Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports & Marketing Information Director
Dickinson, N.D. — Dickinson State closed out the regular season with a doubleheader split against Jamestown on Saturday at North Softball Complex. The Blue Hawks dropped the opener 6-4 before responding with a 3-0 shutout victory in the nightcap. With the split, Dickinson State finished the regular season at 28-14 overall and 13-7 in the North Star Athletic Association, securing the No. 2 seed for next week's NSAA Conference Tournament at the Sanford Sports Complex in Dickinson.
In the opener, Jamestown capitalized on timely hitting and a pair of seventh-inning errors to secure the 6-4 win. The Blue Hawks erased an early 2-0 deficit with a two-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Bailey Hansen that scored Kara Conway and Ashlee Potter. Hansen finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Jamestown regained the lead in the fifth inning with two runs, one earned, on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly. Dickinson State tied the game again in the bottom of the sixth when Baylee Berg delivered a sacrifice fly to score Kiley Hubby, and HaiLeigh Davis followed with an RBI single to bring home Allyson Farrington.
Jamestown pushed across two unearned runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run single by N. Draper after an error extended the inning. The Blue Hawks were unable to answer in the home half.
Davis went 2-for-2 with an RBI and two walks to lead Dickinson State at the plate. Farrington added a hit, a run scored, and a walk, while Hubby and Conway each contributed a run scored. Conway reached base twice with two walks. Brooke Lijewski and Cassidy Venner each added a hit.
Alison Eldridge took the loss in the circle, allowing six runs, three earned, on 10 hits over six innings. Ava Jahner worked a scoreless seventh inning in relief, striking out one.
In the second game, Jahner delivered a complete-game shutout to improve to 9-1 on the season, holding Jamestown to six hits while striking out five and walking two.
The Blue Hawks scored all three of their runs in the third inning. Venner led off with a triple and came home on a single by Davis for the first run of the game. After Davis was replaced on the bases by Potter, Conway singled, followed by a single from Celina Wilharm to load the bases. Lijewski then singled to score Potter, and Hansen reached on a fielder's choice that brought home Wilharm to make it 3-0.
Venner finished 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Davis, Conway, Wilharm, Lijewski, Hansen, Berg, and Potter each recorded a hit as part of Dickinson State's nine-hit performance. Davis, Lijewski, and Hansen each drove in a run.
Jahner faced 28 batters, working around six hits and two walks to secure the shutout. The Blue Hawks played error-free defense in the victory.
With the regular season complete, Dickinson State will enter the NSAA Conference Tournament as the No. 2 seed. Tournament matchups and game times will be announced in the coming days. The tournament is scheduled to begin next week at the Sanford Sports Complex in Dickinson.