April 17, 2026

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Dakota State fell short in both games of the Frontier Conference baseball doubleheader at Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex Friday afternoon.  No. 3 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) held off the Trojans 9-4 in the first game of the doubleheader and held on to an 8-7 game two victory to secure the outright Frontier Conference baseball regular season title.

Dakota State fell to 16-24-1 overall record and 8-10-1 record in the league.  Bellevue ballooned their winning streak to 26 games, lifting their overall record to 38-3 and 18-0 record in Frontier Conference.
  Game 1: (3) Bellevue 9, Dakota State 4 – FINAL

Bellevue used a big middle innings surge to pull away from Dakota State, scoring seven unanswered runs from the third through sixth innings to take control.

Dakota State struck first in the opening frame when Camaron Haller delivered a sacrifice bunt to bring home Connor Raney, who led off the game with a single. The Trojans added another run in the second inning on Aiden Barfuss' RBI single for a 2-0 lead, scoring Cameron Kittridge who led off the top second with a single.

Bellevue answered quickly, tying the game in the second inning before taking the lead for good in the third. A two-RBI single by Dylan Holmes highlighted a three-run frame that put the Bruins ahead 5-2. Bellevue broke the game open with four runs in the sixth inning, capitalizing on a Dakota State error and timely hitting to extend the lead to 9-2.

Dakota State added two runs in the seventh, including a sacrifice fly by Haller and a run scored on a wild pitch, but could not close the gap.

Game 1 Stats

• Dakota State: 4 runs, 10 hits, 1 error
• Bellevue: 9 runs, 12 hits, 0 errors

Dakota State Leaders

• Aidan Perry: 2-for-4, RBI
• Camaron Haller: 1-for-2, 2 RBI
• Aiden Barfuss: 2-for-3, RBI
• Connor Raney: 1-for-3, 2 runs, stolen base (moved to a tie for second most single season 25 stolen bases with Brooks Marquardt in 2003)

Bellevue Leaders

• Carter Claerhout: 3-for-4
• Oak Held: 3-for-4, 2 runs
• Dylan Holmes: 1-for-1, 3 RBI
• Mason Spellecy: 2-for-4, 2 RBI

Pitching

• Hayden Leighty (DSU – L, 1-4): 4 innings, 8 hits, 5 earned runs, 3 strikeouts
• Treyten Kolar (DSU): 1 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 strikeout
• Ian Beer (DSU): 1 inning
• Kenji Miller (BU – W, 8-1):  6 1/3 innings, 10 hits, 4 earned runs, 8 strikeouts
• Heath Hachkowski (BU): 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 strikeout

Game 2: (3) Bellevue 8, Dakota State 7 - FINAL 
Dakota State rallied late but came up just short as Bellevue plated five runs in the eighth inning to erase the Trojan lead and complete the doubleheader sweep.

After three scoreless innings, Dakota State broke through in the fourth on a solo home run by Haller. Bellevue responded in the bottom half, scoring two runs—one unearned—to take a 2-1 lead.

The Trojans regained the lead in the sixth inning when Aiden Barfuss delivered a two-RBI single, putting Dakota State ahead 3-2. Bellevue tied the game in the seventh before DSU briefly reclaimed the lead in the eighth on a solo home run by Kittridge.

The game turned in the bottom of the eighth, when Bellevue capitalized on defensive miscues and timely hitting to score five runs—three of them unearned—to jump ahead 8-4.

Dakota State made a final push in the ninth, as Aidan Marsh blasted a three-run home run to cut the deficit to one, but the comeback fell short.

DSU outhit BU 15-9 in the game.

Game 2 Stats

• Dakota State: 7 runs, 15 hits, 4 errors
• Bellevue: 8 runs, 9 hits, 2 errors

Dakota State Leaders

• Cameron Kittridge: 4-for-5, home run, RBI, 3 runs
• Aidan Marsh: 2-for-4, home run, 3 RBIs
• Aiden Barfuss: 3-for-4, 2 RBIs
• Connor Raney: 3-for-5

Bellevue Leaders

• Carter Claerhout: 4-for-5, 2 runs, RBI
• Nick Gravel: 1-for-4, RBI
• Jaylan Ruffin: 1-for-3, 2 runs, RBI

Pitching

• Austin Armstrong (DSU): 6 innings, 2 runs (1 earned run), 2 strikeouts
• Braylon Bear (DSU – L, 0-4): 1 1/3 innings, 3 earned runs, 3 hits
• Jack Sorenseon (DSU): 1/3 inning, 3 runs (1 earned run), 2 hits
• Conner Eich (DSU: 1/3 inning, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 strikeout
• Reid Madariaga (BU): 5 2/3 innings, 9 hits, 3 earned runs, 8 strikeouts
• Alexandre Dionne (BU – W, 2-0): 2 1/3 innings, 1 earned run, 4 hits
• Brody Burnette (BU): 1 inning, 3 hits, 3 earned runs

Up Next

Dakota State and Bellevue will conclude their five-game series with another doubleheader Saturday.  Note the game starting time will start at 1 p.m. instead of the original 12 p.m. start time.