Upcoming Event: Baseball at UTSA on February 13, 2026 at 4 p.m.
/
4 p.m.
Baseball
at UTSA
South Dakota State University Athletics
Sunday, April 19
Huether Field
1 p.m.
South Dakota State University
1
vs
3
North Dakota State
Bison edge Jacks to split series
4/19/2009 5:00:00 PM | Baseball
North Dakota State right-hander Zach Wentz hurled the team's second consecutive complete game, lifting the visiting Bison baseball team to a 3-1 victory over South Dakota State in the finale of a four-game Summit League series Sunday afternoon at Erv Huether Field.
In earning a split of the series, NDSU improved to 11-18 overall and 5-6 in league play. The Jackrabbits dropped to 7-24 overall, 3-8 in The Summit League.
For the second consecutive game, the two teams were locked in a pitchers' duel. SDSU starter Caleb Thielbar notched a career-high 12 batters in his eight innings of work, while Wentz took a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
NDSU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Kyle Harrison led off with an infield single, stole second base and scored on Kenny Beese's two-out double down the right field line.
The Bison upped the lead to 2-0 in the sixth as they executed a double-steal attempt to perfection with Justin Kline scoring on the back end.
SDSU got a run back in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Billy Stitz and Joel Blake hit back-to-back singles to break up Wentz's no-hit bid, and moved up one base each on a wild pitch an out later. Jesse Sawyer then reached on a throwing error that allowed Stitz to score, but Blake was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Jackrabbits appeared on the verge of tying the game or taking the lead in the seventh inning. Tony Martin and Stephen Turner opened the inning with consecutive singles and advanced to third and second, respectively, following a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Daniel Marra. After Eric Cain was intentionally walked to load the bases, Wentz got pinch-hitter Beau Hanowski to bounce into an inning-ending double play.
NDSU carried the momentum into the eighth inning, adding an insurance run on a looping double down the left-field line by Kline that scored Beese.
Kline and Beese each had two of NDSU's six hits.
In the middle innings, Thielbar recorded strikeouts on eight of the 10 outs he recorded, including fanning the side in the fourth inning. The senior left-hander also set the Jackrabbit career record for games started by a pitcher with 40, surpassing the 39 set by Billy McMacken from 1987-90.
Wentz, meanwhile, struck out four, scattered five hits and walked two in improving to 2-1 on the season.
SDSU closes out its six-game homestand by hosting the University of North Dakota in a doubleheader Monday afternoon at Erv Huether Field. The two teams are scheduled to play a pair of seven-inning games, starting at 2 p.m.
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 3, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 1
NDSU 010 001 010 3-6-1
SDSU 000 001 000 1-5-1
NDSU: Zach Wentz and Justin Kline. SDSU: Caleb Thielbar, Trever Vermeulen (9) and Tony Martin.
W-Wentz (2-1). L-Thielbar (2-7).
HR: none.
In earning a split of the series, NDSU improved to 11-18 overall and 5-6 in league play. The Jackrabbits dropped to 7-24 overall, 3-8 in The Summit League.
For the second consecutive game, the two teams were locked in a pitchers' duel. SDSU starter Caleb Thielbar notched a career-high 12 batters in his eight innings of work, while Wentz took a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
NDSU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Kyle Harrison led off with an infield single, stole second base and scored on Kenny Beese's two-out double down the right field line.
The Bison upped the lead to 2-0 in the sixth as they executed a double-steal attempt to perfection with Justin Kline scoring on the back end.
SDSU got a run back in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Billy Stitz and Joel Blake hit back-to-back singles to break up Wentz's no-hit bid, and moved up one base each on a wild pitch an out later. Jesse Sawyer then reached on a throwing error that allowed Stitz to score, but Blake was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Jackrabbits appeared on the verge of tying the game or taking the lead in the seventh inning. Tony Martin and Stephen Turner opened the inning with consecutive singles and advanced to third and second, respectively, following a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Daniel Marra. After Eric Cain was intentionally walked to load the bases, Wentz got pinch-hitter Beau Hanowski to bounce into an inning-ending double play.
NDSU carried the momentum into the eighth inning, adding an insurance run on a looping double down the left-field line by Kline that scored Beese.
Kline and Beese each had two of NDSU's six hits.
In the middle innings, Thielbar recorded strikeouts on eight of the 10 outs he recorded, including fanning the side in the fourth inning. The senior left-hander also set the Jackrabbit career record for games started by a pitcher with 40, surpassing the 39 set by Billy McMacken from 1987-90.
Wentz, meanwhile, struck out four, scattered five hits and walked two in improving to 2-1 on the season.
SDSU closes out its six-game homestand by hosting the University of North Dakota in a doubleheader Monday afternoon at Erv Huether Field. The two teams are scheduled to play a pair of seven-inning games, starting at 2 p.m.
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 3, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 1
NDSU 010 001 010 3-6-1
SDSU 000 001 000 1-5-1
NDSU: Zach Wentz and Justin Kline. SDSU: Caleb Thielbar, Trever Vermeulen (9) and Tony Martin.
W-Wentz (2-1). L-Thielbar (2-7).
HR: none.
Players Mentioned
UTIL
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
PK
/ Football
IF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
RHP
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