February 27, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Feb. 27, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan baseball team (2-5 overall record) continues their non-conference action in the state of Kansas Friday and Saturday.  The Trojans play their first four-game series of the season as they visit Sterling (Kan.) (4-7 overall record) of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.  The four-game series will be held at SC Baseball Complex (348 W Cleveland) in Sterling, Kan.

The doubleheader will start at 11 a.m. on both days Friday and Saturday.  All four games will be a seven-inning contest. 

Dakota State returned to action last Monday for the first time in two weeks in Baldwin City, Kan.  The Trojans opened the Tiger Classic with a 10-7 setback to No. 25 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) of Heart of America Athletic Conference.  DSU earned their first wins of the season after going 2-0 record on Tuesday, holding off Midland (Neb.) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference 5-4 in the first game and rolling past host-team Baker (Kan.) of Heart of America Athletic Conference 8-1 in the second game.

Sterling dropped five straight games since Feb. 17.  The Warriors lost three games on Feb. 17, falling to Bethany (Kan.) in a pair of conference games followed by a 19-4 setback to Oklahoma City.  Sterling dropped another KCAC conference doubleheader on the road at York (Neb.) on Feb. 25, 19-9 in seven innings, and 16-7.

Dakota State and Sterling played their first meetings last season in Sterling.  The Warriors won the series opener before the Trojans won the next three games in the series..

Next Up:  Dakota State will be in Texas for five games, starting with a four-game series at Texas A&M Texarkana on March 7-8.  DSU plays at Jarvis Christian (Texas) on March 11 before going to Evangel (Mo.) on March 14-15.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is currently on a two-game winning streak after going 2-0 record in the Tiger Classic on Feb. 25. 
+ The Trojans are facing an opponent from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference for the second time this season.  DSU fell short to KCAC's McPherson (Kan.) 10-8 in extra innings in the Cajun Collision on Feb. 8 in Sterlington, La.
+ Dakota State earned their first road victory of the season after cruising past Baker (Kan.) 8-1 on Feb. 25. 
+ DSU is scheduled to face their third opponent from the KCAC Conference on March 14-15, visiting Evangel (Mo.) in a four-game series in Springfield, Mo.
+ The Trojans are slated to host a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tabor (Kan.) in a three-game home season opener at Flynn Field on March 21-22.
+ Dakota State and Sterling met for the first time last season on March 2-3, 2024, in Sterling, Kan.  The Warriors edged out the Trojans 3-2 in the series opener, while DSU won the second game of the series by the score of 5-4.
+ DSU then went on to win the final two games of the four-game series, winning by identical scores of 12-8 on March 2.
+ The North Star Athletic Association baseball conference season opener is one month away.  The Trojans begin their conference play with eight games home stand at Flynn Field, hosting Jamestown (N.D.) on March 28-29 followed by Valley City State (N.D.) on April 4-5.
+ DSU had faced three teams that are ranked inside the NAIA's Top 25 this season.
 
Noteworthy...
TROJANS IN KANSAS:  Dakota State is playing their fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh straight games in the state of Kansas after playing their first four-game series of the season with Sterling (Kan.).  The Trojans opened the week with a 2-1 record in the Tiger Classic, hosted by Baker (Kan.) on Feb. 24.  Despite fall to the NAIA's ranked team for the third time this season, Dakota State earned a pair of victories on Feb. 25 over Midland (Neb.) and Baker.
 
DSU ON THE ROAD:  Dakota State played their first road contest on Feb. 25, earning their first win of the road after their 8-1 victory over Baker (Kan.).  The Trojans are currently on a 14-game road stretch, starting this weekend through March 18.  Dakota State plays four games at Texas A&M Texarkana on March 7-8, followed by a contest at Jarvis Christian (Texas) on March 11.  DSU will be at Evangel (Mo.) on March 14-15 before wrapping up the road stretch at rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on March 18.
 
NSAA CONFERENCE SEASON OPENS IN ONE MONTH:   The NSAA baseball conference season officially opens on March 28-29.  The Trojans play their first eight NSAA contests at home before playing their first road NSAA contests at Dickinson State (N.D.) on April 11-12.  DSU plays their final home NSAA contests versus Bellevue (Neb.) on April 18-19 before closing at Mayville State (N.D.) on April 25-26.

DSU BASEBALL DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM BEGINS ON MARCH 3:  The Dakota State developmental baseball team is set to open their 2025 season on Monday.  The Trojans visit NCAA Division II Augustana (S.D.) in a doubleheader in Sioux Falls, S.D.  DSU then returns to action on March 17 as they host Iowa Lakes CC in a doubleheader at Flynn Field, followed by a doubleheader at Northwestern (Iowa) on March 19.

Pioneers rally back to defeat Trojans 10-7
Baldwin City, Kan. (Feb. 24, 2025)—The fifth inning highlighted a total of 11 runs combined by both Dakota State (S.D.) and NAIA's No. 25 ranked MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) on the first day of Tiger Classic at Sauder Field.  The Trojans took a 7-3 after the top fifth inning before the Pioneers exploded for seven runs to hold on to a 10-7 victory.  
 
