Baseball Takes Game One to Split Home Doubleheader with Dakota State

Marshall, Mo., (March 23, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College baseball team finished a home non-conference series with Dakota State (S.D.), Saturday afternoon. The Vikings won the opening game, 4-3, but fell in the second game, 6-0, to split the doubleheader.

The opening game started with Senior Pitcher Fieterich Guertzgen (De Soto, Mo.) striking out two batters in the top of the first to keep the Trojans scoreless. Junior RightFielder Hitoro Kobayashi (Saitama, Japan) doubled to right field, but was left stranded, 0-0. Dakota State did not produce any runs in the second as Guertzgen induced two fly-outs and struck out one batter. After a scoreless second inning, the Trojans used a solo homer to go in front, 1-0. Missouri Valley responded as Senior Third Baseman Nick Tsoulfanidis (Wentzville, Mo.) advanced to first base on an error, and Senior Centerfielder Ivory Daniels (Little Rock, Ark.) singled to right field to bring home Tsoulfanidis. Junior Second Baseman Ruben Fernandez (Madrid, Spain) followed with a single, allowing Daniels to advance to third, who then scored as Kobayashi singled to make it a 2-1 score in the bottom of the third inning. 

Dakota State answered back in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer to take the lead again, 3-2. Freshman Leftfielder Mason Baer (Roselle, Ill.) singled to left field, but the Vikings were unable to produce any runs in the bottom half. After a scoreless fifth inning for the Trojans, Missouri Valley went on top again, as Junior First Baseman Joe Hedger (Logan, Iowa) singled. Daniels followed with a two-run homer to make it a 4-3 advantage. Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth inning. Guertzgen worked around a double in the top of the seventh to leave two runners stranded with an inning-ending strikeout, to secure a 4-3 victory.

Leading the team was Daniels with two hits, two scored runs and three RBI's. Kobayashi followed with two hits and one RBI, while Fernandez, Baer and Hedger had one hit each. Tsoulfanidis and Senior Rightfielder KJ Hartline (Windsor, Colo.) each scored a run. Guertzgen pitched seven innings and struck out eight batters to pick up the win.

Game two opened with Sophomore Pitcher Mason Fenwinch (Mississauga, Ontario) striking out one batter and Mogollon taking out a runner on second base to keep the Trojans scoreless. Missouri Valley threatened to go in front as Daniels singled to left field, Kobayashi walked, and Mogollon was hit by the pitch, but with loaded bases the Vikings were unable to produce any runs in the first inning. Both teams were held scoreless in the second and third inning. Fenwinch struck out one batter facing the minimum in the top of the fourth to keep the score tied at 0-0. Dakota State eventually opened the scoreboard in the fifth inning, using four hits to score four runs, taking the lead and making it a 4-0 advantage. The Vikings tried to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the sixth with three-straight singles by Bell, Mogollon, and Baer to load the bases but MVC was unable to produce any runs. The Trojans used three hits and an error to score two runs in the seventh to extend their lead, 6-0. Missouri Valley put runners on-base as Hedger walked and Daniels reached first on a fielder's choice, but were left stranded to end the game, as the Vikings fell, 6-0.

Daniels, Kobayashi, Bell, Mogollon, Baer and Turner each had one hit. Fenwick picked up the loss, pitching 4.0 innings with five hits, four earned runs and four strikeouts.

The split moves Missouri Valley to 12-15 on the season, while Dakota State is now 21-8 overall.

Up next, the Viking baseball team will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for a Heart series against Grand View (Iowa). Series opens with a doubleheader Friday, March 29 at 1 p.m.

Game 1 Box Score - Click Here

Game 2 Box Score - Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.