FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State once again scored in the late innings, recording a 4-1 victory Sunday afternoon and a four-game sweep of South Dakota State in Summit League baseball action at Newman Outdoor Field.
The Bison improved to 29-9 overall and 6-2 in league play. SDSU fell to 12-24-1 on the season, including a 2-6 mark in The Summit League.
After winning in their last at-bat in each of the first three games of the series, the Bison scored a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth on Sunday. With the game tied at 1, the Bison strung together three consecutive singles in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead. Tyler Steen started the rally with an opposite-field single to left and moved to third on John Skrbec's single up the middle. Kyle Kleinendorst then plated Steen with a base hit to right against SDSU starter Layne Somsen.
The Bison tacked on two more in the eighth on back-to-back triples by Wes Satzinger and Nick Anderson. Satzinger's three-bagger came off Somsen, while Anderson greeted reliever J.D. Moore with his fourth triple of the season.
NDSU reliever Kyle Kingsley pitched three perfect innings to maintain the lead and record his third victory of the series.
SDSU missed out on a pair of early scoring opportunities, loading the bases in both the third and fourth innings but failing to score. The third-inning threat was snuffed out by a double play and Bison starter Zach Wentz worked around two hits and a walk before getting a fly ball for the third out in the fourth.
Jackrabbits did break into the scoring column in the top of the fifth as Beau Hanowski singled to lead off the frame, moved to second on a base hit by Andrew Phelan and advanced to third on a bunt by Zach Rhodes. Phil Paquette then delivered the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly.
The Bison came right back to tie the game in the home half of the fifth on an RBI single by Skrbec that scored Satzinger, who led off the inning with NDSU's first hit of the game.
Hanowski and Daniel Marra each had two the Jackrabbits' seven hits. Satzinger and Skrbec each tallied two of NDSU's nine hits.
Somsen struck out seven and did not walk a batter in 7 2/3 innings in taking the loss for the Jackrabbits. Zach Wentz pitched the first six innings for NDSU, striking out four and walking four, but did not factor into the decision.
SDSU returns to home action Tuesday against the University of Sioux Falls. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Erv Huether Field. The Jackrabbits will then host Oral Roberts in a four-game Summit League series Friday through Sunday.
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 4, SOUTH
DAKOTA STATE 1
SDSU 000 010 000 1-7-0
NDSU 000 010 21X 4-9-0
SDSU: Layne Somsen, J.D. Moore (8) and Zach Briggs. NDSU: Zach Wentz, Kyle
Kingsley (7) and Tyler Steen.
W-Kingsley (5-2). L-Somsen (0-5). Save-none.
HR: none.
