DICKINSON, N.D. — Dickinson State spent much of Saturday evening working its way back from an early three-run deficit. Jacob McIntyre needed one swing to finish the comeback.
McIntyre launched a walk-off home run to center field to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Blue Hawks to a 5-4 season-opening victory over Bismarck State at DCB&T Ballpark.
The home run capped a comeback that developed one run at a time. Dickinson State trailed 3-0 after 1 1/2 innings, pulled within a run in the third and eventually tied the game at 4 in the sixth. From there, the Blue Hawk bullpen kept the Mystics off the scoreboard long enough for McIntyre to end it.
Bismarck State struck first with a run in the opening inning before adding two more in the second. Lucas Vasey did much of the early damage for the Mystics and finished 3-for-5 with a double, triple and two RBIs.
Dickinson State began cutting into the deficit in the third, scoring twice to make it 3-2. Another Blue Hawk run in the fourth erased the remainder of Bismarck State's early advantage and tied the game.
The Mystics briefly moved back in front with a run in the fifth, but Dickinson State answered again in the sixth to make it 4-4.
That was the last run either team managed until the ninth.
After the Blue Hawks pulled even, the game shifted to the pitching staffs. Neither side scored in the seventh or eighth, setting up Noah Aliff to handle the final two innings for Dickinson State.
Aliff retired Bismarck State in order in the eighth, then navigated the only trouble he faced in the ninth. A one-out walk put the potential go-ahead runner aboard, but Aliff induced a double play to send the game to the bottom half still tied.
He did not have to wait long for the payoff.
McIntyre stepped in against Bismarck State reliever Nelson Ahumada to begin the bottom of the ninth. After the count moved to 1-1, McIntyre drove the next pitch over the fence in center field, immediately ending a game Dickinson State had spent seven innings chasing.
McIntyre finished 2-for-4 with the home run, an RBI and a run scored. Aliff earned the win after allowing no hits over two scoreless innings, striking out two and walking one.
The walk-off completed a productive day at the plate for Dickinson State despite the Blue Hawks stranding 12 runners. Dickinson State collected 12 hits, including two doubles, a triple and McIntyre's home run, while drawing five walks and stealing two bases.
Bismarck State finished with 10 hits. In addition to Vasey's three-hit performance, Brayden Bunnell went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Tate Herrmann added two hits.
The Mystics scored in three of the first five innings but were held scoreless over their final four trips to the plate.
Dickinson State improved to 1-0, while Bismarck State fell to 0-1.
