SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Dickinson State opened Saturday with a 9-2 loss to No. 4 Bellevue and fell 3-1 to Mayville State at the Frontier Conference Preseason Classic.
Game 1: No. 4 Bellevue 9, Dickinson State 2
The Blue Hawks finished with seven hits and scored once in the sixth inning and once in the ninth. Ramon Teran went 2-for-4 and scored a run, while Jace Buchanan was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Ty Farwell added a double, and Luis Rodriguez drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Bellevue broke through in the third inning. Oak Held reached, moved into scoring position and later scored on a Dickinson State error for a 1-0 lead. The Bruins added two runs in the fourth on Jaylan Ruffin's RBI double and Nick Gravel's sacrifice fly, then made it 5-0 in the fifth on a two-run home run by Xavier Lerma.
Dickinson State answered in the sixth. Teran singled, stole second and scored on Buchanan's single to right center. Bellevue kept the Blue Hawks from getting closer and broke the game open in the eighth. After a sacrifice fly from Carter Claerhout pushed the lead to 6-1, Lerma hit his second home run of the game, a three-run shot to right center, to extend the margin to 9-1.
The Blue Hawks added their final run in the ninth. Buchanan singled, Farwell doubled and Rodriguez brought Buchanan home with a sacrifice fly.
Dominic Phillips took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, over four innings. Jerry Santiago Jr. worked three innings and gave up two runs, and Anthony Hanson threw the eighth. Bellevue's Kenji Miller earned the win after allowing one run over eight innings with six strikeouts.
Game 2: Mayville State 3, Dickinson State 1
Dickinson State dropped the second game 3-1 to Mayville State despite a strong start from Tate Williams and solid relief work from Noah Aliff and Cooper VanLuchene.
Mayville State scored all three of its runs in the second inning. Zachary Evanochko drew a walk, Marshall Judisch reached on an error and Tony Villarreal hit a three-run home run to left. All three runs were unearned.
That was the only damage against Williams, who went six innings and allowed four hits and three runs, none earned, while striking out three. Aliff followed with a scoreless seventh, and VanLuchene threw a scoreless eighth.
Dickinson State managed six hits in the game. Jace Buchanan provided the only run with a solo home run to right center in the sixth inning. Ty Farwell, Luis Rodriguez, Wyatt Wilharm, Moses Dokes and Kadin Finders each added one hit. Rodriguez and Wilharm both doubled.
The Blue Hawks had chances late but could not close the gap. Farwell singled in the eighth, and Dickinson State also put a runner on in the seventh, but Mayville State's pitching staff held the Blue Hawks to one run. Garret Lundmark earned the win after striking out 13 over eight innings, and Kyler Droog struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth for the save.
Saturday's results moved Dickinson State to 13-12 on the season.
