Dickinson, ND – The Dickinson State University baseball team swept a conference doubleheader against Viterbo University on Friday. The Blue Hawks now sit at 8-16 (6-6 NSAA) on the season.
Game 1 (12-9 DSU)
Box Score
The Dickinson State University baseball team used 2 huge comebacks, and a walk-off grand slam, to take down Viterbo University (9-16 (5-8 NSAA)) in game one on Friday. Facing deficits of 7-2 and 9-7, the Blue Hawks managed to claw back each time, and finally took the lead for good on Derrick Calvillo's walk off grand slam with 1 out in the 9th.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning for DSU starter Joel Torres, the offense got to work. Derrick Calvillo led off the bottom half of the inning with a home run to center field giving the Blue Hawks a 1-0 advantage. Cade Ostenson would follow with a triple to deep right center field, and Robert Encinas walked to put runners at the corners with nobody out. After a pop out, Jacob Clinton was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. An RBI groundout by Mathias Dufner gave the Blue Hawks a 2-0 lead, but the V-Hawks would limit the damage, striking out Karson Backer to end the inning.
Viterbo would answer back quickly, getting a single and a home run to lead off the top of the 2nd inning, knotting the score at 2-2. Torres would retire the next three V-Hawks in order to bring the offense back to bat. Back-to-back singles by Angel Faras and Calvillo gave the Blue Hawks runners at the corners with one out for the second consecutive inning, Ostenson then hit a long single off the top of the left center field wall to put DSU back in front 3-2. Another walk to Encinas loaded the bases for Kael Richards, but Viterbo would induce a double play to end the 2nd inning.
In the top of the 3rd inning the V-Hawks loaded the bases with 1 out, but Torres was able to limit the damage allowing only an RBI single to Cole Benson, leaving the score tied at 3-3. The Blue Hawks were put away in order in the bottom half of the inning.
Viterbo took advantage of a Blue Hawk error early in the inning to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the 4th on a single off the first base bag by Braxton Ghelfi. They would extend their lead to 7-3 before the inning's end.
Both teams would trade zeroes until the bottom of the 7th inning when Calvillo walked, his third of the game, with 2 outs and Richards blasted the next pitch into the trees in center field, cutting the VU lead to 7-5. Tyler Gray continued his solid relief outing for Dickinson State in the 8th inning cutting down the V-Hawks in order for his 3rd scoreless frame.
In the bottom half of the inning, Kobe Krenz hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left center field to bring the Blue Hawks within one, 7-6. After DSU loaded the bases, Calvillo would reach on a catcher's interference, bringing home Angel Faras to tie the score at 7-7.
In the top of the 9th inning, Gray retired the first two V-Hawks before a double and a home run gave the visitors a 9-7 lead. Dickinson State wouldn't go down easy as Clinton and Dufner led off the bottom of the 9th with back-to-back singles to bring the winning run to the plate. Backer grounded into a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with 1 out. Krenz was then hit by the first pitch of his at bat, loading the bases. Angel Faras hit a sinking line drive into left that was misplayed and everybody moved up a base as DSU got within 1 run, 9-8, setting the stage for Calvillo's heroics. He fell behind 0-2 before fouling off two pitches, he then got a hanging breaking ball and crushed it over the left center field fence for a walk-off grand slam, giving the Blue Hawks a 12-9 victory.
Pitching Stats
WP: Brannan Hogan – 0.1 IP 0H 0R 0ER 1K 0BB
LP: Dante Selke – 0.2 IP 3H 5R 5ER 0K 1BB
S: None
Offensive Leaders:
DSU: Derrick Calvillo – 4-6, 2 HR, 5 RBI
VU: Cole Benson – 3-5, 2B, 3 RBI, SB
Game 2 (9-0 DSU)
Box Score
Starting pitcher Jacob Scully was dominant, and the the offense continued to hit the ball well, as Dickinson State beat Viterbo University 9-0 in game 2 on Friday extending their winning streak to 5 games. Scully went 6.1 innings, allowing 0 runs on only 2 hits while striking out 11 and walking 2. Mathias Dufner drove in 5 runs, and the Blue Hawks got a hit from 10 different hitters as they continue to hit the ball well scoring 21 runs on the doubleheader.
The Blue Hawks scored early again, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an errant Viterbo throw after Alberto Nieto went first to third on Cade Ostenson's sacrifice bunt. A Kael Richards walk, and Jacob Clinton double, gave DSU runners at second and third with 2 outs. Mathias Dufner then singled to center field scoring both runners and giving Dickinson State a 3-0 lead.
After a scoreless 2nd inning for both teams, Scully struck out the side in the top half of the 3rd, and DSU scratched across another run on a Karson Backer sacrifice fly to extend their lead to 4-0. Kobe Krenz added a 2-out RBI single to score Dufner, who had singled and stole 2nd, making it 5-0 Blue Hawks.
Dickinson State continued to add on in the bottom of the 4th, as Ostenson led off with a double down the right field line and scored on Richards' RBI single to left center field. Clinton would follow Richards with a double down the line giving the Blue Hawks runners at second and third with 1 out. Dufner then hammered the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for his fifth homerun of the year, giving DSU a 9-0 lead.
Pitching Stats
WP: Jacob Scully – 6.1 IP 2H 0R 0ER 11K 2BB
LP: Garrett Poblick – 4.0 IP 13H 9R 8ER 0K 2BB
S: None
Offensive Leaders:
DSU: Mathias Dufner – 3-4, HR, 5 RBI
VU: Nolan Glunz – 1-2, BB
UP NEXT
Dickinson State will look to continue their winning streak as they take on Viterbo in another double header on Saturday. Game 1 will be at 12:00pm MT.
