Bruins secure share of NSAA title with DH sweep of Trojans
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 13 | 1 |
|
|
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 13 | 1 |
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
MADISON, S.D. -- Bruin hitters launched eight home runs as the No. 24-ranked Bellevue University baseball team swept Dakota State University on Saturday afternoon in a North Star Athletic Association double-header from Flynn Field.
Bellevue improves to 32-12 overall and 15-1 in NSAA play while the Trojans see their record slide back to the .500-mark at 21-21 and fall to 7-9 in league play.
Today's results, coupled with a loss by the University of Jamestown to Dickinson State, assured the Bruins at least a share of their sixth-straight NSAA regular season crown. Another loss by Jamestown this weekend or a win in any one of four games by BU next weekend will give Bellevue the outright title and earn the Bruins a bid to the NAIA National Tournament for the 15th-straight season. The regular season title marks the 22nd in the program's history, all coming since 1995.
Game One: BU 12, DSU 2
Five home runs powered the Bruin offense to a comfortable victory in game one of Saturday's double-header.
Steven Elsner put the Bruins on the board first with a solo home run in the first.
A bases loaded walk to Elsner in the second made it a 2-0 game and Logan Grant followed with a no-doubt grand slam for his 16th bomb of the year as BU opened up a six-run lead.
Sam Altwine got a run back for DSU with a fielder's choice in the bottom of the second but that was quickly erased on Nick Gravel's solo blast in the third, his first of the year. Jake Lacey singled home another in the inning for an 8-1 lead.
Ayden Makarus led off the fourth with his 10th long ball of the season and Elsner's second of the game – and 18th of the year – capped a three-run inning for BU.
Altwine drove in another run with a ground ball in the fourth for Dakota State and Makarus scored on a wild pitch in the sixth to finish off the scoring.
Kenji Miller (7-0) struck out 10 and issued just one walk, limiting the Trojans bats to just two runs on five hits in a complete game effort.
Hunter Vikemyr (5-5) lasted just 2.2 innings, surrendering eight runs on nine hits.
Bellevue's 1-2-3 hitters combined to go 6-13 with five runs scored and eight RBI in the game.
Game Two: BU 9, DSU 5
Three-run seventh and eighth innings broke open a one-run game as Bellevue pulled away from DSU late to secure the NSAA series victory.
Ayden Makarus put the Bruins ahead for good with a solo shot in the sixth before Jake Lacey drove in two with a single to left and later scored on a throwing error.
With a four-run advantage, Steven Elsner put the game out of reach with his third home run of the afternoon, a three-run bomb in the eighth.
Gavin Wuschke (7-2) earned the win for BU with a quality start. He matched a season-high with eight strikeouts while scattering two runs on seven hits across six innings of work.
Camaron Haller got a run back for DSU in the eighth with a solo job of his down and Darcy Barry hit a two-run jack in the ninth to account for the final margin.
Following Barry's home run, Bellevue turned to Brayden Andersen who came on to record the final three outs and nail down the victory.
Nick Gravel scored Makarus with a bunt single in the second to open the scoring and Balas Buckmaster's fourth home run of the year, a solo shot, made it 2-0 in the fourth.
Dakota State got solo home runs from Cassidy Watt and Dawson Portner in the fourth and fifth to tie the game to 2-2.
Alex Swack (2-1) took the loss for the Trojans, despite a quality start of his own. He allowed three runs on seven hits across six innings of work, striking out two and issuing a pair of walks.
Up Next:
Bellevue travels to Sioux City, Iowa on Monday afternoon for a 3 p.m. first pitch against Morningside University before wrapping up the regular season next weekend by hosting the University of Jamestown for a four-game set.
