Baseball 2/18/2026 12:16:00 PM Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director

DSU baseball to face Midland (Neb.) in mid-week baseball non-conference doubleheader

Trojans' four-game series home opener changed due to cold weather, travels to Lincoln, Neb. Wednesday (today)

February 18, 2026

THIS WEEK'S PREVIEW
The Dakota State University Trojan baseball team (3-5 overall record) faces Midland (Neb.) (1-7 overall record) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference Wednesday (today). The DSU's season home opener four-game series with Midland has been changed due to cold weather conditions in the forecast this weekend.

They will play their first doubleheader of the four-game series at Sandhills Athletic Complex (2100 N 1st Street) in Lincoln, Neb. The first game is set for 3 p.m., followed by the second game at around 5:30 p.m.

The second doubleheader of the four-game series at Flynn Field in Madison, S.D., will be made up at a later date, to be announced.

QUICK HITS
*There is schedule change for this weekend's Dakota State's (S.D.) four-game series season home opener. Due to cold weather in the forecast below 30's this weekend, the four-game series have been split into a doubleheader at two different sites.

*Dakota State and Midland will play their first doubleheader in Lincoln, Neb. The doubleheader will be played at Sandhills Athletic Complex in Lincoln, Neb., with the first game starting at 3 p.m., followed by the second game at 5:30 p.m.

*The second doubleheader will be made up on a later date at Flynn Field. The make-up dates have not been decided. Stay tuned to the DSU Athletics website or download the Trojan Nation fan app to stay up to date.

*Both teams met in the Wildcat Classic last season, hosted by Baker (Kan.). The Trojans won the previous meeting by the score of 5-4.

*Dakota State is playing their first opponent from the Great Plains Athletic Conference on Wednesday afternoon. The Trojans will also face another opponent from the GPAC, their long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in the home-and-away nine-inning contest. DWU hosts DSU in Mitchell on March 31, while the Trojans welcome the Tigers on April 14 during DSU's six-game home stand finale at Flynn Field.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Shea Bennett enters his third season as the head baseball coach at Midland (Neb.). He has a career coaching record of 53-47.

Midland started their season in San Antonio, playing a series against Our Lady of the Lake (Texas). The Warriors went 0-4 record in the series, dropping three one-run games.

This last weekend, Midland traveled to Louisiana, playing against LSU-Alexandria, (7) Loyola (La.), and Louisiana Christian twice. The Warriors split the first day, losing an 11-3 decision against Louisiana Christian and defeating (7) Loyola 3-2. Midland then dropped the last two games against LSU-Alexandria (10-3) and Louisiana Christian (3-2).

Midland is batting at .200 as team coming into this matchup. Their staff is pitching to a 6.98 earned run average and a .324 batting average against.

The Warriors are paced at the plate by Brody Boyle (.364/.440/.500) and Jimmy Martinez (.286/.464/.381), who have 8 and 6 hits through 8 games respectively.

Midland's pitching staff is led by Owen Kelley, who is 1-1 on the year with a 5.06 ERA and a 7:1 K/BB ratio.

Midland won four times in the last five meetings with Dakota State. The Trojans met the Warriors last at the Tiger Classic in Baldwin City, Kan., last season. DSU won a 5-4 decision, marking their first win against Midland.

LAST TIME OUT
Dakota State competed in the Eagle Invitational, hosted by No. 25 ranked Central Methodist (Mo.), last weekend in Fayette, Mo. The Trojans split a pair of games against NAIA's Top 25 ranked teams on the first day and were swept by Madonna (Mich.) in the doubleheader on the second day of the tournament.

Dakota State fell to No. 23 ranked Columbia (Mo.) in the first game of the tournament on Feb. 13. The Cougars took a 1-0 lead after the first inning, while the Trojans overtook the lead at 2-1 in top fifth inning after Ryland Carroll's 2-RBI double. Columbia answered with two runs int he bottom half of the fifth inning and held on to a 3-2 victory.

Aidan Perry and Camaron Haller finished the game with two hits for DSU. Connor Raney, George Hogan, Hunter Den Boer, and Carroll each added a hit. Cameron DeMaria recorded two walks. Hayden Leighty took the defeat on the pitching mound after tossing 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on three hits. Alex Ferrin worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.

