Luke Guest delivers a pitch for Dakota State.
BASEBALL: #2 Dakota State moves on with win over Waldorf
DICKINSON, N.D. – The top two seeds will meet in the championship semifinal Sunday at the North Star Athletic Association Baseball Tournament.
No. 2 seed Dakota State clinched its spot in the semifinals with a 13-7 victory over No. 3 seed Waldorf University under a light rain Sunday night. Leading 7-5, the Trojans broke open a tight game with four runs in the top of the seventh inning.
The Trojans (36-16) advance to play top seed Bellevue University in the semifinal round Sunday at 4 p.m. The winner of that game advances to Monday’s NSAA Championship game.
Waldorf (22-25) drops into loser-out action and faces No. 4 seed Mayville State at 12 p.m. Sunday.
Dakota State scored its 13 runs on 15 hits. Waldorf had seven runs on just five hits.
The Trojans led 1-0 before putting up five runs in the fifth inning, scoring two runs on a bases loaded walk and hit batter before three straight RBI singles gave them a 6-0 lead.
Waldorf responded immediately with five runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth. Thomas Capllonch had a two-run single to make it 6-4 and then Atticus Smith capped the inning with an RBI single.
Dakota State added one run in the sixth inning for a 7-5 advantage, and then broke the game open for good with a four-run seventh inning, which included a two-run single by Mason Macaluso.
Jeremy Green led the Trojans with a 3-for-6 night at the plate, scoring twice and driving in two runs. Hakeem Yatim had three hits and two runs, and Cade Wenninger had two hits and drove in three. Jace Pribyl and Macaluso each had two hits as part of the 15-hit performance by Dakota State.
Waldorf’s five hits came from five different players. Ryan Webster and Capllonch each had one of those hits and drove in two runs apiece.
Dakota State starter Luke Guest went six innings for the win, striking out eight while allowing four hits and six runs. Aiden Urbom pitched the final three innings, giving up just one hit and one run.
Jamie Olson started on the mound for Waldorf and went 4 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and six runs. He walked one and struck out four.