Trojans Sweep Minot State at Frigid Flynn Field Sunday

BY DAN HOLSWORTH - Madison Daily Leader Sports Editor
March 31, 2008

(Madison, SD) - If baseball players are called the "boys of summer" by some, neither the Dakota State nor the Minot State baseball players believed that on Sunday.

With temperatures hovering around 35 degrees, the Trojans outlasted Minot in winter-like temperatures, beating the Beavers 8-5 and 2-1.

"I was just happy to get the two games in and get the wins," said DSU Coach Dean Berry. "It helped that some of our non-starters are stepping in and performing well, with a few of our regular starters out due to some hamstring injuries." DSU lifted its overall record to 11-7 and DAC mark to 2-0), while Minot's fell to 2-12 and 0-2 with Sunday's decisions. With the Madison area under a heavy snow warning Monday (today) and almost two inches of snow on the ground, the afternoon games between the two Dakota Athletic Conference ballclubs are called off.

Trojans 8, Minot 5

DSU staked starting pitcher Kyle Young to a 6-0 lead, garnering six runs in the second inning, including a two-run circuit blast by Greg Biagi.

Young pitched the next 3 1/3 innings before giving way to Bob Olson and then Dave Morgan.

Young (2-1) earned the win, allowing just five hits. Olson and Morgan combined to toss scoreless and hitless ball the rest of the way, with Morgan picking up his third save of the year.

The Trojans pounded out 12 hits against Minot starter Tyler Schlagenhauf and reliever Ryan Bodel. Schlagenhauf (1-3) gave up seven of DSU's eight runs and 10 of its 12 hits. Matt Burpee led the Trojans' offense, going 4-for-4, including a double. Biagi added his circuit blast. Lead-off hitter Jeff Savas had two singles and two RBI.

"We got good hitting in this game," said Berry. "That includes Matt and his 4-for-4 performance and getting that homer by Greg."

Catcher Mike Young added another double. Kyle Young also had a single, as did catcher Mike Young and Deryk Randt. Minot's five hits (all singles) came from Kory Houston, Mike Ronnie, Kerry Boon, Curt Stasiw and Chris Corpe.

Trojans 2, Minot 1
In the second game, which was played with snowflakes falling, Trojan starter Jason Ciz and reliever Morgan pooled their mound talents to toss a 3-hitter against Minot.

"It was the great pitching of Jason and Dave in the second game which got us past Minot," said Berry. "Our bats went kind of silent in this game."

Minot pitchers Josh Hvidsten, Denver Wik and Andy Leraas were almost as effective, limiting the Trojans to just four hits.

DSU scored both of its runs in the third inning. Josh Guild scored on a bases-loaded walk by Kyle Young, and Biagi came home on a Mike Young pop-up.

Minot didn't score until the seventh inning, when Kevin Krasowski (who was hit by Ciz) scored on a James Tolboe ground-out. Guild, Armando Rodriquez, Kyle Young and Randt all hit safely for DSU.

Bodel doubled and singled for Minot, which also got a single by Houston. DSU is slated to play at Dickinson on Saturday and Sunday against Dickinson State University.