Holland smashes four dingers as DSU sweeps Beavers

For Cody Holland, playing at Southside Municipal Ballpark may have felt like a road game.

That's because the Dickinson State senior will finish his college baseball career playing just one doubleheader in Dickinson.

A transfer from Ventura College (Calif.), Holland came to DSU with just one year of baseball eligibility and due to inclement weather, the Blue Hawks have had to play their home games in Glendive, Mont.

So, when Holland finally received an opportunity to showcase his talents in front of the hometown crowd, he made the most of it.

In eight at-bats against Minot State on Sunday, Holland went 5-for-8 and crushed four home runs as DSU pounded out 12-2 and 10-6 wins to sweep a nonconference doubleheader between two Dakota Athletic Conference teams.

"This (was) my only two games playing on this field," Holland said. "It was good to actually play at home for once."

Holland likely won't get another chance to play at Southside as the Blue Hawks aren't scheduled to play in Dickinson the rest of the season.

"He's only got one year of baseball. ... It's pretty crazy when you think about it," DSU coach Duane Monlux said. "... It's frustrating because we had more games scheduled here than ever before. We had 16 home games scheduled. When it comes down to it, we get two games (at home) all year. It's just one of those things."

Holland went to the plate four times in the second game and the first three resulted in homers. He finished the day with six runs batted in and also had a double in the first game.

"I guess I was feeling pretty good today," Holland said. "I was just trying to put the bat on the ball."

Not bad for someone who entered the day with two home runs on the season. Of course, a hard wind blowing out certainly helped the Blue Hawks' cause as DSU drilled seven dingers in the doubleheader. Efrain Ruiz smashed two in the first game and cleanup hitter Tony Isbell added a grand slam in the first inning of the second game.

"One of the home runs ... (Cody) laughs and jokes about it," Monlux said. "He didn't hit it real well ... it got up in the wind."

Nonetheless, Holland's heroics were part of a collective effort that saw DSU score 22 runs on 28 hits.

"We're definitely pleased with the two wins," Monlux said.

In the first game, DSU used a six-run third inning to blow open the game, eventually winning by the 10-run rule in the seventh in what was supposed to be a nine-inning game. Ruiz finished 3-for-4 and pitcher Jamil Acosta improved his record to 6-1, allowing two runs on six hits in five innings of work. He walked three and struck out two.

MSU starter Paul Thompson went 2 2/3 innings, giving up eight runs on 10 hits in the loss. The Beavers were led by Minot native Eli Mihalick, who had a pair of doubles.

Julian Ramirez picked up the win in the second game, going five innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. Isbell and Holland finished 3-for-4.

Trailing 9-0, MSU bounced back and drew within 10-5, but right after the final run crossed the plate in the top of the seventh, Holland, who had caught a fly ball for the second out, fired the ball to second base and doubled off an MSU base runner to end the game.

MSU starter Brody Pinkerton took the loss after giving up nine runs in 4 1/3 innings. Cleanup hitter Kerry Boon went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI for the Beavers, who fell to 5-14 overall. Dickinson State improved to 21-10.

MSU coach Brock Weppler said his team's young pitching staff struggled, especially with the wind blowing out. Eleven of MSU's 14 pitchers are freshmen and sophomores.

"They've showed glimpses where they'll come out and be real good," Weppler said. "The next game they'll come out and not throw well at all.

"We've just got to get more consistent with that if we want to be a good team in the next couple of weeks."

Dickinson State 12, Minot State 2 (7 innings)

MSU 001 100 0 - 2 9 3

DSU 026 101 2 - 12 15 2

Paul Thompson, Clay Kallias (3) and James Tolboe. Jamil Acosta, Ryan Saunders (6) and Chris Young. W - Acosta (6-1). L - Thompson. HR - DSU, Efrain Ruiz 2, Cody Holland.

Highlights: MSU, Eli Mihalick 2-for-4, 2 2B, run scored, Mike Ronnie 2-for-3, 2B. DSU, Ruiz 3-for-4, 2 runs scored, 4 RBI; Cody Holland 2-for-4, RBI, 2 runs scored, 2B; Nolan Bracken 2-for-3; Derrick Gunderson 2-for-3, 2 RBI; Chance Holland 2-for-5, Chris Young 2-for-3.

Dickinson State 10, Minot State 6

MSU 000 003 3 - 6 9 0

DSU 501 031 x - 10 13 0

Brody Pinkerton, Jordan Huettl (5) and Chris Corpe. Julian Ramirez, Ryan Crossingham (6), Andrew Grafton (7) and Young. W - Ramirez. L - Pinkerton. HR - DSU, Cody Holland 3, Tony Isbell.

Highlights: MSU, Kerry Boon 2-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 runs scored; DSU, Holland 3-for-4, 3 runs scored, 5 RBI; Tony Isbell 3-for-4, 2B, 2 runs scored, 5 RBI; Dan Fernandez 2-for-4, Chance Holland 2-for-4.

1/2: Dickinson State hitter Efrain Ruiz connects with a pitch against Minot State in their nonconference doubleheader Sunday at Southside Municipal Ballpark.

2/2: Dickinson State pitcher Jamil Acosta hurls a pitch at the plate in Game 1 of a nonconference doubleheader against Minot State Sunday at Southside Municipal Ballpark. Acosta picked up the win to improve to 6-1 on the season.