April 18, 2026
BELLEVUE, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) dropped both ends of the Frontier Conference baseball doubleheader to No. 3-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) Saturday afternoon at Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex, falling 7-1 in the opener and 6-2 in the nightcap. The Bruins completed their season series sweep of the Trojans.
Dakota State fell to 16-26-1 overall record and 8-12-1 record in the league. Bellevue, who secured the Frontier Conference regular season title, extended their winning streak to 28 games and raised their overall record to 40-3 and 20-0 conference record.
Game 1: (3) Bellevue 7, Dakota State 1 – FINAL
Bellevue scored four runs in the bottom first inning and never looked back in a 7-1 victory in the first game.
Dakota State struck first in the top of the opening inning when
George Hogan delivered an RBI double to left-center, scoring
Aidan Perry who reached on base with a walk, for a 1-0 lead.
The Bruins responded immediately. A lead-off solo home run by Nick Gravel tied the game before Bellevue added three more runs in the inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Anthony Lind and an RBI single by Mason Spellecy to take a 4-1 lead.
Bellevue continued to build its advantage with:
- An RBI single by Jaylan Ruffin in the 3rd
- A solo home run by Carter Claerhout in the 4th
- One more run in the 5th
Dakota State was scoreless the rest of the way despite eight hits.
Game 1 Leaders
Dakota State
Bellevue
- Carter Claerhout: 3-for-4, home run, RBI
- Anthony Lind: 2-for-2, 2 RBIs
- Jaylan Ruffin: 2-for-3, RBI
- Nick Gravel: home run, RBI
Pitching
- Ryland Carroll (DSU – L, 3-6): 5 innings, 11 hits, 7 earned runs, 3 strikeouts
- Brayden Andersen (BU – W, 8-0): 6 innings, 6 hits, 1 earned run, 9 strikeouts
Bellevue out-hit Dakota State 13-8. Both teams did not commit a defensive error.
Game 2: Bellevue 6, Dakota State 2 – FINAL
Bellevue completed the sweep behind a late offensive surge, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to break open a tight game.
The Bruins took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a solo home run by Oak Held. They added another run in the fifth on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Gravel.
Dakota State cut the deficit to 2-1 in the sixth inning when
Cameron DeMaria drove in Perry with a groundout.
The game turned in the bottom of the seventh as Bellevue exploded:
- Oak Held blasted a three-run home run
- Carter Claerhout followed with a solo homer
Dakota State added a final run in the ninth on DeMaria's solo home run but could get no closer.
Game 2 Leaders
Dakota State
Bellevue
- Oak Held: 2-for-4, 2 home runs, 4 RBIs
- Carter Claerhout: home run, RBI
- Mason Spellecy: 2-for-3, double
Pitching
- Kellan Johns (DSU – L, 3-1): 7 innings, 9 hits, 6 earned runs, 4 strikeouts
- Brody Thompson (DSU): 1 inning, 0 hits, 0 runs, 3 strikeouts
- Kody Butt (BU – W, 5-1): 6.0 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 8 strikeouts
- Cannon Close (BU – S, 2): 3 innings, 1 earned run, save
Bellevue again held the edge in hits (9-8), while Dakota State committed no errors. The Bruins committed two defensive errors.
Up Next
Dakota State steps aside their Frontier Conference play Tuesday late afternoon, traveling to Orange City, Iowa, for a nine-inning game versus Northwestern (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Baseball Diamond.
