MAYVILLE, ND – The Dakota State Trojans traveled nearly 300 miles up I-29 to open a two-day, four-game series against the Mayville State Comets in a classic North Star Athletic Association battle at Scott Berry Field in Mayville. Each team took one game on Saturday afternoon, with the Trojans dropping game one 10-5, before storming back in the second game, defeating the Comets 15-7 to even the weekend series at a game apiece.
Game One: Mayville State 10, Dakota State 5
The Comets blew the door open in game one of the doubleheader in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Jared McCorrister faced a 3-2 count with a lone base runner at second, in Thompson native Marcus Hughes. McCorrister found his stride and slammed a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, over the right-field fence, giving the Comets a 6-5 lead with two outs in the inning.
The Comets added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
After a pair of walks to Mayville State's Anthony Villanueva and Marcus Wohl, and a single by Hughes, McCorrister hit a bloop single to right field, scoring Villanueva. On the next at-bat, Wohl scored with one out in the inning. Michael Thiesen would then hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Hughes and increasing the lead to 10-5.
Dakota State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a three-run home run to left field by Chris Kropuenske. The Comets countered in the bottom of the first inning, powered by a two-run double by Theo May, which sparked a two-out rally to pull the Comets ahead 4-3 after one inning.
McCorrister went three-for-five in the contest to lead the Comets, with three RBI's and two runs scored. Hughes went one-for-four, with three runs scored. Gunner Garpestad had a multi-hit game, going two-for-four.
Conner DiNaro picked up the win for the Comets, pitching six-and-a-third innings, giving up five runs on nine hits while walking two batters, and striking out one. Trevor Schreiner pitched in relief for the Comets, giving up two hits and striking out two Comet batters.
Game Two: Dakota State 15, Mayville State 7
An upset-minded Dakota State Trojan team came out in game two looking to even the weekend series, and did so with a strong offensive performance, capped off by a six-run fourth inning, en route to a 15-7 win over the Comets in the second game of the doubleheader at Scott Berry Field.
With bases loaded and facing a 3-1 count in the top of the fourth inning, Mason Macaluso nailed a shot to straightaway left field, blowing the game wide open at 9-0 with one out in the inning. Dakota State extended their lead to 11-0 on an errant throw the Comets, scoring both Josh Van Beek and Josh Addington.
Wohl redeemed himself in the bottom of the fourth inning, when a single to left field scored both Skylar Forst and Sammy Satrom, cutting the Dakota State lead to 11-3.
Dakota State scored four in the top of the fifth.
The Comets scored two more in the bottom of the fifth inning, propelled by a deep triple to right field by Gunner Garpestad. Two more in the bottom of the seventh, one on a fielder's choice, scoring Adam Senden to make it 15-6, and the second on a play scoring Brantt Wood.
Jackson O'Neal led the Trojans, going three-for-three with three runs and an RBI, in addition to two doubles. Samuel Drummond and Josh Van Beek had each had a multi-hit game in the second game.
Matt Johnston took the loss for the Comets, giving up 11 runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings. Ryan Froemke, Brett Christoperson, and Peyton Sell all pitched in relief for the Comets.
Up Next
The Comets (19-10, 8-4 NSAA) and Trojans (13-14, 6-6 NSAA) will meet up for another two-game set on Sunday, with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. at Scott Berry Field in Mayville.
