April 9, 2019

BELLEVUE, Neb. – The North Star Athletic Association's conference leader Bellevue (Neb.) outscored Dakota State (S.D.) 30-4 Tuesday, cruising to 13-3 and 17-1 victories in the mid-week conference doubleheader at Roddy Field.  Both teams will meet for the second time later this season at Flynn Field on April 24.

Dakota State dropped their overall record to 3-23 and 1-13 NSAA conference record.  Bellevue, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, raised their overall record to 24-14 and 13-1 record in league play.

Game 1 – (RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 13, Dakota State (S.D.) 3 – FINAL/7 innings

Bellevue raced to a 10-0 lead after three innings in the first game (nine-inning game) and cruised past Dakota State 13-3 in seven innings.

JT Patterson sparked the Bruins with a 2-run home run blast in the bottom first inning for 2-0 lead.  BU added a run to extend their lead to 3-0 in second inning.

BU exploded for seven runs in the bottom third frame, highlighted by Patterson's grand slam to balloon their lead to 10-0.

Samuel Drummond hit a solo home run in the top fourth inning to end DSU's scoring drought, trailing 10-1.  It was his first home run this season and his second career home run at Dakota State.

Adrian Butrimas led off the top fifth with a double for the Trojans.  Tanner Landman followed up with an RBI double to score Keaton Hoeke (courtesy runner for Butrimas) as DSU cut Bellevue's lead to 10-2.

Patterson hit his third home run of the game in the bottom fifth frame, hitting a 2-run home run to put BU up 12-2.

Jerrett Plunkett hit a single with one out in the top sixth for Dakota State.  Drummond reached safely on base with a fielder's choice, while Plunkett was safe at second caused by Bruins' defensive error.  Marcos Alvarez added a fielder's choice to advance Plunkett to third base (Drummond was out at second base).

Butrimas produced an RBI single to score Plunkett as the Trojans reduced their deficit to 12-3 in the top sixth inning.

Austin Alexander led off the bottom seventh with a solo home run as the Bruins secured the game by ten-run mercy rule.

Plunkett finished the game by going 2-of-3 at the plate and scored a run for the Trojans.  Drummond added a home run and an RBI.  Butrimas had a double, single and an RBI.  Landman collected double and an RBI. 

Paterson exploded for three home runs and drove in a game-high even runs for the Bruins.  Alexander had a home run, single and an RBI.  Cody Banks had two hits.  Tommy Hansen and Wataru Kazama each had a hit and an RBI.  Riley Baasch recorded two hits and an RBI.  Stuart Eurich had a triple, single and swiped two bases.

Bellevue tallied 13 hits in the game compared to Dakota State seven hits.  Both teams left four runners on base.

The Trojans recorded a double play, defensively by Burke and Landman.

Ryan Peterson (L, 0-2) took the loss on the pitching mound for DSU.  He worked for 2 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs (one unearned) on nine hits.  Steven Suarez tossed 3 1/3 innings in relief, giving up six runs (two unearned) on four hits. 

Graham Cahill (W, 1-1) pitched a complete game victory for BU.  He gave up three runs (one unearned) on seven hits.  He recorded six strikeouts.

Game 2 – (RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 17, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

Bellevue used another fast start in the second game of the doubleheader.  Holding a 2-0 lead, the Bruins plated ten runs in the bottom third frame and never looked back for a 17-1 victory.

BU grabbed the first lead of the game in the bottom first inning, thanks to Travis Tanaka's lead-off triple.  Kory Longaker followed up with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Tanaka for 1-0 Bruins' lead.  Bellevue added a run in the bottom second for a 2-0 lead, caused by DSU's defensive miscue.

Bellevue racked up ten runs in the bottom third inning to widen their lead to 12-0.  Baasch and Kazama each recorded back-to-back RBI walks, while Hunter Jury and Tanaka each hit 2-RBI singles.  Longaker followed up with a 2-run home run and scored Tanaka.

Longaker hit an RBI double to expand Bruins' lead to 13-0 in the fourth inning.

The Trojans scored a run in the top sixth inning.  Jalen Boyd and Plunkett hit back-to-back singles with one out.  Drummond reached safely on base by a fielder's choice (Boyd advanced to third and Plunkett was out at second base).  Alvarez produced an RBI single to score Boyd as DSU trailed 13-1.

Longaker smashed a grand slam in the bottom half of the sixth inning, widening BU's lead to 17-1.

Alvarez had a single and an RBI for Dakota State.  Burke, Boyd and Plunkett each had a single.  Plunkett and Landman each reached on base by a walk once.

Longaker finished the game with two home runs, two doubles and collected a game-high eight RBIs for Bellevue.  Tanaka added two hits and two RBIs.  Banks had a double and single.  Baasch went 4-of-4 at the plate with four singles and an RBI.

BU outhit DSU 17-4 in the game.  The Bruins left eight runners on base compared to the Trojans five runners left on base.

Trey Randel (L, 1-5) recorded the defeat after tossing two innings for Dakota State.  He gave up eight runs (one unearned) on six hits.  Micah DeHarty, Andrew Dayton, Max Luesebrink and Christian Sanchez also pitched in relief.

Jarrett Pho (W, 4-0) notched the victory for Bellevue, tossing six innings and limited the Trojans to one hit on four hits.  He recorded nine strikeouts.  Brandon Desjardins worked the final inning in relief.

Up Next

Dakota State is scheduled to play Presentation (S.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association four-game series this weekend. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director