SDSU wins slugfest in Illinois

Friday, April 24

Macomb, Ill.

3 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Western Illinois

4/24/2009 11:45:00 PM | Baseball

By: SDSU Sports Info

MACOMB, Ill. ? Joel Blake hit three home runs and Jesse Sawyer homered twice as the South Dakota State University baseball team won a 19-11 slugfest Friday over Western Illinois in the opening game of a four-game Summit League series.

With their fourth consecutive win, the Jackrabbits improved to 11-25 overall, 4-8 in Summit League play. Western Illinois dropped to 8-23 overall, 4-8 in league play.

SDSU dug itself an early 5-0 hole as the Leathernecks scored three times in the bottom of the first inning and added two more in the second. Tyler Metcalf hit a two-run home run off Jackrabbit starter Sam Pieczynski in the first inning and John Koszulinski plated the second-inning runs with a base hit to left field.

The Jackrabbits broke into the scoring column with four runs in the third inning. Tony Martin, who made his first career start in left field, drove in John Lee with a double to left field and Stephen Turner followed with a three-run home run ? his third round-tripper of the season.

Blake hit his first home run of the day in the fourth inning to bring the Jackrabbits back to within a run at 6-5. Aftern Western Illinois built the lead back to 8-5 on a two-run double by Kenny Price in the fourth inning, Sawyer hit a solo shot to extend his home run streak to five consecutive games ? one shy of the school record set last season by Tyson Fisher.

Trailing 9-6 entering the sixth, SDSU scored 10 consecutive runs. Blake tied the game at 9-all with a three-run home run and Martin gave the Jackrabbits their first lead with a run-scoring single that plated Lee.

In the seventh, the Jackrabbits tacked on six more runs in the seventh inning, sending 12 batters to the plate. Jesse Ayala delivered a two-run single and Sawyer added a three-run homer to center field. Lee contributed a run-scoring single in the frame before scoring on Sawyer's team-best 11th home run of the season.

After Drew Laidig pulled Western Illinois back within 16-11 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, the Jackrabbits put the game away with a three-run eighth. Blake's third home run of the day was a two-run shot to left center, and Stephen Turner capped the scoring with a run-scoring single.

SDSU held a 21-17 advantage in hits. Blake was 4-for-7 with six runs batted in, while Tony Martin was 4-for-5 and Sawyer ended the game 4-for-6 with four runs scored and four RBI.

Cooper Stewart led WIU at the plate by going 5-for-6 with four funs scored. Laidig was 4-for-6 with three runs scored and three driven in.

Mike Robinson earned the victory in relief for the Jackrabbits. The junior left-hander struck out two and walked two in three innings of work. Caleb Thielbar solidified the SDSU bullpen's effort by striking out six in three innings, allowing two runs.

Reliever Chris Fuchs took the loss for Western Illinois after surrendering the go-ahead run in the sixth inning.

The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday, starting at noon at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 19, WESTERN ILLINOIS 11
SDSU 004 114 630 19-21-3
WIU 321 210 200 11-17-2
SDSU: Sam Pieczynski, Mike Robinson (3), Caleb Thielbar (6), Trever Vermeulen (9) and Zach Briggs, Tony Martin (7). WIU: Eric Eden, Chris Fuchs (6), Austin Brough (7), David Hill (7), Ryan Cheek (8), Jordan Faller (9) and Cooper Stewart, John Koszulinski (7).
W-Robinson (2-3). L-Fuchs (0-5).
HR: SDSU-Joel Blake 3 (6), Jesse Sawyer 2 (11), Stephen Turner (3); WIU-Drew Laidig (2), Tyler Metcalf (9).