May 4, 2024
DICKINSON, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) powered its way to a 10-4 victory Saturday morning as the Trojans staved off elimination in a loser-out game at the North Star Athletic Association Baseball Tournament. The postseason tournament is being played at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark, hosted by Dickinson State.
Dakota State hit four home runs and scored eight early runs, defeating Dickinson State in the first loser-out game of the tournament.
Starting pitcher
Sam Tyrpa (W, 8-3) went the distance for a complete game, allowing six hits and four runs while striking out a season-high 14. He effectively shut down Dickinson State through the first eight innings before giving up a pair of solo home runs in the ninth inning. He established a new single season record for most strikeouts with 99 strikeouts.
Dakota State (36-15 overall record) – the tournament's No. 2 seed – advances to another loser-out game Sunday at 12 p.m. (Central Time)/11 a.m. (Mountain Time). The Trojans will face the loser of Bellevue and Waldorf, who play Saturday afternoon.
Dickinson State ends its season with a 13-35 overall record.
Jeremy Green,
Cassidy Watt and
Cory Brownson all hit home runs during Dakota State's 4-run third inning. That followed up a 4-run second inning and gave the Trojans an early 8-0 lead.
Dickinson State finally broke through against Tyrpa in the sixth inning, getting a solo home run from Keanu Calamayan to make it 8-1.
Dickinson State starter Jacob Scully (L, 2-4) took the loss, giving up nine hits and eight runs over three innings on the mound. Five different relief pitchers finished off the game for Dickinson, limiting Dakota State to just two runs over the final six innings.
Dakota State finished with 15 hits, including seven extra-base hits.
Dawson Portner went 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBIs, and
Jeremy Green was 3-for-5 with four RBIs.
Cassidy Watt went 3-for-5 and
Aidan Perry collected two hits for the Trojans.
Clay Prell homered and doubled as he went 3-for-4 to lead the Blue Hawk offense. Calamayan and Nathaniel Jilek also both hit solo home runs. Prell and Jilek hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning.
