April 11, 2025

DICKINSON, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to complete the North Star Athletic Association baseball doubleheader Friday at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark.  Dickinson State (N.D.) rallied back for a 3-2 walk-off victory in the first game, despite being struck out 16 times by DSU's Nicholai Arbach (season-high).  The Trojans roared in the second game with seven extra bases hits (four home runs and three doubles) to earn a 19-3 victory in seven innings

Dakota State is 19-16 overall record and 6-4 record in the North Star Athletic Association contests.  Dickinson State is 12-23 overall record and 4-6 NSAA conference record.

Both teams play another doubleheader Saturday afternoon to complete their conference's four-game series.  The first game is set for 1 p.m. (Central Time)/12 p.m. (Mountain Time).

Game 1 – Dickinson State (N.D.) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL

The first game of the NSAA four-game series (7-inning game) saw a battle of pitcher's duel for both teams.

Dakota State took the first lead of the game in the top first inning.  Aidan Perry and Cassidy Watt hit back-to-back singles with one out (Perry advanced to third base after Watt's single).  Cameron DeMaria hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score Perry to give DSU a 1-0 lead.

Perry hit a lead-off solo home run in the top sixth inning to extend the Trojans' lead to 2-0.

John-Michael Gonzalez, Jr. hit a 2-run home run in the bottom half of the sixth, scoring Jace Buchanan who led off with a single.  The Blue Hawks tied the game 2-2 after six innings.

After the Trojans were unable to score in the top seventh inning, DiSU answered with a run in the bottom seventh to secure the victory.  Logan Braaten hit a single with one out.  Cameron Erickson hit a single with two outs and advanced Nathaniel Jilek to second base. 

Buchanan hit a walk-off RBI single to score Jilek to give Dickinson State a 3-2 victory.

The Blue Hawks outhit the Trojans 8-6 in the game. 

Perry finished the game by going 3-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI for DSU.  George Hogan added two singles.  Watt recorded a single.  DeMaria collected an RBI.

Buchanan had two singles and an RBI for Dickinson State.  Gonzalez, Jr., added two hits and two RBIs.  Erickson recorded two singles.  Ty Farwell and Braaten each had a single.

Arbach (L, 5-3) took the defeat on the pitching mound for DSU.  He tossed 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits.  He struck out a season-high 16 strikeouts, the second time in the last three NSAA contests that he had recorded double digit strikeouts.

Arbach surpassed the second all-time strikeout by JD Kirchner (222 career strikeouts) at Dakota State.  Arbach accumulated 231 career strikeouts at DSU.

Jacob Scully (W, 5-4) earned the win for DiSU.  He pitched a complete game and gave up two runs on six hits.  He registered nine strikeouts.

Game 2 – Dakota State (S.D.) 19, Dickinson State (N.D.) 3 – FINAL/7 innings

Dakota State scored at least two runs from the second through the sixth innings in the second game of the doubleheader (9-inning game), rolling to a 19-3 win in seven innings.

Hogan smashed a lead-off home run in the top second inning to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead.

After two outs were recorded in the top second, Seth Altwine hit a single.  Dawson Portner drilled an RBI double to score Altwine as DSU led 2-0.

Watt and DeMaria blasted back-to-back home runs in the top third to balloon Dakota State's lead to 4-0.

With bases loaded situation in the top fourth inning, Perry hit an RBI single to make it 5-0 Trojans.  DSU added two more runs on the same play caused by DiSU's defensive error, extending their lead to 7-0.

Watt followed up with a 2-run home run in the top fourth inning to balloon their lead to 9-0.

Dickinson State produced two doubles in the bottom half of the fourth inning, scoring two runs.  Gonzalez, Jr., hit an RBI double to score Wyatt Wilharm, who led off with a single.  Luis Rodriguez added an RBI double to score Gonzalez, Jr. as the Blue Hawks trimmed their deficit to 9-2.

Dakota State added four runs in the top fifth inning as their lead grew.  Portner hit an RBI single to score Darcy Barry, who led off the inning with a walk and swiped to second base.  Connor Raney followed up with an RBI double to score Portner for an 11-2 DSU lead.

Dickinson State committed a pair of pitching miscues, allowing the Trojans to add two runs.  Dakota State lead 13-2 after five innings.

DSU scored six runs in the top sixth inning, capped by Hogan's RBI single to balloon their lead to 19-2.

The final run of the game came in the bottom seventh inning as Ethan Bess hit a solo home run (DSU led 19-3).

Dakota State outhit Dickinson State 17-8 in the game.  The Blue Hawks committed five defensive errors compared to the Trojans one error.

Watt collected three extra bases hits, two home runs and a double, and drove in three runs for DSU.  Portner added a double, two singles, and two RBIs.  Raney, DeMaria, Hogan, Hunter Vikemyr, and Altwine each had two hits.  Raney and Hogan each collected two RBIs.  Barry registered three walks, two stolen bases, and two runs scored.  Perry had a hit, RBI, and two walks.  Altwine and Portner each had a stolen base.
Gonzalez, Jr. and Rodriguez each had two hits and an RBI for the Blue Hawks.  Bess added a home run and an RBI.  Kade Vatnsdal, Wilharm, and Kadein Finders each had hit.

Sam Tyrpa (W, 3-5) earned the victory after pitching five innings on the mound for Dakota State.  He allowed two runs on five hits.  He registered six strikeouts.  Caleb Hoppe worked for two innings in relief, giving up a run on three hits.

Cooper Van Luchene (L, 2-6) recorded the loss for Dickinson State.  He gave up nine runs (four unearned) on 10 hits.  He had five strikeouts.  Noah Aliff, Logan Smith, and Rogelio Gonzalez each pitched in relief.