VERO BEACH, FLA. — The Riverland Community College baseball team wrapped up its trip to Florida with a pair of wins over Division II schools Friday.

The Blue Devils (8-3 overall) beat Bethany College of West Virginia 3-1 and topped Dakota County 6-4.

Connor Hurst, a sophomore from Madison, Wis., improved to 9-1 on his Riverland career as he scattered nine hits in the win over Dakota County.

“He pitched really well and he faced two really good teams this week,” RCC head coach Scott Koenigs said. “He didn’t walk anybody in two games and he’s picking up where he left off. He’s a bulldog and he goes after hitters.”

The Blue Devils scored six runs in the fifth inning against Dakota County and Tyler Krekling and Jason Kezman each knocked in runs on suicide squeezes.

“It was fun to watch that fifth inning,” Koenigs said. “Everybody hit the ball on the screws until they got a double play or we’d still be hitting. We swung the bats really well against a great pitcher.”

In the win over Bethany, Adam Sellner, a freshman from Sleepy Eye, Minn. allowed just one run in seven innings as he struck out seven.

Aaron Palmer, a sophomore from Brampton, Canada, had a clutch two-out, two RBI single in the third to put RCC up 3-1.

Koenigs was pleased with how his pitchers performed on the road trip and he’s hoping it’s a sign of things to come.

RCC is scheduled to play at Carleton JV March 29 and its home opener is April 2 against NIACC, but those games will likely be put on hold as there is still plenty of snow on the ground.

“We’ll have to shovel out our field when we get back and hopefully we can get started soon,” Koenigs said.

RCC 3, Bethany 1

RCC pitching: Adam Sellner (W), 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 2 BB

RCC hitting: Tyler Krekling, 0-for-2, HBP; Michael Knutson, 0-for-2, R, HBP; Kenny Perez, 0-for-1, 2 R, 2 HBP, Aaron Palmer, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, Jonathan Jones, 1-for-2, RBI; DJ Taylor, 1-for-2 double; Chris May, 1-for-3, SB

RCC 6, Dakota County 4

RCC pitching: Connor Hurst (W, 2-0), 7 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 K

RCC hitting: Krekling, 0-for-2, BB, RBI; Kyle VanWettering, 3-for-4, R, RBI; Knutson, 1-for-3, BB, RBI; Perez, 1-for-4; Palmer, 1-for-2, R, HBP, BB; Matt Buschbaum, 2-for-4, R; Sellner, 1-for-2, R, 2 BBs; Kezman, 1-for-3, R, RBI; May, 2-for-3, RBI, R