Dakota State took the first lead of the game at 2-0 in the top first inning.  MNU scored once in the bottom first to trim DSU's lead to 2-1.  The game was knotted at 3-3 after four innings.  Camaron Haller highlighted the Trojans with a grand slam in the top fifth inning to open a 7-4 lead.  The Pioneers stormed back with seven runs in the bottom seventh and held on to the victory over the Trojans.

Haller finished the game by going 3-of-4 at the plate with a home run, double, and drove in a game-high four RBIs.  Aidan Perry added two singles.  Darcy Barry hit a home run, an RBI, and walked twice.  Cory Brownson had a single and two walks.  Cameron DeMaria and Connor Raney each had a hit. 

Nicholai Arbach started the game on the pitching mound for the Trojans, tossing four innings.  He allowed three runs on four hits and registered our hits.  Hayden Leighty and Treyten Kolar (L, 0-1) each worked the fifth inning.  Aiden Urbom tossed the final two innings in relief.

DSU earns first win of the season in Baldwin City
Baldwin City, Kan. (Feb. 25, 2025)—Cory Brownson blasted a pair of home runs and drove in all five runs as Dakota State (S.D.) survived a 5-4 victory over Midland (Neb.) on the second day of the Tiger Classic at Sauder Field. 

The Trojans kicked off the bottom first with five batters reached safely on base, highlighted by Brownson's grand slam for a 4-0 lead.  Brownson added a solo home run in the bottom third inning to balloon DSU's lead to 5-0.

The Warriors stormed back in the top seventh and final inning with four runs scored, but the Trojans held on to a one-run victory.

Brownson was 2-of-3 at the plate with two home runs and five RBIs for Dakota State.  He scored two runs.  Aidan Perry added two singles and a run scored.  Darcy Barry had a run, stolen base, and walk.  George Hogan also scored a run.

Hunter Vikemyr (W, 1-1) earned the win after tossing six innings for DSU.  He limited the Warriors to two hits.  He recorded seven strikeouts.  Braylon Bear (S, 1) earned the save after recording the final out.

Trojans make it two straight wins in Kansas
Baldwin City, Kan. (Feb. 25, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) scored at least a run in each of the first six innings to roll past host-team Baker (Kan.) 8-1 to close out the Tiger Classic with a 2-1 record at Sauder Field.

Dakota State scored a run in the top first, second, third, and fourth innings to grab a 4-1 lead.  Baker scored a run in the bottom second frame.  Cameron DeMaria highlighted the top fifth inning with a 2-run home run blast for a 6-1 lead, followed by another two runs in the sixth inning to secure the victory.

Dakota State outhit Baker 11-3 in the game.

DeMaria finished the game by going 2-of-4 at the plate with a home run, double, and drove in three runs.  Aidan Perry and George Hogan each added two hits.  Darcy Barry had a home run, two runs scored, and two RBIs.  

Sam Tyrpa (W, 1-1) earned the win after pitching five-plus innings.  He scattered one run on three hits and registered four strikeouts.  Alex Swack pitched two shutout innings in relief with three strikeouts.

2025 DSU Baseball Team Leaders

· Hits:  Aidan Perry—9 hits

· Batting Average:  Aidan Perry—.375 batting average (9-of-24 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage:  Cory Brownson—.700 slugging percentage (4 singles, 1 double, 2 home runs)

· Runs Batted In (RBIs):  Cory Brownson—7 RBIs

· Doubles:  Cameron DeMaria—2 doubles

· Triples:  N/A—0 triples

· Home Runs:  Cory Brownson, Darcy Barry—2 home runs

· Total Bases:  Cory Brownson—14 total bases

· Runs Scored:  Darcy Barry—5 runs

· Walks:  Darcy Barry—4 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch:  Darcy Barry—2 hit-by-pitches

· Stolen Bases: Hunter Vikemyr, Michael Buchmann, Darcy Barry, Connor Raney—1 stolen base

· On-base percentage:  Cory Brownson—.435 on-base percentage

· Innings Pitched:  Hunter Vikemyr—12 innings

· Earned Runs Average (ERA):  Sam Tyrpa—3.72 earned run average

· Strikeouts (Pitching):   Hunter Vikemyr—15 strikeouts

· Complete Games (Pitching):   Nicholai Arbach—1 complete game

· Wins:  Hunter Vikemyr, Sam Tyrpa—1 win

· Saves:  Braylon Bear—1 save

Follow DSU Trojan Baseball

· Twitter:  @DSU_Trojans

· Facebook:  DSUTrojans

· Instagram:  trojans.athletics

· DSU Baseball Twitter:  @DSU_Baseball_

· DSU Baseball Facebook:  @Dakota-State-Trojan-Baseball