May 2, 2024

DICKINSON, N.D. – Twelve Dakota State (S.D.) baseball athletes were honored Thursday evening in the North Star Athletic Association awards ceremony at Biesiot Activities Center.  The NSAA Baseball All-Conference teams, postseason awards, and Gold Glove team were announced on the eve of the postseason tournament.

Five DSU baseball athletes were listed on the All-Conference teams, with four athletes on the First Team and five athletes on the Second Team. 

First team honorees included Ryan McDaniel at the catcher position, Aidan Perry at the second base position, and starting pitchers Sam Tyrpa and Will Clair.  Three starting outfielders – Jeremy Green, Cory Brownson, and Walker Hultgren – along with a starting pitcher Hunter Vikemyr and relief pitcher JD Kirchner were selected to the NSAA All-Conference Second Team.

Perry (second base), Green (left field), and Hultgren (center field) were voted to the NSAA Baseball Gold Glove Team for their outstanding defense talent on the field.  Freshman Ned Ceklic was named to the North Star Athletic Association Baseball Champions of Character recipient for Dakota State.

McDaniel became a four-time NSAA Baseball All-Conference selection (First Team in 2021 and 2024 and Second Team in 2022 and 2023).  He was the first four-time All-Conference selection since 2005-08 by Jason Ciz.  Prior to the conference tournament, McDaniel leads the team with .415 batting average (71-of-171 at-bats) which ranks him second best average in the North Star conference.  He also posts a slugging percentage of .596 (16 doubles, 5 home runs) and an on-base percentage of .457.

McDaniel amasses 102 total bases and 42 runs batted in (RBIs) this season for DSU.  Defensively, he collects 329 putouts and records a fielding percentage of .973.

Perry produces a batting average of .348 (54-of-155 at-bats) for the Trojans this season.  He registers a slugging percentage of .574 (12 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs) and on-base percentage of .421.  He drove in 41 runs prior to the conference tournament.  Perry collected 160 total chances with 76 put-outs and 80 assists for a fielding percentage of .975.  He was part of 20 double plays this season.

Tyrpa was named to the NSAA Baseball All-Conference First Team for the second straight year for DSU.  He leads the team with 71 1/3 innings pitched and holds a pitching record of 7-3 this season.  He records an earned run average (ERA) of 3.52, the fifth best in the NSAA conference. and leads the team in strikeouts with 85 strikeouts (10.67 K per nine innings).  He registered an ERA of 2.09 during the league season (5-1 record).

Clair leads the Trojans with nine pitching victories this season (9-2 record).  He produces an ERA of 2.56, which leads the North Star conference in best ERA.  He worked for 63 1/3 innings prior to the conference tournament.  He records an 8.81 strikeouts per nine innings (62 strikeouts).  Clair posted an ERA of 1.44 during the North Star conference season (5-1 record). 

Green, who is a 2-time NSAA All-Conference Second Team selection, is 61-of-188 as the lead-off hitter for Dakota State.  He produces a slugging percentage of .500 (14 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs) and an on-base percentage of .381.  Green leads the North Star conference with 32 stolen bases, which is already a single season record for the Trojans.  He is also second in the conference with 53 RBIs. 

Green tallied 58 total chances, defensively, with 56 put-outs and an assist for a fielding percentage of .983.

Brownson records a batting average of .370 by going 51-of-138 at the plate before the conference tournament for DSU.  He leads the team with .601 slugging percentage (11 doubles, 7 home runs) and produces an on-base percentage of .467.  He adds 37 RBIs.

Hultgren was named to the NSAA All-Conference for the second straight year (First Team in 2023).  He posts a batting average of .355, a slugging percentage of .549 (11 doubles, 8 home runs), and an on-base percentage of .419.  He collects 36 RBIs this season.  Defensively, he produces a fielding percentage of .988 with 81 total chances and 77 put-outs with three assists.

Vikemyr registers an ERA of 2.80 this season for Dakota State in 64 1/3 innings.  His ERA is the second best in the North Star conference.  He holds a pitching record of 7-4.  He records 67 strikeouts with 9.37 strikeouts per nine innings.

Kirchner was named to the North Star All-Conference team for the third straight year (First Team in 2023 and Second Team in 2022 and 2024).  He is 5-2 record this season with five saves in relief.  He tossed 40 2/3 innings this season before the conference tournament.  Kirchner records 12.39 strikeouts per nine innings (56 strikeouts). 

Dawson Portner (third base) and Bubba Thompson (shortstop) were named to the NSAA Baseball All-Conference Honorable Mention.  Portner holds a batting average of .304 (42-of-138 at the plate) and leads the team with 21 hit-by-pitches.  He posts a slugging percentage of .435 and an on-base percentage of .415.  Thompson adds a batting average of .338, a slugging percentage of .537, and an on-base percentage of .442.                     
                                
Dakota State begins their North Star baseball postseason play Friday versus Mayville State (N.D.).  The first pitch is set for 12 p.m. (Central Time)/11 a.m. (Mountain Time) at Dakota Bank Community & Trust Ballpark in Dickinson, N.D.