Blue Hawks split with Comets to end fall schedule

DICKINSON, N.D. - The Dickinson State baseball team (3-5) earned a split on the day as the defeated Mayville State (2-2), 8-1, in game one and fell 6-3 in game two.

GAME 1 - Dickinson State 8 Mayville State 1

Dickinson State jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and cruised to an 8-1 victory in game one. After a scoreless top of the first by starter Brannan Hogan, DSU got on the board first when Richie Cortese walked with the bases loaded, scoring Kobe Krenz for a 1-0 lead. Robert Encinas followed with a sacrifice fly to score Dawson Cortese, who reached on a single, to make it 2-0 Blue Hawks.

In the bottom of the second inning, Alberto Nieto got things started with a homerun to left field making it 3-0 Blue Hawks. Jake Clinton singled with one out, and then stole second, and Krenz worked his second walk of the day, to give the Blue Hawks first and second with one out for Dawson Cortese. He doubled to deep left center field, scoring both runners making the score 5-0. Derrick Calvillo reached on a throwing error by the shortstop, and Cortese scored on the error for a 6-0 lead.

Mayville State got a run back on a solo homerun in the top of the third inning, but a Calvillo solo homerun to deep centerfield got the run back for DSU in the bottom of the fourth inning, making the score 7-1. Encinas added another sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring Cortese again for the final run.

Dawson Cortese went 3-4 with a double and two RBI to lead the Blue Hawk offense. Hogan went 4.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits to earn the win. Jonathan Lerma went three scoreless innings in relief to earn the rare nine-out save.

GAME 2 - Mayville State 6 Dickinson State 3

Mayville State flipped the script in game two, jumping out to an early 4-0, and holding on for a 6-3 victory to earn the daily split. After loading the bases on two hit batters and a walk, Mayville State got a bases clearing double to take a 3-0 lead, and made it 4-0 on a sacrifice fly, to score all the runs they would need in the top of the second inning.

Balas Buckmaster got the Blue Hawks on the board with an RBI single to right field in the bottom half of the second inning, scoring Cade Ostenson, to make it 4-1 Comets. Neither team scored again until the fifth inning when Mayville State got two runs on a homerun and an RBI single to stretch their lead to five. Dickinson State got both runs back in the bottom half of the inning on a Robert Encinas single and a Carlos Molina Jr. fielders choice to make it 6-3 MSU.

The Blue Hawks had baserunners in both the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't get any as far as third base as the Comets used strong relief pitching to finish off the win. Balas Buckmaster and Derrick Calvillo both went 2-3 to lead the Blue Hawk offense that had nine hits, but none of them for extra bases, on the night.

Kobe Krenz took the loss on the mound going 2.0 innings, allowing four runs on two hits. Trent Richter allowed two runs on two hits in 3.0 relief innings, while Richie Cortese continued his dominant season on the mound with 2.0 innings of hitless and scoreless relief.

WHATS NEXT

The Blue Hawks fall season is finished, but the team will host its annual Blue-Navy Blue Hawk World Series next week at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark.