DSU Splits Saturday’s Doubleheader with Dallas Christian

On Saturday, the Dakota State Trojans baseball team fell short of being able to complete the doubleheader sweep against Dallas Christian a day after getting swept by the Crusaders. The Trojans won game one 7-3 before the Crusaders got a walk-off 4-3 victory in game two. 

The Trojans got out to the fast start thanks to a Walker Hultgren solo homerun to take the early 1-0 lead. Dawson Portner then blasted a two-run homer in the same inning to extend the Trojans lead 3-0 in the top of the first. 

DCC scored their first run in the second inning before cutting further into DSU’s lead with another run in the bottom of the fourth to bring them within one run at 3-2. 

Manny Macaluso then answered in the top of the fifth with another two-run home run for the Trojans to extend their lead to 5-2. DSU brought in two more runs in the final two-innings, and DCC was unable to score more than one run as the Trojans won the first game 7-3.

The Trojans tallied 11 hits in the game compared to the Crusaders five hits. Both teams committed two defensive errors.

Hultgren sparked Dakota State’s offensive attack by going 3-of-3 at the plate with a home run, double, single and drove in two runs. He also had a walk. Jeremy Green added two singles and a walk.

Macaluso had a home run, two walks, and two RBIs for DSU. Portner added a home run and two RBIs. Chris Burke and Seth Altwine each had a single.

Emmanuel Valenzuela recorded a double for the Crusaders. Andrew Hickey had a double, walk, and an RBI.  

Grant Svikulis (W, 2-0) earned the victory for DSU. He tossed 4 2/3 innings and allowed two runs (one unearned) on four hits. He struck out five DCC’s batters.Mitsuki Shimonishi (S, 1) earned his first save of the season after pitching 2 1/3 innings in relief. He gave up one run on one hit and registered three strikeouts.

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In the second game of the doubleheader, neither team scored for the first three innings. DSU broke the scoring drought in the top of the fourth with one run to go up 1-0 early. Then in the top of the sixth the Trojans extended their lead to 3-0 after Seth Altwine hit a 2-RBI Single.

The Crusaders answered in the bottom of the sixth with three runs in the inning to tie the game at 3-3. With the Trojans unable to score in the seventh, the Crusaders earned the walk-off victory after Brandon Andrews hit an RBI Double as DCC won 4-3 after scoring four answered runs.

Dakota State outhit Dallas Christian 9-7 in the game.

Burke and Green each went 2-of-3 at the plate with two singles. Burke collected an RBI.  Altwine had a single and two RBIs.  

Andrews tallied a double and an RBI for Dallas Christian. Joel Stone added two hits and an RBI.  Ness had a single and two RBI.

Will Clair started on the pitching mound for Dakota State. He worked for 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits. He recorded seven strikeouts. JD Kirchner (L, 0-4) took the setback after tossing an out in relief, giving up a run on one hit.

Andrews tossed 5 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on eight hits. Hickey earned the victory after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, yielding a hit.

After the weekend series, Dakota State now has a 7-12 overall record while Dallas Christian improved to 5-13. The Trojans will stay on the road tomorrow for another doubleheader in Oklahoma as they face Randall. The first game is set to start at 12pm.