DICKINSON, N.D. -- Brenton Davis and Alec Ackerman each hit solo home runs to back up a shutout performance from Blake Crippen and McGrane Pledger as the No. 11 Bellevue University baseball team defeated Dickinson State 3-0 on Sunday to secure a three-game North Star Athletic Association sweep from Astoria Field.
Bellevue, winners of three-straight and 11-straight in conference play, improves to 24-8 and 11-0 in the North Star. The Blue Hawks dip to 11-18 overall and 5-6 in conference.
Blake Crippen (6-2) struck out seven batters while scattering four hits and a walk over eight shutout innings of work.
Brenton Davis put the Bruins on the board with a solo home run in the top of the first.
Drew Staley doubled the BU lead with a two-out single in the fourth to plate Zach Diehl.
Still leading by a 2-0 score, Alec Ackerman provided some insurance with a solo blast of his own in the eighth.
McGrane Pledger worked around a pair of two-out base-runners to nail down his third save of the season.
Alec Ackerman finished 3-for-4 and Tradd Richardson went 2-for-4 to account for five of BU's eight hits.
Jonathan Lerma (2-3) took the loss for Dickinson State, allowing two runs on seven hits over four innings of work.
Jacob Clinton finished 2-for-4 as the lone Blue Hawk to register multiple hits on the afternoon.
Up Next:
Bellevue travels to Forest City, Iowa next weekend for a four-game set against Waldorf University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
