MITCHELL, S.D. — Dickinson State held early leads in both games Saturday but was unable to come away with a win as Dakota Wesleyan swept a doubleheader, 6-3 and 5-4 in eight innings, at Drake Field. The Blue Hawks moved to 4-6 overall with the losses.
Game 1: Dakota Wesleyan 6, Dickinson State 3
Dickinson State took an early lead in the opener but could not overcome a six-run third inning in a 6-3 setback.
The Blue Hawks struck first in the top of the first. Luis Rodriguez drew a leadoff walk, advanced on an error and scored on Ty Farwell's RBI single to give Dickinson State a 1-0 advantage.
Dakota Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the third with six runs on four hits. The inning included solo home runs by Adams and Meyers, a two-run double by Dutton and an RBI triple from Ball. Three of the six runs were unearned.
Mason Lunzman (0-1) started for Dickinson State and pitched 4 innings, allowing six runs, three earned, while striking out four. Cooper VanLuchene followed with 2 scoreless innings in relief and recorded three strikeouts.
Dickinson State cut into the deficit in the sixth. Jadyn Roberts singled to open the inning before Rodriguez hit a two-run home run to left-center to make it 6-3.
Farwell finished 3-for-3 with a double to lead the Blue Hawks offensively. Mizsak (1-0) earned the win after six innings, and Munger recorded the save.
Game 2: Dakota Wesleyan 5, Dickinson State 4 (8 innings)
The Blue Hawks again led but fell in extra innings in the nightcap.
Dickinson State opened the scoring in the first. Roberts doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jace Buchanan to give the Blue Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Dakota Wesleyan responded with two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-run double by Payne. One of the runs was unearned.
Dickinson State regained the lead in the fourth. Farwell singled and Sawyer Bryner entered as a pinch runner. After a passed ball and a walk to Moses Dokes, Jaden Salazar delivered a two-run double to right-center to put Dickinson State ahead 3-2.
Dakota Wesleyan tied the game in the fourth when Ruesink was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Blue Hawks moved back in front in the fifth. Ramon Teran walked, stole second and advanced to third on an error before Buchanan drove him in with an RBI single for a 4-3 lead.
Dakota Wesleyan evened the score in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk by Dutton.
After scoreless sixth and seventh innings, Dickinson State could not push across a run in the eighth.
In the bottom of the eighth, Dakota Wesleyan opened with a double and later secured the win on a single by Ruesink.
Tate Williams started for Dickinson State and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, with four strikeouts. Noah Aliff and Jerry Santiago Jr. combined for 3 2/3 innings of relief before Tyler Cutler (0-1) took the loss.
