Bruins erupt for 25-10 victory, share of conference title at DSU
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 25 | 19 | 2 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 5 |
MADISON, S.D. -- Xavier Lerma set the tone with his first-inning grand slam and Carter Claerhout homered twice as each player tallied seven RBI to lead the No. 3-ranked Bellevue University baseball team to a 25-10 Frontier Conference victory over Dakota State University on Tuesday afternoon.
Bellevue extended their win streak to 24 games, improving to 36-3 on the year and remaining unbeaten in conference play, upping their mark to 16-0. Dakota State fell to 16-22-1 on the year and 8-8-1 in league action.
The victory assures the Bruins of at least a share of the first-even Frontier Conference regular season championship. Their magic number to clinch the outright title is just one with eight games remaining. It marks the seventh-straight season in which BU has won at least a share of a conference regular season title, the 11th overall under head coach Duane Monlux, and the 23rd regular season championship in program history.
Bellevue 25, Dakota State 10
The Bruins' offensive onslaught began immediately in the top of the first inning when Nick Gravel led off with a single and Oak Held followed with a double. After Dylan Holmes was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Lerma cleared them with a blast to right-center field.
Bellevue continued to apply pressure in the second, as Jaylan Ruffin reached on a single and Claerhout launched his first home run of the day, a two-run shot to left field that extended the lead to 6-0.
Bellevue blew the game open in the third inning with a six-run frame highlighted by consistent situational hitting. Anthony Lind, Ruffin, Gravel, and Held each drove in runs with singles before Claerhout capped the rally with a two-run double to left-center.
The Bruins added another run in the fifth on Claerhout's second home run of the game, a solo shot down the right-field line, giving Bellevue a commanding 13-0 advantage.
Dakota State managed to chip away at the lead in the later innings, scoring four runs in the sixth and five in the seventh. Cameron DeMaria provided the big blow for the Trojans in the sixth with a three-run home run. Despite the Dakota State rally, the Bruins responded with a four-run seventh inning aided by Trojan errors and an RBI single from Lerma.
Any hopes of a Dakota State comeback were completely extinguished in the eighth inning when Bellevue erupted for eight more runs. The inning featured RBI hits from Derrick Kuhlmann, Claerhout, and Lerma, along with several walks and a wild pitch that allowed the Bruins to cross the 20-run threshold. In total, Bellevue racked up 19 hits on the afternoon, with Claerhout finishing 4-for-5 and Lerma going 4-for-6.
On the mound, Cannon Close (3-0) earned his third win of the season, pitching 5.1 innings and striking out four while allowing four runs. Brady Baltus and Alexandre Dionne provided relief to close out the high-scoring affair.
Conner Eich (0-1) took the loss for the Trojans after being tagged for four runs in his lone inning of work.
Top Performers
Bellevue University
Carter Claerhout: 4-5, 2 doubles, 2 HR (17), 7 RBI, 4 runs
Xavier Lerma: 4-6, double, HR (12), 7 RBI, 2 runs
Nick Gravel: 3-7, RBI, 3 runs
Anthony Lind: 3-6, 2 RBI, run
Jaylan Ruffin: 2-4, RBI, 4 runs
Cannon Close: Win (3-0),
Dakota State University
Aidan Perry: 3-5, double, 2 RBI, 2 runs
Cameron Haller: 2-5, RBI
Cameron DeMaria: 2-4, HR (9), 3 RBI, 2 runs
Up Next:
Bellevue and Dakota State continue play this weekend with a four-game series from the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex. Friday's double header is slated for a 1 p.m. start while first pitch for Saturday's twin bill is scheduled for noon. Senior Day ceremonies recognizing the Bruins' senior class will take place at the conclusion of Saturday's double header.