Dakota State earned their first win over NAIA's Top 25 team this season, defeating the host team Central Methodist 3-2. The Trojans opened the game with a 1-0 lead after the first inning, thanks to Raney's lead-off single and swiped to second base and scored on Perry's RBI single. DSU added two runs in the top third inning to extend their lead to 3-0. The Eagles scored once in the bottom fourth and sixth innings to cut DSU's lead to 3-2.

Hogan finished the game with three hits for the Trojans. Perry and DeMaria each added a hit and an RBI. Raney and Carroll each recorded a hit. Treyten Kolar earned the win after pitching five innings and allowing two runs on one hit. Austin Armstrong earned his second save of the season after tossing two shutout innings in relief.

Dakota State fell behind 7-2 after four innings in the first game against Madonna on Feb. 14. Haller blasted a 3-run home run to trim the Crusaders lead to 7-5 but could not make a comeback. Hogan led the offense attack with two hits. Haller drove in three runs. Raney, Perry, Haller, DeMaria, and Chris Vinson each had a hit.

The Trojans led 3-0 after two innings, capped by Vinson's 2-run home run in the bottom second inning in the doubleheader's second game. The Crusaders outscored DSU 17-3 from the third through seventh innings to secure a 17-6 victory. DeMaria and Brayden Byrum each led DSU's offense attack with two hits and two RBIs. Vinson added a home run and two RBIs.

TROJANS IN THE FRONTIER CONFERENCE RANKS
According to the PrestoStats-NAIA statistics website as of Wednesday, Cameron DeMaria is tied in the Frontier Conference with .462 batting average. He is also third in the league with 11 runs batted in (RBIs).

Connor Raney ranks ninth in the conference with .400 batting average, while Aidan Perry ranks 14th in the Frontier with .364 batting average. Camaron Haller ties for third most home runs in the league and ties for seventh most RBIs with seven for the Trojans.

Raney ties for most stolen bases in the Frontier Conference with five stolen bases.

Ryland Carroll ranks third in the league in earned run average with 2.79 for Dakota State. Austin Armstrong ties for second most saves in the conference with two saves.

Dakota State is third in the Frontier Conference with 63 total hits this season. The Trojans are third in the league with .951 fielding percentage with 226 chances, 159 put-outs, and 56 assists.

A LOOK AHEAD TO TROJAN BASEBALL SCHEDULE
Despite Dakota State's season home opener being postponed this weekend due to cold weather conditions, the Trojans continue their action on the road next weekend for a 3-game series at Sterling (Kan.) on Feb. 27-28. DSU stays on the road for a four-game series at Mount Mercy (Iowa) on March 6-7 and another four-game series at Bethel (Tenn.) on March 13-14.

The Frontier Conference Jamboree is set for March 21-22 at Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, which will mark the conference opening weekend for each team. Each Frontier Conference will face a round-robin format with each game as seven innings contest and will not face their traveling partner (Bellevue-Dakota State, Mayville State-Valley City State, and Dickinson State-Bismarck State).

Dakota State plays Bismarck State and Valley City State on the first day of the preseason conference tournament on March 21. The Trojans face Dickinson State and Mayville State on March 22.

2026 DSU BASEBALL TEAM LEADERS

· Hits: Cameron DeMaria—12 hits

· Batting Average: Cameron DeMaria—.462 batting average (8-of-13 at-bats)

· Slugging Percentage: Cameron DeMaria—.538 slugging percentage (10 singles, 2 doubles)

· Runs Batted In (RBI): Cameron DeMaria—11 RBIs

· Doubles: Cameron DeMaria. Aidan Perry, George Hogan—2 doubles

· Triples: Connor Raney—1 triple

· Home Runs: Camaron Haller—2 home runs

· Total Bases: Camaron Haller—16 total bases

· Runs Scored: Connor Raney—9 runs

· Walks: Aidan Perry—7 walks

· Hit-by-Pitch: Aidan Perry, Cameron DeMaria, Hunter Den Boer, Aidan Marsh, George Hogan—1 hit-by-pitch