Hawks sweep Vikings

With all the talk of Dickinson State starting pitchers Luis Avila and Dan Morari, No. 3 starter Ed Davila might be the Blue Hawks best-kept secret.

Davila continued his solid play, throwing an eight-inning gem en route to a 10-1 victory over Valley City State in a Dakota Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday at Southside Municipal Ballpark.

The win helped set the stage for the second game, which the Blue Hawks won 10-3. With the sweep, DSU earned its second consecutive DAC regular-season championship.

The Blue Hawks will attempt another sweep when the teams play at 1 p.m. today at Southside.

"It feels especially good with how good our conference is," DSU coach Duane Monlux said. "I'm proud of how we battled (this season). These were a couple of our better games."

The Blue Hawks did so with a brilliant pitching performance from Davila in Game 1.

After VCSU leadoff hitter Scott Dussesoy led off the game with a single and stole second, No. 3 hitter Chauncey Calhoun came to bat with one out and singled Dussesoy home. It was the only run of the game for the Vikings, who banged out eight hits in the game but stranded eight runners.

"I wasn't focused out there," Davila said of the first inning. "(Catcher) Paulo (Contreras) got me going."

Said Contreras: "I told him not to lose concentration. He gets ahead of himself."

Contreras' words worked. Davila followed up with seven shutout innings. He gave up seven hits while walking two, hitting one and striking out five.

"He's pitched some big games for us," Monlux said. "He's a guy we count on."

Davila was able to work with ease thanks to a DSU offense that consistently scored runs throughout the contest.

The Blue Hawks got two runs in the first to make up a 1-0 deficit. They added one in the second and two more in the fourth. A three-run sixth inning gave DSU a considerable amount of insurance runs, but the Blue Hawks weren't done. They added two more in the seventh.

Designated hitter Scott Tulloch had key hits in both innings.

Tulloch finished 2-for-5 with three runs batted in. The Blue Hawks pounded out 12 hits, drew 11 walks and were hit by pitches five times, three of which targeted leadoff hitter Ed Warren. Oddly, a Blue Hawks batter reached base after the second out was recorded in all eight innings.

"We have a bunch of seniors," Monlux said about reaching base with two outs. "These guys have done that a lot for us."

VCSU pitcher Steve Franklin lasted 5Xc innings, giving up seven earned runs on nine hits. He walked six, plunked four and struck out two.

DSU's Rory Tycoles went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a double, a walk and a run scored. Contreras, shortstop Adam Hurlbert and outfielder Denny Reyes each had a pair of hits.

VCSU was led by Calhoun, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The second contest was similar to the first as DSU scored runs in groups throughout the game.

The Blue Hawks got on the board with a run in the second, and then scored two in the third, four in the fourth and three in the sixth inning.

They capped the offensive explosion with Tulloch's two-run shot over the left-field fence in the sixth.

DSU starter Cory Neer lasted until the sixth inning, allowing nine hits, but only two runs to improve to 5-0 this season.

VCSU got two runs in the sixth and another one in the seventh, but couldn't overcome a rough outing by starter Wylie Wisnewski, who gave up seven runs on seven hits.

DSU was led at the plate by Danny Reyes and Adam Hurlbert, who each had two hits. VCSU's Cory Arnason was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.