Baseball breaks program record with 28th-straight win
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | X | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
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4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | X | 7 | 13 | 0 |
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The No. 3-ranked Bellevue University baseball team swept a Frontier Conference double header against Dakota State University on Saturday, tying the program record for consecutive wins in the opener and setting a new mark with their 28th-straight in the nightcap.
Senior Day ceremonies took place after the final game of the series where the Bruins honored their 11-member senior class: Rafael Nakandakari, Nolan Walther, Jaylan Ruffin, Kenji Miller Anthony Lind, Brayden Andersen Carter Claerhout, Brady Baltus, Reid Madariaga, Cannon Close, and Brody Burnette.
Bellevue took the opener 7-1 before securing a 6-2 victory in game two to improve to 40-3 overall and 20-0 in conference play. The losses dropped Dakota State to 16-26-1 on the year and 8-12-1 in league play.
Game One: BU 7, Dakota State 1
After allowing a first inning run Brayden Andersen (9-0) settled in to deliver a quality start, firing a six-inning, nine-strikeout performance.
George Hogan doubled home Aidan Perry to open the scoring in the top of the first to stake DSU to an early lead.
Nick Gravel sparked the Bruin response with his third home run leading off the bottom of the first. Anthony Lind singled home a pair and Mason Spellecy chased in another for a four-run home half of the first.
That was more than enough run support for Andersen who scattered six hits without allowing another run.
Jaylan Ruffin singled home Dylan Holmes in the third to extend the lead to 5-1.
Carter Claerhout's 18th home run of the year in the fourth made it a 6-1 ballgame and a steal-stop play where Ruffin got into a run down allowed Lind to score an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth.
Heath Hachkowski worked a scoreless seventh to finish off the game one victory.
Game Two: BU 6, Dakota State 2
Back-to-back home runs provided a four-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh as Bellevue broke open a 2-1 pitcher's duel, allowing the Bruins to finish off a four-game sweep.
Oak Held sent his first of two home runs in the game into the wind in the third for BU to open the scoring.
Two innings later, Nick Gravel dropped down a safety squeeze to double the advantage.
Cameron DeMaria chased in a run with a ground ball to put the Trojans on the board in the sixth.
Kody Butt (5-1) dealt for the Bruins, striking out eighth without allowing a walk and scattering four hits to get the win.
Kellan Johns (3-1) more or less matched Butt through six innings before running into trouble in the seventh.
Bellevue put runners on the corners with two outs before Held deposited his second home run of the game over the fence in right center to extend the lead to 5-1. Carter Claerhout followed up by immediately lining his 19th blast over the wall in right.
DeMaria homered to right, his 10th of the year, to score a consolation run for the Trojans.
Cannon Close worked three innings of one-run relief to earn his second save of the season.
Top Performers
Bellevue University
Jaylan Ruffin: 3-6, RBI, run
Nick Gravel: 3-6, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 runs
Mason Spellecy: 3-6, double, RBI, run
Anthony Lind: 3-6, 2 RBI, run
Carter Claerhout: 4-8, 2 HR (19), 2 RBI, 2 runs
Oak Held: 2-7, 2 HR (9), 4 RBI, 3 runs
Kody Butt: Win (5-1), 6 IP, 8 SO, 1 ER, 4 hits
Brayden Andersen: Win (9-0), 6 IP, 9 SO, 3 BB, 1 ER, 6 hits
Dakota State University
Aiden Barfus: 3-6
Camaron Haller: 3-7, double
Cameron DeMaria: 2-7, HR (10), 2 RBI, run
Up Next
Bellevue wraps up their regular season slate next weekend with a four-game set at Bismarck State next weekend. The Bruins and Mystics square off for a 1 p.m. double header on Friday, Apr. 24 and another twin bill at noon on Saturday, Apr. 25.