March 22, 2025

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) hit a total of nine home runs Saturday afternoon at Flynn Field but was unable to come up with a victory over Tabor (Kan.).  The Bluejays held off the Trojans in a pair of high scoring affairs, earning a doubleheader sweep scores of 11-8 and 16-10.

Dakota State fell to 13-12 overall record.  Tabor, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, lifted their overall record to 18-10.

The Trojans continue their season-high 12-game home stand next weekend at Flynn Field.  DSU opens their 20-game North Star Athletic Association slate, hosting Jamestown (N.D.) in a four-game series.  The four-game series begin Friday at 1 p.m. followed by another doubleheader next Saturday at 12 p.m.

Game 1 – Tabor (Kan.) 11, Dakota State (S.D.) 8 – FINAL

Isaiah Cohens kicked off the game with a double for the Bluejays.  Juan Rosa Gonzalez hit an RBI single to score Cohens to give Tabor a 1-0 lead in the top first.

Dakota State answered with a run in the bottom half of the first inning as Hunter Vikemyr blasted a solo home run to right center.  The game was tied 1-1 after the first frame.

TC exploded for seven runs in the top third inning, capped by a 3-run home run by Garryn Plummer for an 8-2 lead.

Cameron DeMaria smashed a 2-run home run to center field, scoring Darcy Barry who led off with a walk.  The Trojans trimmed the Bluejays' lead to 8-3 after three innings.

Tabor's lead grew to 9-3 in the top fourth as Aidan Martinez hit a solo home run.

Dakota State had three straight batters reaching safely after one out in the bottom fourth.  Aidan Perry recorded a walk followed by Seth Altwine's single and Dawson Portner's walk.  Barry blasted a grand slam home run to center field as the Trojans trailed 9-7.

DeMaria hit his second home run of the day in the bottom fifth, hitting a lead-off home run as Dakota State trailed by one run at 9-8.

The Bluejays plated two runs in the top sixth inning to round out the final score.  Gonzalez led off with a walk and advanced to third after Jared Mack's double with one out.  Micah Dvorak drilled a 2-RBI double to score Gonzalez and Mack as TC extended their lead to 11-8.

DSU left a runner on first base when the game ended, despite a single from Perry.

Tabor outhit Dakota State 13-8 in the game.  The Bluejays left seven runners on base compared to the Trojans six runners left on base.

DeMaria was 2-of-4 at the plate with two home runs and drove in three runs for Dakota State.  Barry added a home run and four RBIs.  Vikemyr had a home run and an RBI.  Altwine collected a double and single.  Perry and Connor Raney each registered a single.

Dvorak was perfect at the plate, going 4-of-4 with a double, three singles, and two RBIs for Tabor.  Plummer added a home run, single, and three RBIs.  Martinez and Gonzalez each had a hit and an RBI.  Cohens had two hits and an RBI.  Daniel Zepeda had a single and two RBIs.  Mack recorded two hits.

Vikemyr (L, 4-2) took the setback on the pitching mound for DSU.  He worked for 2 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs (five unearned) on seven hits.  Treyten Kolar pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief.  Aiden Urbom tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.  Vikemyr and Urbom each registered three strikeouts.

Evan Williams (W, 5-3) earned the victory after tossing 4 2/3 innings for TC.  He gave up eight runs on six hits and recorded seven strikeouts.  Lee Souza (S, 2) earned the save after pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.  He limited the Trojans to two hits.

Game 2 – Tabor (Kan.) 16, Dakota State (S.D.) 10 – FINAL

Both teams scored in every inning except the fourth inning in the four-game series finale.

Cohens opened the game by being hit-by-pitch for Tabor.  Plummer followed up with a single to advance Cohens to third base.  Marcelo Aguirre recorded an RBI ground out to score Cohens to give the Bluejays a 1-0 lead in the top first.

Dakota State answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first half.  Perry smashed a 2-run home run to right center, scoring Raney who led off with a single.  The Trojans led 2-1 after the first inning.

Mack started the top second inning with a walk for the Bluejays.  He swiped to second base after Dvorak was struck out swinging.  Cole Schieffer hit an RBI single to score Mack as Tabor knotted the game 2-2.

The Trojans scored two runs in the bottom second to break the 2-2 tie into a 4-2 lead after Perry's 2-RBI single.

Tabor poured in six runs in the top third inning, highlighted by Martinez's RBI double followed by Mack's 3-run home run.  Plummer and Aguirre added back-to-back RBI singles as the Bluejays led 8-4 in the top third.

DeMaria led off the bottom third inning with a home run, his third home run of the day, as the Trojans trailed 8-5.

The Bluejays scored four runs in the top fifth frame.  Martinez collected a 2-RBI single, while Dvorak added an RBI single to balloon Tabor's lead to 12-5.

Dakota State cut their deficit to 12-7 in the bottom fifth, thanks to Camaron Haller's 2-run home run blast and scored Vikemyr who led off with a single.

Plummer hit a 2-run home run in the top sixth inning, scoring Cohens who was hit-by-pitch as the Bluejays led 14-7.

The Trojans trailed 14-8 after Raney smashed a solo home run to the right center in the bottom sixth.

Dvorak answered with a 2-run home run in the top seventh inning, scoring Mack who registered for a walk.  Tabor's lead grew to 16-8.

Altwine smashed a 2-run home run in the bottom seventh inning and scored Tyler Hoffman, who pinch ran for DeMaria after hitting a single (DSU trailed 16-10).  The Trojans could not continue their scoring chance as the Bluejays secured the victory.

Tabor recorded 13 hits in the game compared to Dakota State 10 hits. 

The Trojans hit five home runs in the game.  Raney was 3-of-3 at the plate with a home run, two singles, and an RBI.  Perry added a home run, single, and drove in a game-high four runs.  DeMaria had a home run, single, and an RBI.  Haller and Altwine each added a home run and two RBIs.  Vikemyr had a single.

Dvorak and Plummer each had a home run, two singles and three RBIs for the Bluejays.  Mack added a home run, single, and three RBIs.  Martinez recorded a double, single, and three RBIs.  Aguirre had a single and two RBIs.  Schieffer recorded a single and an RBI.

Braylon Bear (L, 1-2) recorded the defeat on the pitching mound for Dakota State.  He worked for two innings and allowed six runs on five hits.  Alexander Ferrin, Caleb Hoppe, and Alex Swack each pitched in relief.  Swack recorded four strikeouts.

Payton Tinkler started the game for Tabor.  He worked for 1 2/3 innings and gave up four runs (two unearned) on three hits.  Quintin Holman (W, 1-0) earned the win after tossing 4 1/3 innings in relief.  He gave up four runs on five hits and registered six strikeouts.  Carson Hein worked the seventh inning, allowing two runs on two hits.