Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports and Marketing Information Director
Bellevue, Neb. – Dickinson State fell twice to Bellevue (Neb.) on Sunday at Brown Park in Omaha, Neb., dropping the opener 3-2 and falling 30-2 victory in game two.
In the first game, Dickinson State (11-20 overall, 3-3 NSAA) received a strong start from senior Jacob Scully, who pitched a complete game but was tagged with the loss. Scully allowed five hits and three runs—two earned—over six innings. He struck out four and walked two on 89 pitches.
Bellevue took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff walk and a single, a passed ball brought in the first run. A sacrifice fly from Lacey added another. Scully responded by retiring 11 of the next 12 batters and kept the Bruins scoreless through the fourth and fifth innings.
The Blue Hawks scored a run in the third when Kadin Finders walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cameron Erickson, and scored on an RBI single from Wyatt Wilharm. In the fifth, Logan Braaten singled and Finders walked again. After a flyout advanced Braaten to third, Jadyn Roberts drove in the tying run with a single to left. Finders was thrown out at the plate on the play, keeping the score 2-2.
Bellevue scored the game-winning run in the sixth. Grant led off with a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error. Pinch-runner Jay Ruffin scored on Lacey's second sacrifice fly of the day to put Bellevue ahead 3-2.
Dickinson State went down in order in the seventh, sealing the one-run loss. Roberts finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Wilharm was 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Braaten, Gonzalez Jr., and Finders each added a hit or walk.
Bellevue's McMan earned the win, allowing five hits and two earned runs over seven innings. He struck out six and walked three.
Game two was controlled from start to finish by the Bruins, who scored in all six innings and recorded 28 hits in a 30-2 win. Bellevue broke the game open early, scoring four runs in the first and adding runs in every frame, including nine in the fifth and 11 in the sixth.
Van Luchene took the loss for Dickinson State, giving up 10 runs—nine earned—on 11 hits in three innings. Four relievers followed and allowed 20 more runs combined. DSU pitchers walked 10 and gave up three home runs.
Offensively, the Blue Hawks were led by Wilharm, who homered in the sixth, and Braaten, who doubled twice and drove in a run in the seventh. Threadgill added a single and scored on Braaten's RBI double to account for Dickinson State's second run.
Gonzalez Jr. went 2-for-3 and had three hits on the day. Erickson, Roberts, and Rodriguez were held hitless in game two.