Blue Hawks drop pair at Waldorf in Forest City

Sagan Osborne | Dickinson State Sports Information Director

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Dickinson State dropped a pair of close games on Sunday, falling 5-1 and 6-4 to Waldorf University on the road.

GAME 1

Alberto Nieto went 2-3 and Kael Richards hit a pinch- hit home run in the fifth inning, but the Blue Hawks trailed from start to finish as they fell, 5-1, to Waldorf to open the day.

After Waldorf jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first three innings, Richards was called upon to pinch hit to lead off the fifth inning. He promptly homered, cutting the lead in half, and making it 2-1 WU. Starter Kobe Krenz rolled through six strong innings, allowing just two runs, but Waldorf used some soft contact and free bases in the seventh to plate three more runs and push the game out of reach.

GAME 2

Alberto Nieto collected another multi-hit game, but Dickinson State was held to just five total hits as they fell in game two, 6-4.

After Waldorf took another first inning lead, this time 2-0, the Blue Hawks responded with three runs of their own in the top of the second to take the lead. A walk by Wyatt Wilharm led to the first run, as he came all the way home on a throwing error one batter later. Kaiden Reeve walked, and Cade Ostenson was hit by a pitch, to load the bases with nobody out, but Waldorf quickly responded with two strikeouts. However, Nieto came through slapping a two-strike pitch into center field for a two-RBI single to put DSU in front, 3-2.

A walk and three straight singles in the third inning allowed Waldorf to regain the lead, 5-3, but a Kael Richards single in the fourth inning got DSU back to within one. Another RBI single by the Warriors in the bottom half of the inning provided all the insurance they needed, as a sixth inning single by Nieto was the only other time the Blue Hawks reached base the rest of the way.