Blue Hawks use long ball to rout VCSU

Dickinson, N.D. – Dickinson State used a 10-home run barrage to rout Valley City State in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday. The Blue Hawks scored 33 runs over the two games, winning game one 19-8 and game two 14-6.

Game One – DSU 19 VCSU 8

Dickinson State hammered out 16 hits and six home runs, including two from Mathias Dufner, to blitz Valley City State in game one.

An RBI double by Carlos Molina Jr. and a two-run home run from Dufner in the first inning put the Blue Hawks ahead 3-0, but VCSU answered with four runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-3 advantage.

DSU got the lead right back however, as Jace Buchanan, Wyatt Wilharm, and Molina Jr. hit back-to-back-to-back home runs, all with two outs, to make it 8-4 Blue Hawks.

The onslaught continued in the third inning when Nathaniel Jilek connected for his second grand slam of the season and Molina Jr. and Dufner matched their first inning output with an RBI double and a two-run home run.

RBI singles from Buchanan, Cameron Erickson, and Kadin Finders extended the lead further before a bases-loaded walk by Buchanan scored the final Blue Hawk run.

Game Two – DSU 14 VCSU 6

Mathias Dufner and Clay Prell each hit a pair of home runs, as Dickinson State added 16 more hits to sweep the doubleheader.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, DSU responded with an eight-run bottom of the second to take firm control of the game. The inning was bookended by solo home runs from Prell, while Jace Buchanan and Wyatt Wilharm added RBI singles to go along with a three-run blast from Dufner.

DSU tacked on three more runs in the fourth on an RBI double by Dufner, an RBI groundout by Prell, and an RBI single from Kadin Finders, before Dufner struck again in the fifth inning, blasting his fourth home run of the double header deep to left center field.

VCSU hit a pair of late home runs to cut into the lead, but never truly threatened on a day dominated by the Blue Hawk offense.