MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State's (S.D.) pitching staff recorded a total of 35 times Sunday afternoon, highlighted by Sam Tyrpa's single-game record of 18 strikeouts combined with JD Kirchner's three strikeouts in the first game followed by Grant Svikulis' 14 strikeouts in the second game, to complete the North Star Athletic Association baseball doubleheader sweep over Valley City State (N.D.) at Flynn Field.  The Trojans defeated the Vikings by the scores of 5-3 and 7-1.

Despite a slow start at 7-12 record, Dakota State had won 24 times in the last 25 games to raise their overall record to 31-13.  The Trojans earned at least 30 wins for the second consecutive season.  DSU also extended their North Star conference's school record wins to 21 victories (21-1 record in the NSAA this season, holding a first place in the conference standings behind No. 5 ranked Bellevue, Neb. who is at 22-2 conference record).  Valley City State fell to 11-27 overall record and 7-15 record in the league.

The Trojans also clinched the winning record at home for the second straight year.

Dakota State honored their nine seniors after the second game their Senior Day ceremony.  Their seniors are Chris Burke, Hakeem Yatim, Mason Macaluso, Mitsuki Shimonishi, Grant Svikulis, Reese Miller, Bo Wilson, Jace Pribyl, and Chase DeWitt.

DSU and VCSU will wrap up their conference four-game series Monday, with the first game starting at 12 p.m.

Game 1:  Dakota State (S.D.) 5, Valley City State (N.D.) 3 – FINAL

• Dakota State opened the nine-inning contest with a run scored in the bottom first inning.  Ryan McDaniel led off with a walk.  Walker Hultgren followed up with a walk to advance courtesy runner Daniel Lesher to second base.  Macaluso was hit-by-pitch with one out to set up the bases loaded situation.
• Burke was hit-by-pitch with two outs and collected an RBI to score Lesher to give DSU a 1-0 lead in the bottom first.
• Valley City State scored twice in the top third frame, thanks to back-to-back RBIs doubles by Adam Thompson and Jaden Babiuk with two outs.  After Ryan Reynolds was hit-by-pitch, Thompson recorded an RBI to score Reynolds as the Vikings knotted the game at 1-1.
• Babiuk added an RBI to score Thompson as the Vikings earned a 2-1 lead in the top third frame.
• Babiuk led off the top sixth inning with a double.  Drew Nixon followed up with a single to advance courtesy runner Christian Ramirez to third base.
• After Dustin Mertz was struck out swinging, Nixon attempted a stolen base and was caught stealing.  However, Ramirez scored at home during the stolen base attempt as the Vikings extended their lead to 3-1 in the top sixth.
• Dakota State snapped their scoring drought with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning.  After the first two outs were recorded, Dawson Portner registered a walk.  Yatim reached safely on first base caused by VCSU's defensive error and advanced Portner to third base.
• The Vikings committed their second straight defensive error, allowing McDaniel to reach safely on base and scoring Portner as the Trojans trailed 3-2 in the bottom sixth (Yatim advanced to second base).
• After a pitching change for VCSU, Walker Hultgren produced an RBI single to score Yatim as DSU tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom sixth.
• The Trojans added two runs in the bottom eighth to break a 3-3 tied and regained their lead.  Yatim led off with a single.  McDaniel recorded a sacrifice bunt, while the Vikings committed a defensive error to advance Yatim to second base.
• Jeremy Green hit an RBI single with one out to score Yatim as the Trojans regained a 4-3 lead with one out in the bottom eighth.  On the same play, the Vikings committed a defensive miscue and allowed courtesy runner Lesher to score home to balloon DSU's lead to 5-3.
• Valley City State left a runner on first base, despite a lead-off walk by Judson Seliskar.  Kirchner shut down the Vikings by throwing three straight strikeouts.
• The Trojans outhit the Vikings 7-5 in the game.  VCSU committed seven defensive errors while DSU did not record a defensive miscue.  Dakota State left 13 runners on base compared to Valley City State four runners left on base.
• Hultgren finished the game by going 3-of-5 at the plate with a double, two singles, and an RBI for DSU.  Burke added a double, single, and an RBI.  Green tallied a hit and an RBI.  Yatim recorded a single and scored twice.  Lesher scored twice.  Portner had a run scored and a walk.
• Babiuk tallied two doubles and an RBI for VCSU.  Thompson had a double and an RBI.  Nixon and Jay Gruel each added a hit.
• Tyrpa (W, 8-0) tossed eight innings to earn the victory for Dakota State.  He allowed three runs on five hits and did not issue a walk.  He set a single-game record of 18 strikeouts.  Kirchner (S, 6) earned the save after tossing a shutout ninth inning and registered three strikeouts.
• Hunter Magnuson started the game on the pitching mound for Valley City State.  He worked for 5 2/3 innings and gave up three runs (one unearned) on three hits.  He recorded four strikeouts.  Keeton Clark (L, 0-1) took the defeat after allowing two unearned runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings of work.  Jace Hanson pitched 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.

Game 2:  Dakota State (S.D.) 7, Valley City State (N.D.) 1 – FINAL

• Dakota State opened with a 1-0 lead in the seven-inning contest and never trailed for the rest of the game to secure a doubleheader sweep.
• Hultgren recorded a walk with one out for the Trojans in the bottom first.  Green hit a single and was tagged out at second base, while allowing Hultgren advanced to third after an error by the Vikings.
• Macaluso produced an RBI single to score Hultgren to give Dakota State a 1-0 lead in the bottom first.
• The Trojans extended their lead to 2-0 in the bottom fourth after another RBI single by Macaluso.  Green led off with a single and advanced to second base after VCSU's balk.  Macaluso followed up with an RBI single to score Green for 2-0 DSU lead.
• With bases loaded situation and one out in the bottom sixth inning, McDaniel smashed a grand slam as the Trojans' lead grew to 6-0.
• Hultgren followed up with a walk for Dakota State in the bottom sixth.  Green hit an RBI double to score Hultgren to make it 7-0 in favor of the Trojans but was tagged out on third base to end the sixth inning.
• VCSU did not record their first hit until the top seventh inning after a lead-off double by Babiuk. 
• Greuel hit an RBI single with two outs to score Babiuk as the Vikings trailed 7-1 in the top seventh. 
• Valley City State left two runners when the game ended, securing the victory for Dakota State.
• The Trojans tallied nine hits in the game compared to the Vikings two hits.  DSU left five runners on base, while VCSU left three runners on base.
• Green was perfect at the plate, going 3-of-3 with a double, two singles and an RBI for Dakota State.  Macaluso added two singles and two RBIs.  McDaniel had a home run and collected four RBIs.  Pribyl, Burke, and Dalton Nelson each had a hit.  Hultgren had two walks and scored twice.
• Babiuk had a double and a run scored for Valley City State.  Greuel had a single and an RBI. 
• Svikulis (W, 6-1) tossed a complete game victory for the Trojans.  He allowed one run on two hits and struck out a season-high 14 strikeouts. 
• Daniel Alvarado (L, 1-4) suffered the setback for the Vikings.  He gave up four runs on six hits.  Carter Dodd worked for one inning and allowed three runs on three hits.