DSU takes 10-3 win over Waldorf University in Saturday opener
Apr. 14—DICKINSON — After taking the opener of the Saturday, April 13, 2024 doubleheader at Dakota Community Bank and Trust Ballpark, the Blue Hawks (8-32 overall) fell to a loss in the second half of the twin-bill and dropped to 4-15 in the North Star Athletic Association versus conference rivals Waldorf University (7-9 NSAA). It also meant DSU fell to the series loss, 3-1, after being defeated 2-0 in the Friday doubleheader that preceded Saturday's split.
Dickinson State ran to a 2-0 lead the end of the first inning on the way to seeing 4 home runs fly over the Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark in the game, courtesy of shortstop Jace Buchanan, first-baseman Carlos Molina, Jr., third-baseman Wyatt Wilharm and grand-slam from Dickinson native Nathaniel Jilek that scored second-baseman Kadin Finders, DH Mathias Dufner and pinch-runner Cole Siembob in the bottom of the fourth.
In the meantime, Dufner cranked a homer over the left-field wall to help Jacob Scully earn the complete-game victory on 4 strikeouts while giving up only 3 earned runs and 4 walks.
Wilharm and Molina, Jr. had homered in the first inning, and eventually Molina, Jr. went 3-for-4 in the opener while Buchanan came away 2-for-4 with the bat and scored a run to add to his 2 RBI. Buchanan added to the fourth-inning, 6-run misery for the visitors on a dinger that plated centerfielder Alberto Nieto.
The Blue Hawks added an insurance-run in the fifth inning to complete their scoring as Finders doubled to center-field and advanced to third on a Luke Clinton single that preceded DSU's final run for Finders on a passed-ball.
Dickinson State University took a 1-0 lead at the end of the second inning as catcher Cameron Erickson walked and pinch-runner Siembob scored after Nieto was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Nieto sacrificed Clinton home in the second and DSU took the 3-1 lead on a Buchanan single that brought Jilek across the plate.
But the 'Hawks were victimized by a run in the top of the fourth to close the Warriors' gap to 3-2 before adding a run in the bottom of the inning on a Dufner homer to right-field for a 4-2 advantage.
From there, it was all Waldorf University (17-20) as the away-team notched 14 runs in the final four innings and Dickinson State could only combine for 2 in the bottom of the eighth on a Clay Prell dinger over the center-field wall that scored pinch-hitting outfielder John-Michael Gonzalez, Jr.
Molina, Jr. was the only Blue Hawks player with a multi-hit game in the nightcap, going 2-for-5, while Prell was 1-for-2 with the homer and 2 RBI. Jilek stole a base, along with Clinton, and the Blue Hawks' staff gave up all 16 earned runs and only combined for 4 Ks in the losing effort.
Next-up for Dickinson State will be a home-doubleheader versus Valley City State on Wednesday, April 17 that starts at 1 p.m.
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