Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports and Marketing Information Director
Tucson, Ariz. – Dickinson State split a pair of games in Tucson, securing a 5-3 victory over Viterbo before falling 13-4 to Park-Gilbert.
Against Viterbo, Dickinson State capitalized on timely hitting and strong pitching. Celina Wilharm led the offensive effort, finishing 3-for-3 with three runs scored. The Blue Hawks struck first in the opening frame when Baylee Berg's double brought in Wilharm. In the third, Allyson Farrington executed a steal of home to extend the lead.
Viterbo broke through in the fifth on a run-scoring single from Makayla Nortman, but Dickinson State responded with two runs in the bottom half. Berg's groundout plated Wilharm, and Bailey Hansen added an RBI single, pushing the lead to 4-1. Viterbo closed the gap with two runs in the sixth, aided by a passed ball and an error. However, the Blue Hawks added an insurance run in the bottom half when Wilharm scored on a wild pitch.
Hope Fath earned the win, tossing 3.2 innings while allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts. Reannan Butler and Alison Eldridge combined to close out the victory, with Eldridge working a scoreless seventh.
In the second game, Dickinson State struggled to contain Park-Gilbert's offense. The Buccaneers plated four runs in the first, highlighted by a two-run triple from S. Romero. The Blue Hawks answered with a run in the bottom half on a Hansen RBI single, but Park-Gilbert's pitching held the lineup in check.
After three scoreless innings, Dickinson State cut into the deficit in the fifth. Wilharm delivered a ground-rule double to bring in a run, and Brooke Lijewski followed with a two-run single, making it 8-4. However, Park-Gilbert erupted for five runs in the sixth, sealing the game. I. Rivera and A. Castro each drove in two runs to cap the scoring.
Eldridge took the loss, allowing 13 runs—10 earned—on 17 hits over 5.2 innings. Ava Jahner recorded the final out in relief.