GLENDIVE, Mont. -- The opening game of Dickinson State and Minot State's baseball doubleheader Saturday was a power-packed affair that featured nine combined homers.
However, in the bottom of the eighth inning, DSU used a pair of doubles to put itself in the driver's seat and went ahead on an RBI single.
Nolan Bracken capped the six-run rally with a two-run homer that put DSU up 11-8. Reliever Ian Anderson retired the side in the top of the ninth to seal the win.
In the second game, the Blue Hawks used another late-inning surge to break open a lead and held on for the win.
Five RBI singles broke a tie, gave DSU a 10-5 win for the weekend series sweep and put them in a tie for first place in the Dakota Athletic Conference.
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"We scrapped and clawed and got enough to win it," DSU head coach Duane Monlux said.
The Blue Hawks (15-9, 4-0 DAC) are scheduled to play Northern State in a nonconference doubleheader at 2 p.m. Monday at Southside Municipal Ballpark.
The Minot State series was supposed to be the home opener for DSU, but the ballpark's field was unplayable.
In Game 1, with DSU trailing 8-5, Cole Zamira hit an RBI double and pinch-hitter Tury Escobedo smacked a two-run double to left field to tie the game and set up Hector Sanchez's single to right field, which scored Escobedo.
Bracken also had a two-run homer in the sixth inning. The senior right fielder finished 3-for-4.
"He's been, without a doubt, our most consistent hitter this year," Monlux said of Bracken, who is batting .450 this season.
Mike Nash and Willie Sandez each had solo home runs for the Blue Hawks.
Minot State had five players -- Scott Peters, Kerry Boon, Andrew Lochhead, Michael O'Dwyer and Mitch Olson -- go yard. Boon, Lochhead and O'Dwyer all drove two-run homers.
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There were no home runs in Game 2.
But there were several timely hits.
Sandez, Kevin Park, Cole Zamira, Derrick Gunderson and Chris Young all had RBI singles for DSU in its five-run sixth inning.
Park was 3-for-4 with two RBI while Gunderson was 2-for-2 and scored two runs.
Eight different players drove in runs for DSU in the second game.
Another big pitching performance by Chase Doremus didn't hurt either.
Doremus, who improved to 4-0, gave up 12 hits but struck out four while allowing four earned runs.
"He's probably been our most consistent pitcher," Monlux said.
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MSU 200 021 210 -- 8 11 0
DSU 000 113 06x -- 11 12 1
Anthony Friesen, Bryan Krahler (7), Cody Nevins (8) and Scott Peters. Roberto Gonzalez, Ian Anderson (8) and Chris Young. W-Anderson (1-0). L-Nevins. HR-MSU, Peters, Kerry Boon, Andrew Lochhead, Michael O'Dwyer, Mitch Olson. DSU, Nolan Bracken 2, Mike Nash, Willie Sandez.
Highlights: MSU, Michael Mesh 2-for-4, 2 runs; Kerry Boon 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI; Michael O'Dwyer 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI; Scott Peters 1-for-3, HR; Mitch Olson 1-for-4, HR; Denver Wik 1-for-2, 2B, run; Andrew Lochhead 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI. DSU, Hector Sanchez 1-for-5, RBI; Liam Foran 1-for-3, 2B, 2 runs; Nolan Bracken 3-for-4, 4 RBI, Kevin Park 1-for-4, RBI; Mike Nash 1-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 runs; Willie Sandez 1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 runs; Tury Escobedo 1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI; Cole Zamira 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, run.
MSU 001 301 0 -- 5 13 3
DSU 200 215 x -- 10 12 1
Cole Stober, Jamin Heller (5), Cody Nevins (6) and Scott Peters. Chase Doremus, Andrew Grafton (7) and Chris Young. W-Doremus (4-0). L-Stober.
Highlights: MSU, Jordan Gilmour 3-for-4, RBI, 2 runs; Kerry Boon 1-for-2, RBI, run; Michael O'Dwyer 2-for-4, RBI; Scott Peters 1-for-3, RBI; Eli Mihalick 3-for-4, 2B, run. DSU, Kevin Park 3-for-4, 2 RBI, run; Hector Sanchez 1-for-5, 2B, RBI, run; Liam Foran 1-for-3, 2 runs; Nolan Bracken 1-for-2, RBI; Willie Sandez 1-for-2, RBI; Cole Zamira 1-for-4, RBI, run; Derrick Gunderson 2-for-2, RBI, 2 runs; Mike Nash 1-for-3, 2B, run; Doremus 6 IP, 4 K, 1 BB, 4 ER, 12 H.
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Records: DSU 15-9, 4-0 DAC; MSU 12-15, 0-4 DAC.
