February 8, 2025

STERLINGTON, La. – Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to earn their first win on the second day of the Cajun Collision baseball tournament at Sterlington Sports Complex.  The Trojans fell to McPherson (Kan.) 10-8 in extra innings and were shut out by NAIA's nationally ranked No. 4 LSU-Shreveport (La.) 5-0 in the second game.

DSU finished the two-day Cajun Collision with an overall record of 0-4.  McPherson, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, improved to 5-5 overall record.  LSU-Shreveport, a member of the Red River Athletic Conference, remained undefeated this season with an overall record of 11-0.

Dakota State continues their preseason tournament schedule next weekend as they head to Joplin (Mo.).  The Trojans face No. 20 Concordia (Neb.) and Mission (Miss.) on Feb. 15, followed by another two-game slate on Sunday versus Morningside (Iowa) and Culver-Stockton (Mo.).  DSU plays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on both days.

McPherson (Kan.) 10, Dakota State (S.D.) 8 – FINAL/9 innings

The third game of the tournament featured four ties between Dakota State and McPherson.

Jace Essig blasted a lead-off solo home run to kick off the bottom first inning for 1-0 Bulldogs lead.

The Trojans answered with a run in the top second frame.  Hunter Vikemyr hit a double with one out.  Camaron Haller added a walk with two outs.  Connor Raney hit an RBI single to right center, scoring Vikemyr as DSU knotted the game 1-1.

Dakota State scored twice in the top third to overtake the lead.  Aidan Perry led off with a bunt single.  Cory Brownson followed up with a double to right field with one out, advancing Perry to third base.

A wild pitch committed by McPherson allowed Perry to score for DSU 2-1 lead (Brownson advanced to third base on the same play).  The Trojans extended their lead to 3-1 as Vikemyr produced an RBI fielder's choice to score Brownson.

Dalton Thomas and Essig opened the bottom half of the third inning with back-to-back singles.  Peyton Starr hit a 2-RBI single with two outs as the Bulldogs tied the game 3-3.

DSU added two runs in the top fourth inning, thanks to back-to-back lead-off singles by Haller and Raney.  Darcy Barry hit a bunt single, while Haller and Raney scored on the same play caused by MU's defensive error for 5-3 Dakota State lead.

The Trojans ballooned their lead to 6-3 as Cassidy Watt blasted a solo home run to left center with one out.  It was his first home run this season and his fourth career home run at Dakota State.

McPherson rallied back to tie the game after scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom sixth inning, capped by Jared Kramp's RBI walk with bases loaded situation.  The Trojans' defense halted the Bulldogs to score more, leaving bases full when the bottom sixth inning ended.

Both DSU and MU were unable to score in the seventh inning, extending the game into extra inning.

The Trojans opened the extra inning in the top eighth with a pair of runs.  Barry recorded a walk with one out and advanced to third base after Perry's single.  George Hogan hit an RBI single to score Barry as the Trojans led 7-6.

Brownson followed up with an RBI single to score Perry as DSU extended their lead to 8-6 in the top eighth frame.

With two runners on base with one out in the bottom eighth, Kramp hit an RBI single followed by Colt Uphold's sacrifice fly as McPherson knotted the game for the fourth time at 8-8.

DSU left a runner in the top ninth inning and was unable to score.  Dawson Walters opened the bottom ninth with a single for the Bulldogs.  Colin Evers smashed a 2-run home run with no outs as McPherson secured the victory by the score of 10-8.

Dakota State tallied 11 hits in the game compared to McPherson nine hits.  DSU left 12 runners on base compared to MU eight runners on base.

Brownson led the Trojans with a double, single, RBI, and run scored.  Vikemyr added a double, RBI, stolen base, and run.  Watt had a home run and an RBI.  Raney had two hits and an RBI.  Barry recorded a single and two RBIs.  Perry tallied two hits and scored twice.  Haller added a hit.  Barry, Perry, Brownson, Cameron DeMaria, and Haller each registered a walk.

Essig and Starr each recorded two hits and two RBIs for the Bulldogs.  Kramp and Evers each added a hit and two RBIs.  Walters had double and single. 

Braylon Bear started the game on the pitching mound for Dakota State, pitching four innings and giving up three runs on four hits.  He recorded five strikeouts.  Treyton Kolar and Curtis Flint worked in relief.  Hayden Leighty (L, 0-1) took the setback after tossing 2 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (two unearned) on four hits.

Daniel Norris worked the first three innings for McPherson, giving up five runs (two unearned) on seven hits.  Campbell Lyons pitched for two innings in relief, followed by Francisco Paradis with a scoreless inning.  Zach Foote worked two innings in relief, giving up two runs on three hits.  Brayden Nolan (W, 1-0) earned the victory after tossing a shutout ninth inning.

(4) LSU-Shreveport (La.) 5, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL

Dakota State was unable to score in the first two innings after producing three hits.  LSU-Shreveport scored at least a run from the fourth through sixth innings to secure the victory in the nightcap.

Hogan earned a single in the top first inning for DSU.  DeMaria added a lead-off single in the top second inning, followed by Watt's double to advance DeMaria to third base.  The Trojans left two runners on base when the top second inning ended.

The Pilots were hitless until the bottom fourth inning.  Ryan Davenport broke LSU-S's hitting drought with a single and advanced to second base after DSU's defensive error on the same play.  Vantrel Reed added a single and advanced Davenport to third base.

A double steal by LSU-Shreveport allowed Davenport score home for a 1-0 lead (Reed swiped to second base).  Jackson Syring added an RBI fielder's choice to score Reed to make it 2-0 in favor of the Pilots.

LSU-S ballooned their lead to 3-0 in the bottom fifth after a double steal with two outs.

Syring had a single with one out for LSU-Shreveport in the bottom sixth inning, followed by Jose Sallorin's hit-by-pitch.  The Pilots scored twice when DJ Walker hit an RBI double to score Syring.  Deyven White, pinch runner for Sallorin, also scored on the same play caused by Trojans' defensive miscue to give LSU-S a 5-0 lead.

The Trojans left a runner on base when the game ended (Vikemyr was hit-by-pitch with two outs).

LSU-S outhit DSU 6-3 in the game.  Both teams left four runners on base.

Watt led the Trojans with a double.  Hogan and DeMaria each had a single. 

Walker had double, single and an RBI for the Pilots.  Syring added a hit and an RBI.  Ryan Davenport, Reed, and Angel Rodriguez each recorded a hit.

DSU's Nicholai Arbach (L, 0-1) took the defeat on the pitching circle after tossing six innings.  He allowed five runs (one unearned) on six hits.  He registered five strikeouts.

Draven Zeigler (W, 3-0) earned the victory after pitching a complete game for LSU-S.  He yielded the Trojans to three hits and recorded 13 strikeouts.