March 10, 2025

TEXARKANA, Texas – Dakota State (S.D.) earned another baseball doubleheader split Monday at Hooks High School with Texas A&M-Texarkana.  The Trojans survived the Eagles' comeback bid in the first game, holding an 8-6 victory.  Texas A&M Texarkana earned an 8-4 victory in the four-game series finale.

Dakota State is 7-8 overall record after their four-game series split with Texas A&M-Texarkana.  The Eagles, member of the Red River Athletic Conference, are 18-6 overall record.

The Trojans continue their action Tuesday afternoon as they visit Jarvis Christian (Texas) in a nine-inning game.  The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Hawkins, Texas.

Game 1 – Dakota State (S.D.) 8, Texas A&M-Texarkana 6 – FINAL

Dakota State exploded for five runs in the opening inning to earn a fast start in the first game of the doubleheader, thanks to a pair of 2-run home runs.  Cassidy Watt blasted a 2-run home run to score Darcy Barry, who led off by hit-by-pitch, giving the Trojans a 2-0 lead. 

After Cameron DeMaria's single in the top first inning, Camaron Haller smashed a 2-run home run to balloon DSU's lead to 4-0. 

The Trojans continued their scoring run as Dawson Porter recorded a walk followed by Connor Raney's single.  Brayden Byrum produced an RBI single to score Portner, extending DSU's lead to 5-0 in the top first.

Dakota State made it 6-0 in the top fourth frame as Aidan Perry blasted a solo home run with one out.

Seth Altwine led the top sixth inning with a double for the Trojans.  He advanced to third base after the Eagles' passed ball.  Perry added an RBI ground out to score Altwine to make it 7-0 in favor of DSU.

Adam Garren sparked Texas A&M-Texarkana's furious comeback with a 2-run home run in the bottom sixth, trailing 7-2.  Joey Spence and Jonathan Rios each added 2-RBI singles with two outs as the Eagles cut the Trojans' lead to 7-6.

Dakota State's DeMaria smashed a lead-off home run in the top seventh inning for an 8-6 lead in the top seventh.

The Eagles left the bases full in the final inning as the Trojans secured the victory. 

Texas A&M-Texarkana outhit Dakota State 10-9 in the game.  The Eagles left 13 runners on base compared to the Trojans seven runners left on base.

The Trojans hit four home runs in the game.  DeMaria finished the game by going 2-of-3 at the plate with a home run, single and an RBI.  Haller, Watt, and Perry each added a home run and two RBIs.  Altwine collected a double and single.  Bryum had a single and an RBI. 

Jason Armendariz was 3-of-4 at the plate for the Eagles.  Garren had a home run, single, and drove in two runs.  Spence and Rios each had a single and two RBIs.  Jose Parreno had two hits.

Hunter Vikemyr (W, 3-1) earned the victory after tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings for DSU.  He scattered four hits and registered two strikeouts.  Alex Swack and Hayden Leighty each pitched in relief.  Alexander Ferrin (S, 1) earned the save after pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

Kel Busby (L, 0-1) took the setback after pitching three innings for Texas A&M-Texarkana.  He allowed three runs on six hits.  Bryce Blackwell, Brin Osterman, Nathan Hunter, and Camden Gamble each pitched in relief.

Game 2 – Texas A&M-Texarkana 8, Dakota State (S.D.) 4 – FINAL

Dakota State took the first lead of the game in the top third inning in the four-game series finale.  Barry hit a single with one out and swiped to second base.  Watt produced an RBI single to score Barry for DSU 1-0 lead.

The Eagles answered in the bottom half of the third inning with five runs, thanks to Austin Kerns' 3-run home run blast.  Parreno added a 2-RBI single to extend Texas A&M-Texarkana's lead to 5-1.

Garren hit an RBI single in the bottom fourth to score Brandon Riley, who led off the inning with a double.  Armendari added an RI single to score Garren to extend the Eagles' lead to 7-1 after four innings.

The Trojans snapped their scoring drought with a pair of runs in the top fifth.  DSU opened the inning with three straight batters reaching safely with back-to-back singles from Raney and Barry followed by Perry's walk to set up a bases loaded situation.

Watt hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Raney as Dakota State trailed 7-2 in the top fifth.  Vikemyr added an RBI single to score Barry as the Trojans trimmed the Eagles' lead to 7-3.  DSU was unable to continue their scoring chances as they left the bases full when the top fifth inning ended.

Texas A&M Texarkana produced a pair of doubles in the bottom sixth.  Bobby Velasco hit a double with one out.  Garren followed up with an RBI double to score Gabe Baker, courtesy runner for Baker, as the Eagles extended their lead to 8-3.

DeMaria hit a lead-off solo home run in the top seventh inning, his fourth home run in the four-game series.  The Trojans trailed 8-4.  Dakota State left two runners on base with Vikemyr's walk and Altwine's single as Texas A&M-Texarkana secured the win.

The Eagles had 12 hits compared to the Trojans nine hits.

Barry and Vikemyr each tallied two hits in the game for Dakota State.  Perry recorded three walks.  Watt had a single and two RBIs.  DeMaria had a home run and an RBI.  Portner, Altwine, and Raney each had a hit.

The Eagles produced six extra bases hits in the game, led by Kerns with a home run and a double.  He drove in three runs.  Garren added two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored.  Armendariz had three hits and an RBI.  Parreno had a hit and two RBIs.  Velasco recorded two hits.

Braylon Bear (L, 1-1) took the defeat after pitching 3 2/3 innings on the mound for DSU.  He allowed seven runs on eight hits and registered six strikeouts.  Treyten Kolar worked for 2 1/3 innings in relief, limiting the Eagles to one run on four hits.

Marcus Tidwell started the game for Texas A&M-Texarkana and tossed three innings.  He gave up one run on three hits.  Andrew Ender (W, 1-0) registered the victory after working for one inning, allowing two runs ont here hits.  Camden Gamble and Dustin Niles also pitched in relief.