Blue Hawks split with Jamestown in baseball, aren't selected to AII Tournament

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JAMESTOWN — Dickinson State starting pitcher Tanner Newman had his ebbs and flows Sunday in the first game of a doubleheader against Jamestown College.

But, for the most part, he kept the Jimmies under control as the Blue Hawks’ bats did their part and played a big role in possibly extending the Blue Hawks’ season into the Association of Independent Institutions postseason baseball tournament.

Newman earned the victory after scoring from first base on Derek Carley’s double to left-center field in the top of the eighth inning to put the Blue Hawks a run ahead in the extra inning. Closer Andrew Grafton sent Jamestown packing in order to give the Blue Hawks a 6-5 extra-inning victory between the Dakota Athletic Conference rivals.

Jamestown won the second game 11-3.

The four-game series split was apparently not enough for the Blue Hawks (20-23, 5-7 DAC) to sway the AII tournament ratings committee to award them the sixth and final spot in the tournament, which begins May 2 in San Marcos, Calif. The committee awarded the spot to Dakota State on Monday.

Max Boe got Jamestown (JC 28-14-1, 8-2 DAC) on the board with a two-run homer in the second inning, cutting DSU’s lead to 3-2, and Perry Wilkinson’s double to deep right center scored two in a three-run inning to put the Jimmies on top 5-3.

DSU scored three runs on a pair of singles in the first inning and Travis Setere hit a game-tying, two-run homer in the fifth.

The second game was all Jamestown.

Derek Wallace drove in four runs off a two-run single in the Jimmies’ five-run first inning and a two-run homer in the third that helped them build a 9-1 lead.

DSU’s biggest moment of the game came on Brock Murphy’s two-run double in the fourth.

Connor Hartz started for the Blue Hawks but gave up four runs on four hits and a walk after striking out leadoff batter Spencer Flaten. He was pulled for reliever Bobby King, who also had his struggles.

Wesley Hardy pitched six innings and got the win for Jamestown.

The Blue Hawks host Minot State in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Wednesday. It will be their only home games of the season.

DSU, Jamestown, Mayville State and Valley City State will take part in the final DAC Tournament beginning Friday in Mayville.

It will be the final weekend of the season for DSU and Valley City State. Jamestown and Mayville State are the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds, respectively, in the AII Tournament.

DSU 300 020 01 — 6 8 0

JC 020 300 00 — 5 9 0

Tanner Newman, Andrew Grafton (8) and Zach Griffith. Anthony Fagan, Nick Smart (6) and Joe Perez. W–Newman. L–Smart. S–Grafton. HR–DSU, Travis Setere; JC, Max Boe.

Highlights: DSU, Jacob Muir 1-for-4, run; Newman 7 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 4 K, 2 BB, 1-for-2, run; Derek Carley 2-for-4, 2B, run; Setere 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 runs; Jon Mendoza 1-for-4, RBI, run; Jake Coyle 1-for-4, RBI. JC, Boe 2-for-3, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 runs; Perry Wilkinson 1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI; Derek Wallace 1-for-3, RBI.

DSU 100 200 0 — 3 5 2

JC 513 110 x — 11 12 2

Connor Hartz, Bobby King (2), Chas Allen (4) and Zach Griffith. Wesley Hardy, Chris Combo (7) and Joe Perez. W–Hardy. L–Hartz. HR–JC, Derek Wallace.

Highlights: DSU, Jacob Muir 1-for-4, run; Erik Bastio 2-for-2, 2B, run; Brock Murphy 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Derek Carley 1-for-3. JC, Hardy 6 IP, 5 K, 3 BB, 5 H, 3 ER; Spencer Flaten 1-for-3, 2B, run; Kyle Mallory 3-for-4, RBI, 2 runs; Ruby Strnad 1-for-3, RBI, run; Nico Moreno 2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, run; Max Boe 2-for-3, RBI, 2 runs; Derek Wallace 2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, run; Joe Perez 1-for-3.

Records: JC 28-14-1, 8-2 DAC; DSU 20-22, 5-7 DAC.

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