March 30, 2024

La CROSSE, Wis.– Dakota State (S.D.) played their final North Star Athletic Association four-game series with Viterbo (Wis.) Saturday afternoon at Viterbo Outdoor Activities Complex.  The Trojans earned their four-game series victory with a pair of one-run contests, winning the first game 5-4 and the second game by the score of 2-1 in 10 innings.

Dakota State raised their overall record to 24-9 and 7-1 record in the league.  Viterbo fell to 6-30 overall record and 5-7 NSAA conference record. 

DSU edged VU 16-15 in regular-season conference record (VU leaving NSAA next season).  The Trojans had won eight times in the last nine meetings with the V-Hawks (including seven wins in the last eight meetings that were held in La Crosse since last year). 

Dakota State returns home next weekend as they continue their North Star Athletic Association action.  The Trojans host Dickinson State (N.D.) in a four-game series at Flynn Field, starting with a doubleheader Friday at 1 p.m.  They will wrap up with another doubleheader next Saturday at 12 p.m.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 5, Viterbo (Wis.) 4 – FINAL

With bases loaded with two outs in the bottom second inning, Viterbo earned the first lead of the game.  Ryan Mesa and Blake Warner recorded back-to-back RBI walks to give the V-Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Dakota State answered with three runs in the top third frame.  Bubba Thompson led off with a walk and advanced to second base after Aidan Perry's single.  Jeremy Green recorded a walk to set up a bases loaded situation with one out.

Ned Ceklic produced an RBI sacrifice fly to score Thompson as the Trojans trailed 2-1 in the top third (Perry advanced to third base on the same play).  Green swiped to second base.  Ryan McDaniel drilled a 2-RBI double to score Perry and Green as DSU earned a 3-2 lead.

The Trojans plated two more runs in the top fifth inning to balloon their lead, thanks to three straight singles with one out from Dawson Portner, Green, and Ceklic.  Ceklic hit an RBI single to score Portner as DSU extended their lead to 4-2 (Green advanced to third base on the same play).

Dakota State made it 5-3 on the next play as McDaniel recorded an RBI sacrifice bunt to score Green in the top fifth.

Spencer Hans blasted a solo home run in the bottom half of the fifth inning as Viterbo cut DSU's lead to 5-3.

The V-Hawks mounted a comeback in the bottom seventh inning, setting up bases loaded situation with two outs after Hans' single, Brett Stuessel's walk and Cody Wells' fielder's choice.  Nathan Faust recorded an RBI walk to score Hans as VU trailed 5-4.

The Trojans' defense halted the V-Hawks' comeback as Gavin Daniel was struck out looking, securing the victory for Dakota State.

The V-Hawks tallied seven hits in the game compared to the Trojans six hits. 

McDaniel led DSU with a double and drove in a game-high three runs.  Ceklic added a single and two RBIs.  Green had a hit, scored twice, walked twice, and swiped two bases.  Cory Brownson tallied a single, extending his hitting streak to a season-high 17 games.  Perry and Portner each had a single and a run scored.  Thompson registered two walks.

Hans paced VU with a home run, single, an RBI, and scored two runs.  Stuessel had two singles.  Warner recorded a single, walk, and an RBI.  Chance Claman and Kyle Sontag each had a hit and a run scored.

Will Clair (W, 6-1) earned the victory on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He allowed three runs (two unearned) on six hits.  He registered four strikeouts.  Curtis Flint (S, 1) eared the save after tossing 2 2/3 innings in relief.  He yielded one run on one hit and recorded six strikeouts.

Brandon Jaenke (L, 2-6) took the setback after working for 5 2/3 innings for Viterbo.  He gave up five runs on six hits.  He struck out DSU's batters eight times.  Anthony Reza and Dominic LeBlanc combined for 1 1/3 shutout innings in relief.

Game 2 – Dakota State 2, Viterbo (Wis.) 1 – FINAL/10 innings

Both teams scored a run in the first inning in the four-game series finale.  They could not score for the rest of the nine-inning contest, with the game being decided into extra innings won by the Trojans.

Ceklic hit a single with one out for DSU in the top first frame.  Walker Hultgren added another single with two outs and advanced Ceklic to second base.  Hunter Vikemyr produced an RBI single to score Ceklic to give Dakota State a 1-0 lead.
Warner answered with a lead-off solo home run in the bottom first as Viterbo knotted the game at 1-1.

DSU was unable to regain their lead in the top third inning, despite ending the top third by being tagged out at home after Hultgren's single (McDaniel was hit-by-pitch with two outs, followed by courtesy runner Seth Altwine being tagged out at home on Hultgren's single).

Both teams did not score from the second through the ninth inning, extending the game into extra innings.

Portner hit a single with one out in the top 10^th inning for the Trojans.  Green was hit-by-pitch to advance Portner to second base.  Ceklic reached safely on base caused by VU's defensive error to set up a bases loaded situation for DSU.

McDaniel recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to score Portner as Dakota State regained their lead at 2-1.

DSU halted VU's scoring opportunity in the bottom half of the 10^th inning with two runners left on base, securing the victory for the Trojans.

VU collected seven hits in the game, while DSU had six hits.

Hultgren tallied two singles and a walk for Dakota State.  Vikemyr had a single and an RBI.  Cameron DeMaria recorded a single.  McDaniel collected an RBI.  Ceklic and Portner each had a single and a run scored. 

Warner led Viterbo with a home run, single, RBI, walk, and a run scored.  Hans and Marcus Hornacek each added two hits.  Garrett Heying tallied a hit.

Nicholai Arbach tossed 7 2/3 innings on the pitching mound for DSU.  He yielded one run on seven hits and registered a season-high 11 strikeouts.  Alex Swack (W, 1-0) earned the victory after pitching 2 1/3 shutout innings in relief. 

Jake Ouweneel started the game for VU, working for six innings.  He allowed one run on four hits and recorded four strikeouts.  Adam Olson tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.  Ryan Gill (L, 0-2) took the defeat after giving up an unearned run in 1 2/3 innings.  Kyle Burns worked for the final two outs in the top 10^th inning.