TUCSON, Ariz. – The Blue Hawks continue their winning ways down in the sunny state of Arizona as they swept day two against Benedictine – Mesa (Ariz.) and Northwestern (Iowa). The Blue Hawks defeated Benedictine 11-1 to start the day and wrapped up with a 7-2 victory over Northwestern. With the day two sweep, the Blue Hawks improve to 7-5 on the season.
Dickinson State University 11, Benedictine – Mesa (Ariz.) 1
Despite allowing three runs in the top of the fourth inning, the Blue Hawks of Dickinson State powered to an 11-hit performance to earn their third consecutive victory in Arizona.
The Blue Hawks got things started with a one-run inning off a double by Abi Brooks (SR/Rocklin, CA) in the second and followed with a three-spot in following inning to jump out to an early 4-0 lead. The Redhawks closed the gap in the top of the following inning with three runs to cut the deficit down to one. However, the Blue Hawks stayed disciplined at the plate and knocked in another seven runs in the final two innings to complete the mercy-run rule victory.
Of the team's 11 hits, three Hawks led the team with multiple hits including Sonja Lawrence (SR/Las Vegas, NV), Jaya Allen (SO/Spokane, WA) and Abi Brooks with two each. Emilie Sickler (SO/Dickinson, ND), Kayla Stephens (SR/Las Vegas, NV), Claire Shoffit (SR/Woodland, CA), Whitney Mesi (SR/Anaheim, CA) and Andrea Rodriguez (SR/Calexico, CA) rounded out the final five hits, while Brooks and Stephens added an extra base hit with a double and led the team with three and two RBIs, respectively. Stephens continued to have a great day offensively as she led the team in runs with four, followed by Allen and Lawrence with three and two.
Jaya Allen (4-4) earned her fourth win of the season on the mound as she let up three runs (3ER) off four hits, while striking out eight and walking two in the process in six innings pitched.
Dickinson State University 7, Northwestern (Iowa) 2
Although the Red Raiders of Northwestern took an early two-run lead off a double and sacrifice bunt, the Blue Hawks responded with a run in the bottom of the first inning to cut the lead down to one. It then took one inning to put the game away for good as the Blue Hawks pounded on six unanswered runs to take the second game of the day and stay a perfect 4-0 in Tucson.
Dickinson took advantage of the four Red Raider errors as they started their six-run inning with three back-to-back-to-back errors to score Whitney Mesi. Rhea Pavia followed with a single and an Emilie Sickler walk to bring around Abi Brooks. The fourth run of the game came off the body of Jaya Allen as she reached base on a hit-by-pitch to score Pavia. The final three runs came off the bats of Claire Shoffit and Mesi as they hit back-to-back singles to right field.
The final five innings remained scoreless for both teams to secure the Blue Hawks' seventh victory of the year. Abi Brooks (3-1) earned the win for Dickinson as she surrendered one run on two hits over seven innings of work. Brooks struck out five and walked one in the victory. Offensively, five Hawks attained a hit coming from Rhea Pavia, Sonja Lawrence, Kayla Stephens, Claire Shoffit, and Whitney Mesi.
