Jackrabbits rally to sweep Omaha

Sunday, May 6

Brookings, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

15-24, 13-8

Omaha

14-28, 9-12

Omaha

South Dakota State

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

5/6/2018 4:43:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Jason Hove

South Dakota State rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to post an 8-6 victory and series sweep over Omaha in Summit League baseball action Sunday afternoon at Erv Huether Field.

The Jackrabbits, who finished off a 14-4, seven-inning victory earlier in the day to complete a suspended game, improved to 15-24 overall and 13-8 in league play. SDSU has won 12 of its last 15 Summit contests. Omaha dropped to 14-28 overall and 9-12 in league play.

Trailing 6-4, the SDSU eighth-inning rally began with one out. Josh Falk began a string of seven consecutive Jackrabbit batters reaching base safely with a solid single up the middle. Gus Steiger followed with a walk and SDSU loaded the bases on a base hit by Philip Jacobson. Landon Badger then dumped a single to center field to score Falk and make it a one-run game.

After a pitching change, the Jackrabbits tied the game at 6-all when pinch-hitter Skyler Wenninger was hit by a pitch. Anthony Schneider then stepped to the plate and drove the first pitch he saw into right field to score both Jacobson and Badger.

Alex Marro, who recorded the final out of the eighth inning, pitched a scoreless ninth inning to seal his second win of the series.

SDSU's eighth-inning comeback marked the second time in the game the Jackrabbits overcame a deficit. Omaha led 3-0 after scoring once in the fifth inning and twice in the sixth.

The Jackrabbits knotted the game at 3-all with a three-run home half of the sixth. Falk doubled in the first two runs and later scored the tying run on a groundout off the bat of Phil Velez.

SDSU gained the lead an inning later as Ian Cote drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Cote advanced to third base on a wild pitch during an intended intentional walk, Tony Kjolsing lifted a fly ball to left field for a sacrifice fly.

However, Omaha countered with a three-run top of the eighth to regain the lead. Pinch-runner Hunter Hughes scored the tying run when he kicked the ball away from Cote on a slide into home plate. Thomas DeBonville and Keil Krumwiede added run-scoring singles later in the frame.

The series finale started as a pitchers' duel between left-handers Bryce Johnson of SDSU and Omaha's Andrew Brighton. Johnson, who was making his first start of the season, struck out three and did not walk a batter in allowing two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Brighton also worked 5 1/3 innings, leaving the game with three runs allowed on six hits with two walks and one strikeout.

Omaha finished with a 12-11 advantage in hits, including three each by DeBonville and Grant Suponchick. Kjolsing was 3-for-3, while Falk ended the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The Jackrabbits wasted little to end the suspended game via the 10-run rule. Leading 13-4 when play resumed at noon Sunday, Gus Steiger hit a one-out double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored the game-ending run on a passed ball.

Steiger and Falk each went 3-for-4 in the contest for a Jackrabbit squad that out-hit Omaha, 13-5.

Play was suspended late Saturday afternoon after thunderstorms rolled through the area.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits are scheduled to play their final nonconference game of the regular season, traveling Wednesday to Wichita State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kansas.

NOTES
• SDSU won the season series, 4-2
• Omaha leads the all-time series, 82-78-1
• Kjolsing extended his hitting streak to seven games and is batting .571 (16-for-28) over that span with six multi-hit performances
• Nick Smith has reached base safely in 24 consecutive games
• Marro has pitched 10 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings with two wins and three saves over his last seven appearances
• Falk leads the team with 14 multi-hit games
• Falk and Newt Johnson share the team lead with six home runs after each hitting one prior to play being suspended on Saturday

-GoJacks.com-