Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports and Marketing Information Director
Bellevue, Neb. – Dickinson State opened its North Star Athletic Association schedule with a road doubleheader split at Bellevue on Thursday. The Blue Hawks took game one 6-4 before falling 9-0 in five innings in the nightcap.
In the opener, Dickinson State (15-9, 1-1 NSAA) used a steady offensive performance and strong pitching from Alison Eldridge and Reannan Butler to secure the conference win. The Blue Hawks collected 13 hits and scored in four consecutive innings from the third through sixth.
Jersi Morse tied the game at 1-1 in the third with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Allyson Farrington. Kara Conway and Morse added RBI singles in the fourth to give Dickinson State a 3-1 lead. In the fifth, Kiley Hubby drove in a run with a double and later scored on Conway's infield single to extend the lead to 5-2.
After Bellevue cut the deficit to 5-4 with two runs in the sixth, Dickinson State responded with an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Morse led off with a single, stole second, and later scored on a double play groundout off the bat of Brooke Lijewski.
Lijewski finished 2-for-4 with a double, while Morse added two hits and drove in two. Conway, Hubby, Bailey Hansen, and Celina Wilharm each had multi-hit games.
Eldridge (6-5) earned the win, going five innings and allowing four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and six walks. Butler closed the final two innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two to earn her first save of the season.
In game two, Bellevue struck early and never trailed. The Bruins (12-12, 1-1 NSAA) scored six runs in the first inning and added three more over the next three frames before the game ended by run rule after five.
Hope Fath (4-1) took her first loss of the season after facing eight batters and surrendering six runs in the opening inning. Butler pitched 3.2 innings in relief, allowing three runs on four hits with no strikeouts or walks.
Offensively, Dickinson State managed just four hits, two of which came from Morse. Kara Conway doubled in the second, and HaiLeigh Davis added a single in the fifth. The Blue Hawks were unable to capitalize on any of their limited opportunities, leaving four runners on base.
Dickinson State was undone by three hit batters and a pair of RBI doubles by Bellevue's Short and Fisher. The Bruins took advantage of six runs in the first on just four hits, aided by three free passes and defensive miscues.
With the split, Dickinson State sits at 15-9 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The Blue Hawks will continue NSAA play with another doubleheader this weekend.
