April 12, 2024

Photo credit by VCSU Sports Information

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – More records are broken this season on Friday afternoon as Dakota State (S.D.) earned the North Star Athletic Association baseball doubleheader split with Valley City State (N.D.) at Charlie Brown Stadium.  The Trojans rolled to an 11-1 victory in the first game and fell short in the second game to the Vikings by the score of 3-1.

Dakota State is 29-10 overall record and 12-2 NSAA conference record.  Valley City State is 14-23 overall record and 6-8 record in North Star contests.

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

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 11, Valley City State (N.D.) 1 – FINAL

The game was scoreless through the first two innings of the seven-inning contest, thanks to Sam Tyrpa with five strikeouts in the first two innings for Dakota State.

The Trojans struck first in the top third inning with three runs scored with two outs.  Aidan Perry reached first base with a walk with one out, followed by Dawson Portner being hit-by-pitch.  Cory Brownson added a walk with two outs to set up a bases loaded situation.

Ryan McDaniel drilled a base-clearing 3-RBI double to score Perry, Portner, and Brownson to give DSU a 3-0 lead in the top third.

Dakota State plated five more runs in the top fourth inning to balloon their lead.  Cassidy Watt led off the top fourth by reaching safely on first base after VCSU's defensive error.  He advanced to second base after a passed ball by the Vikings.  Ned Ceklic added a walk.  Both Watt and Ceklic advanced one base after Bubba Thompson's sacrifice bunt.

Perry registered a walk to set up a bases loaded with one out situation in the top fourth for DSU.  Portner collected an RBI hit-by-pitch to score Watt to put Trojans up 4-0.

After a pitching change by Valley City State, Jeremy Green smashed a base-clearing 3-RBI double to score Ceklic, Perry, and Portner as DSU's lead grew to 7-0 in the top fourth.  Green swiped to third base, tying the DSU's all-time stolen base with 45 stolen bases (Rays Roman – 2012-13).

Dakota State made it 8-0 in the top fourth frame as Brownson followed up with an RBI single to score Green.

Daegen Morcom blasted a solo home run with one out in the bottom fifth as the Vikings ended their scoring drought, trailing 8-1.

Portner led off the top sixth by reaching first base after a dropped third strike and a wild pitch by VCSU.  He swiped to second base.  McDaniel produced an RBI single to score Portner as the Trojans extended their lead to 9-1.

Dakota State added two runs in the top seventh inning to earn a 10-run lead.  Thompson and Portner each recorded a walk.  Green and Brownson each produced back-to-back RBI singles to score Thompson and Portner to balloon the Trojans' lead to 11-1.

Typra (W, 6-2) tossed a complete game as he retired the final three VCSU's batters in the bottom seventh, securing DSU's seventh straight victory.  He finished the game by limiting the Vikings to three hits and recorded eight strikeouts.
It was the fifth straight game that DSU scored in double digit runs.

McDaniel was 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, two singles, and drove in four runs for Dakota State.  Green added a double, single, and collected four RBIs.  Brownson had two singles, two RBIs, and two walks.  Perry recorded two walks and two runs scored.  Portner tallied an RBI.

Green, Seth Altwine, and Portner each swiped one base for DSU.

Morcom had a home run and an RBI for Valley City State.  Jaden Babiuk and Cody Wielogosh each added a single.

Christopher Dietrich (L, 1-3) took the setback on the pitching mound for the Vikings.  He tossed 3 1/3 innings and allowed seven runs (one unearned) on one hit.  He issued five walks and registered five strikeouts.  Jay Mendez pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief, giving up two runs on four hits.  Garrett Dykstra worked 1 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and giving up three walks in relief.

Game 2 – Valley City State (N.D.) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

The second game of the NSAA four-game series featured a total of 25 strikeouts combined by both DSU and VCSU. 

Green established a new all-time stolen base record in the top third frame for the Trojans.  After a two-out walk, Green swiped to second base to surpass the previous career record of 45 stolen bases by Roman from 2012-13.

The Vikings took the first lead of the game in the bottom third inning.  Dustin Mertz hit a single with one out and swiped to second base.  Jamel Chabot drilled a two-out RBI double to score Mertz for VCSU 1-0 lead.

Dakota State answered with a run scored in the top fourth inning to tie the game.  Walker Hultgren reached safely on first base after VCSU's defensive error.  Cameron DeMaria followed up with a single to advance Hultgren to third base.

Ned Ceklic recorded an RBI fielder's choice to score Hultgren as DSU tied the game at 1-1 in the top fourth.

Valley City State regained their lead in the bottom half of the fourth.  Morcom led off with a hit-by-pitch.  Wielogosh hit a bunt single and advanced to second base after DSU's defensive miscue.  Jay Greuel produced an RBI single to score Morcom as the Vikings took a 2-1 lead.

VCSU plated one run in the bottom fifth inning to extend their lead to 3-1.  Chabot hit a single with one out and advanced to third base after Kaden Rozdeba's double.  Tory Nelson followed up with an RBI infield single to score pinch runner Hunter Logan.

Dakota State could not complete their comeback attempt in the top ninth inning, despite two-out triple from Aidan Perry.

Valley City State outhit Dakota State 9-2 in the game.  Both teams left eight runners on base.

Perry had a triple for the Trojans.  DeMaria added a single and a walk.  Green recorded three walks and two stolen bases.  Brownson and Ceklic each registered a walk.

Chabot went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, two singles, and an RBI for the Vikings.  Jaden Babiuk and Rozdeba each collected a double.  Nelson and Greuel each recorded a hit and an RBI. 

Hunter Vikemyr (L, 7-3) took the setback on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits.  He recorded four strikeouts.  Curtis Flint pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief with six strikeouts.

Kahlil Tilbury (W, 3-3) earned the victory after pitching six innings for Valley City State.  He gave up an unearned run on one hit and recorded 10 strikeouts.  He issued five walks.  Connor Nelson (S, 4) earned his fourth save after working three scoreless innings in relief.  He struck out five DSU's batters.