March 1, 2025

STERLING, Kan. – Dakota State (S.D.) fell short in the third game of the four-game series with Sterling (Kan.) Saturday at SC Baseball Complex, despite holding an early 2-0 lead.  The Warriors exploded for five runs in the bottom fourth inning and held on to a 5-2 victory.  Dakota State closed the series by exploding for 13 runs in the opening inning and earned a season-high 21 runs in 21-11 victory.

Dakota State is 5-6 overall record, earning their first four-game series victory of the season (3-1 record) over Sterling of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.  The Warriors are 5-10 overall record.

DSU remains on the road next weekend as they are preparing for another four-game series.  The Trojans visit Texas A&M-Texarkana at George Dobson Field in Texarkana, Texas.  The doubleheader on Friday and next Saturday will start at 12 p.m.

Game 1:  Sterling (Kan.) 5, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL

Dakota State took the first lead of the game in the opening inning.  Darcy Barry was hit by pitch and swiped to second base.  Aidan Perry recorded a walk.  George Hogan lined out to shortstop and Barry was out at second base on the same play.

Cameron DeMaria hit a single and advanced Perry to second base for DSU In the top first.  Cassidy Watt recorded a walk to set up a bases loaded situation.  Camaron Haller produced a 2-RBI single to score Perry and DeMaria to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead.

Sterling snapped their scoring drought in the bottom half of the fourth inning, thanks to four straight hits to start the inning.  Emmanuel Huerta Cardenas and Luis Morales led off with back-to-back singles.  Andrew Dutro drilled an RBI double to score Cardenas as the Warriors trailed 2-1 (Morales advanced to third).
SC overtook the lead at 3-2 as Austin Santiago hit a 2-RBI single to score Morales and Dutro in the bottom fourth. 

Jackson Parmenter was hit by pitch for Sterling in the bottom fourth and advanced to second base after Ezavien Campos' sacrifice bunt to advance Parmenter to second base and Santiago to third base.  Jason Smith blasted a 2-RBI triple to score Santiago and Parmenter as the Warriors' lead grew to 5-2.

Dakota State was unable to score in the final inning as Sterling secured the victory.  The Warriors outhit the Trojans 9-3 in the game.

Haller collected a single and two RBIs for DSU.  DeMaria and Watt each added a single and walk.  Perry registered two walks and scored a run.  Barry swiped one base.

Smith was 2-of-3 at the plate with a triple, single and two Rbis for SC.  Santiago added double, single and two RBIs.  Dutro had a double and an RBI.  Morales tallied two hits. 

Sam Tyrpa (L, 1-2) recorded the setback on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He tossed 3 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on six hits.  Alex Swack pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, yielding three hits.  Both Tyrpa and Swack recorded three strikeouts.

Aaron Alvarado (W, 2-2) tossed a complete game victory for Sterling.  He allowed two runs on three hits and registered three strikeouts.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 21, Sterling (Kan.) 11 – FINAL

Dakota State poured in 13 runs after producing 10 hits in the opening inning, the most runs scored in the first inning this season.

The Trojans opened with six straight batters reaching safely on base, highlighted by DeMaria's RBI single, Watt's 2-RBI double, and Hunter Vikemyr's RBI single for a 4-0 lead.

Seth Altwine added a grand slam in the top first inning as Dakota State's lead grew to 8-0. 

Dakota State extended their lead to 13-0 as Hogan recorded an RBI single, followed by DeMaria's 2-RBI sacrifice fly, Watt's RBI double, and Brayden Byrum's RBI single.

Dutro hit an RBI single in the bottom first as Sterling cut DSU's lead to 13-1.

The Trojans added three runs in the top second inning, capped by Vikemyr's 2-RBI single for a 16-1 lead.
Sterling produced three straight scoring plays in the bottom third inning, highlighted by Campos' RBI single to trim their deficit to 16-4.

Dakota State answered with four runs in the top fourth frame, thanks to Hogan's lead-off double.  The Trojans went on to produce three straight scoring plays, starting with Connor Raney's RBI double, Byrum's RBI single, and Altwine's 2-RBI double as their lead ballooned to 20-4.

Morales hit an RBI double to cap Sterling's 2-run in the bottom fourth (DSU led 20-6).  The Warriors added a run in the bottom fifth to cut the Trojans' lead to 20-7.

Vikemyr smashed a lead-off triple in the top sixth inning.  Raney followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Vikeymr for DSU 21-7 lead.

Sterling plated four runs in the bottom seventh inning to round out the final score of 21-11, securing the victory for Dakota State.

DSU outhit SC 17-8 in the game.  Six Dakota State players recorded multi-hits game.

Vikemyr led the Trojans with three hits, three RBIs, and a walk.  Hogan added three hits and an RBI.  DeMaria, Watt, Byrum, and Altwine each added two hits.

Altwine produced a career-high six RBIs for DSU.  Watt added four RBIs.  DeMaria collected three RBIs.  Perry had a hit, two walks, and scored three times.  Barry recorded a hit, walk, and scored three runs.

Dakota State had a season-high eight stolen bases, led by Barry with three stolen bases.  Michael Buchmann added two stolen bases.  Hogan, Dawson Portner, and Byrum each swiped one base.

Dutro led the Warriors with two hits, two RBIs, two runs and recorded three walks.  Morales added two hits, RBI, and two walks.  Santiago and Campos each had a hit and two RBIs. 

Vikemyr (W, 2-1) earned the victory after working for four innings on the pitching mound for DSU.  He allowed six runs (two unearned) on five hits.  He struck out SC's batters seven times.  Curtis Flint, Treyten Kolar, and Hayden Leighty each pitched one inning in relief. 

Tyreek Sherman (L, 0-1) recorded the defeat after working for one out in the first inning for Sterling, giving up eight runs on six hits.  Cipriano Rivera, Cooper Lovelace, Nate Heffline, Joseph Haynes, and Troy Sackett also pitched in relief.