– VCSU pitcher Tilbry Named NSAA Pitcher Of The Week

VCSU starting pitcher Kahlil Tilbury has been named the NSAA Baseball Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Tilbury earned the honor after pitching six shutout innings in his spring debut on Sunday.

North Star Athletic Association Baseball Pitcher-of-the-Week
Kahlil Tilbury – Valley City State (N.D.) – Junior – pitcher – Splendora, Texas – Tilbury pitched six shutout innings in his spring debut, despite a 2-1 setback to Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in the Wildcat Classic for Valley City State (N.D.). He allowed just two hits against the Tigers. Tilbury registered six strikeouts and left the game with a 1-0 lead. He recorded the K/9 innings ratio of 9.00.

North Star Athletic Association Baseball Player-of-the-Week
Blake Warner – Viterbo (Wis.) – Senior – infielder – Hastings, Minn. – Warner recorded a hit in all four games in the four-game series at Park (Mo.) for Viterbo (Wis.). He went 2-for-2 at the plate in the series opener with a home run and drove in two runs and reached on base by a walk twice. Warner posted a batting average of .417, an on-base percentage of .500, and a slugging percentage of .750. He recorded a home run, double, three singles, and scored once in the four-game series for the V-Hawks. Warner recorded a stolen base.

Recap from last week’s games
Dakota State (S.D.), who opened their 2024 season with seven straight victories (swept Avila, Mo., in a four-game series sweep, followed by 3-1 record in the Joplin tournament) before recording the first setback in the final game of the Joplin (Mo.) tournament on Feb. 17, went 1-3 record in the Wildcat Classic tournament hosted by Baker (Kan.). The Trojans fell to Morningside (Iowa) 10-2 and (RV) Doane (Neb.) 3-1 on Feb. 24. DaSU split a pair of games on Feb. 25, falling to Jamestown (N.D.) 7-3 and closing the tournament with an 8-2 victory over William Penn (Iowa). Dakota State is 8-4 overall record.

Waldorf (Iowa) kicked off the season with a 2-1 series victory over Midway (Tenn.) on Feb. 10-11, followed by a 1-3 record in the four-game series at Benedictine (Kan.). The Warriors won all four tournament games in the Wildcat Classic, defeating Midland (Neb.) twice, Graceland (Iowa), and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Feb. 24-25. WU lifted their overall record to 7-4.

Bellevue (Neb.), who is ranked No. 7 in the NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Preseason Poll, kicked off the season with a 1-3 record in the East/West Challenge in Arizona. The Bruins opened the season with a 13-10 victory over (RV) Arizona Christian on Jan. 31. BU lost to No. 3 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 4-3 and No. 17 Vanguard (Calif.) 3-0 on Feb. 1. Bellevue wrapped up the tournament with a 6-3 setback to No. 19 Benedictine-Mesa (Ariz.) on Feb. 3. The Bruins defeated (RV) Concordia (Neb.) 12-7 and earned a split with (RV) Oklahoma City (lost 7-5 in the first game and won 7-1 in the second game) on Feb. 9-10. BU went 1-2 record in the three-game series with (RV) Science & Arts (Okla.) on Feb. 17-18. Bellevue went 2-1 record in the series with Briar Cliff (Iowa), sweeping a doubleheader on Feb. 24 by the scores of 15-0 and 7-4. The Chargers defeated the Bruins 7-6 on Feb. 26. Bellevue is 6-7 overall record on the season.

Valley City State (N.D.) kicked off their season last fall with a 3-3 record. The Vikings returned to action last weekend in the Wildcat Classic in Kansas City, Mo. VCSU fell short to Midland 6-5 in eight innings and earned a 5-3 victory over Graceland on Feb. 25. The Vikings dropped a pair of games on Feb. 25, falling to Midland 11-1 and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 2-1. Valley City State is 4-6 overall record.

Mayville State (N.D.) went 2-5 record in their fall baseball schedule, returning to action last weekend at Mount Marty (S.D.). The Comets dropped four games to the Lancers by the scores of 12-2 and 8-1 on Feb. 24, followed by 8-0 and 8-7 setbacks on Feb. 25. MSU is 2-9 overall record on the season.

Dickinson State (N.D.) recorded a record of 1-6 on their fall baseball schedule. The Blue Hawks kicked off the spring season after going 0-4 record in the Wildcat Classic in Kansas City. DiSU fell to Dakota Wesleyan 2-1 and Missouri Valley 7-1 on Feb. 24. Dickinson State is 1-10 overall record after losing to Missouri Valley 14-12 and Graceland 16-3 on Feb. 25.

Viterbo (Wis.) lost the first seven games of the season, despite being swept in the four-game series at No. 25 ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) on Feb. 2-3 and first three games against Ottawa (Kan.) on Feb. 9-10. The V-Hawks earned their first win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Ottawa on Feb. 10. VU lost the next seven games, going 0-3 record in the Joplin tournament on Feb. 16-17. Viterbo fell to 1-14 overall record after going 0-4 record in the series at Park (Mo.) on Feb. 24-25.

Looking Ahead
Dakota State (S.D.) plays a four-game series at Sterling (Kan.) on Friday and Saturday.

Mayville State (N.D.) stays on the road Friday and Saturday for a four-game series at Hastings (Neb.).
Viterbo (Wis.) continues their action on the road Friday and Saturday in a four-game series at Columbia (Mo.).

Dickinson State (N.D.) is scheduled to begin their Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Friday in a doubleheader with SAGU-AIC (Ariz.) The Blue Hawks continue their action Saturday with a doubleheader versus Jamestown (N.D.).

Valley City State (N.D.) heads to Orlando, Fla. as they start the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Friday versus Siena Heights (Mich.) and Trinity Baptist (Fla.). The Vikings continue their action Saturday versus Calumet (Ind.).

No. 7 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) travels to Florida as they prepare for a three-game series at (RV) St. Thomas (Fla.) on Saturday and Sunday (three-game series will be completed next Monday).

Waldorf (Iowa) begins their Tucson Invitational on Sunday with a doubleheader versus Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).

            Friday’s Games
            Dakota State (S.D.) @ Sterling (Kan.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.
            Mayville State (N.D.) @ Hastings (Neb.) – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.
            Viterbo (Wis.) @ Columbia (Mo.) – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.
RussMatt Central Florida Invitational – Orlando, Fla.
                        Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Siena Heights (Mich.) – 1 p.m.
                        Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Trinity Baptist (Fla.) – 4:30 p.m.
Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational – Tucson, Ariz.
                        Dickinson State (N.D.) vs. SAGU-AIC – Doubleheader – 12 p.m. (Mountain Time)

Saturday’s Games
            Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational – Tucson, Ariz.
                        Dickinson State (N.D.) vs. Jamestown (N.D.)– Doubleheader – 9:30 a.m. (Mountain Time)
            Dakota State (S.D.) @ Sterling (Kan.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.
            Viterbo (Wis.) @ Columbia (Mo.) – Doubleheader – 12 p.m.
            Mayville State (N.D.) @ Hastings (Neb.) – Doubleheader – 1 p.m.
RussMatt Central Florida Invitational – Orlando, Fla.
                        Valley City State (N.D.) vs. Calumet (Ind.) – 12:45 p.m.
            (7) Bellevue (Neb.) @ (RV) St. Thomas (Fla.) – 2:30 p.m.

            Sunday’s Games
            Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational – Tucson, Ariz.
                        Waldorf (Iowa) vs. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) – Doubleheader – 10:30 a.m.
            (7) Bellevue (Neb.) @ (RV) St. Thomas (Fla.) – 4:15 p.m.