossing three scoreless innings in relief.  He yielded the Trojans to two hits.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 1, Missouri Valley 0 – FINAL

The second game of the doubleheader saw a pitcher's duel between DSU's Hunter Vikemyr and MVC's Caleb Monnig going through seven innings.

Both teams left two runners on base to start the game, with the Trojans leaving runners on second and third bases after Ceklic's walk and McDaniel's double.  DSU was set up with a bases loaded situation after Hultgren's intentional walk, while the Vikings ended the top first with a double play.

MVC's Kobayashi had a walk, while Mogollon had a single in the bottom half of the first inning.

Dakota State produced three straight singles in the top fourth inning by Brownson, Thompson, and Perry to set up a bases loaded situation with one out.  Portner produced an RBI fielder's choice to score Brownson to give DSU a 1-0 lead (Thompson was out at third base).

The Trojans prevented the Vikings from scoring in the bottom sixth inning, despite runners on third and second bases.  Daniels had a double, while Mogollon added a walk with two outs.  Both Daniels and Mogollon advanced one base after DSU's wild pitch, but the Trojans' defense ended the sixth inning by catching a fly out by Brownson.

Missouri Valley left a runner on base when the game ended, securing the victory for Dakota State.

DSU outhit MVC 7-3 in the game.  The Trojans left seven runners on base compared to the Vikings five runners left on base.

McDaniel tallied a double and single for Dakota State, extending his hitting streak to a season-high 18 games.  Brownson also extended his hitting streak to a season-high 12 games after collecting two singles.  Thompson also had a double and single, ballooning his hitting streak to a season-high 15 games.  Perry had a single.  Portner collected an RBI and a walk.

Green, Ceklic, and Hultgren each registered for a walk for DSU. 

Daniels led the Vikings with two hits.  Mogollon added a single.

Vikemyr (W, 6-1) earned the complete game victory for Dakota State.  He limited the Vikings to three hits and recorded 12 strikeouts. 

Monnig (L, 0-2) took the defeat after pitching a complete game for Missouri Valley.  He gave up one run on seven hits.  He recorded four strikeouts and issued four walks.