Upcoming Event: Baseball at UTSA on February 13, 2026 at 4 p.m.
/
4 p.m.
Baseball
at UTSA
South Dakota State University Athletics
Friday, May 15
Huether Field
12:00 PM
South Dakota State University
7
vs
4
Southern Utah [DH]
Jackrabbits sweep SUU in Friday action
5/15/2009 7:45:00 PM | Baseball
South Dakota State built big early leads in both games of a doubleheader, sweeping Southern Utah by scores of 7-4 and 12-5 Friday afternoon at Erv Huether Field.
With the sweep, the Jackrabbits improved to 23-28 overall and 16-10 in The Summit League. SDSU has won 13 of its last 15 league games.
SUU dropped to 26-21 overall, 15-6 in league play.
In the opener, the Thunderbirds scored first on a run-scoring infield single by Colby Ford in the top of the second inning. SDSU came right back in the home half of the inning, taking the lead for good on a two-run single by Zach Briggs.
The Jackrabbits broke the game open with a five-run third inning. Jesse Ayala and Joel Blake opened the frame by being hit by pitches. After both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by John Lee, Jesse Sawyer cleared the bases with a double to center field. Tony Martin followed with a double to plate Sawyer and later scored on an RBI groundout by Eric Cain. Briggs delivered the final run of the inning, driving a single to left field to score Stephen Turner.
SDSU starter Isaac Johnson kept the Thunderbirds off the board until surrendering a run in the fifth. Nick Freitas led off the inning with a base hit and scored on Bucky Aona's double to the wall in center field.
The Thunderbirds scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings against SDSU reliever Sam Pieczynski, but Trever Vermeulen came on to record the final four outs and notch his second save of the season.
The Jackrabbits won despite tallying only five hits in the game, but took advantage of seven walks and four hit batters.
Johnson scattered eight hits and worked around three walks in his five innings of work, improving to 4-2 on the season. The senior right-hander struck out one.
Thunderbird starter Kyle Melling pitched four innings and took the loss. Reliever James Crockett did not allow a hit in his four innings on the mound, striking out six and walking four.
In Game 2, Blake went 4-for-4, drove in four runs and hit his 12th home run of the season to pace the Jackrabbit victory.
Blake doubled to lead off the game and scored the first run of the game on a throwing error.
SUU tied the game on a balk in the top of the second inning, but again the Jackrabbits responded with a four-run second inning. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases, and Briggs scored the first run on a wild pitch. Billy Stitz then dumped a single to left field to drive in one run and Eric Cain also scored on the play when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. Blake capped the scoring with a base hit through the left side to plate Stitz.
In the fourth, singles by Ayala, Blake and Lee set the table for Martin, who lined a two-run single to left.
SDSU built its advantage to 11-2 with a four-run fifth inning. Briggs scored the first run of the frame on a throwing error ? SUU's fifth error of the game ? and Blake followed with a three-run home run over the center field fence.
Southern Utah knocked Jackrabbit starter Layne Somsen from the game in the sixth inning, scoring three times on run-scoring singles by Keli'I Zablan and Ray Wright and a sacrifice fly by Tyler Hogge.
The Jackrabbits closed the scoring as Martin opened the sixth inning with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch. Martin's triple was his team-leading fifth of the season and his 200th career hit.
SDSU held a 12-8 advantage in hits. Lee, who had his 12-game hitting streak snapped in the opener, was 3-for-4.
Somsen won his third consecutive decision, striking out five and walking three in five-plus innings.
The two teams close out the regular season Saturday with an 11 a.m. contest at Erv Huether Field.
NOTES: SUU leads the all-time series 4-3 ... the Jackrabbits improved to 12-6 at home this season ... Martin became the 12th player in program history to tally 200 career hits ... Blake moved into second place on the SDSU single-season charts with 19 doubles ? one shy of the school record set in 2008 by Craig Parry ... Briggs walked five times in the doubleheader ... Johnson ran his career record to 10-5
GAME 1: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 7, SOUTHERN UTAH 5
SUU 010 010 110 4-13-0
SDSU 025 000 00X 7-5-0
SUU: Kyle Melling, James Crockett (5) and Justin Neuhart. SDSU: Isaac Johnson, Sam Pieczynski (6), Trever Vermeulen (8) and Tony Martin.
W-Johnson (4-2). L-Melling (7-3). Save-Vermeulen (2).
HR: none
GAME 2: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 12, SOUTHERN UTAH 5
SUU 010 103 0 5-8-5
SDSU 140 241 X 12-12-1
SUU: Alec Reichle, Braden Yardley (4), Kyle Hamman (6) and Garrett Messerly. SDSU: Layne Somsen, Matt Spinar (6), Austin Busse (7) and Tony Martin.
W-Somsen (3-7). L-Reichle (2-6).
HR: SDSU-Joel Blake (12).
With the sweep, the Jackrabbits improved to 23-28 overall and 16-10 in The Summit League. SDSU has won 13 of its last 15 league games.
SUU dropped to 26-21 overall, 15-6 in league play.
In the opener, the Thunderbirds scored first on a run-scoring infield single by Colby Ford in the top of the second inning. SDSU came right back in the home half of the inning, taking the lead for good on a two-run single by Zach Briggs.
The Jackrabbits broke the game open with a five-run third inning. Jesse Ayala and Joel Blake opened the frame by being hit by pitches. After both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by John Lee, Jesse Sawyer cleared the bases with a double to center field. Tony Martin followed with a double to plate Sawyer and later scored on an RBI groundout by Eric Cain. Briggs delivered the final run of the inning, driving a single to left field to score Stephen Turner.
SDSU starter Isaac Johnson kept the Thunderbirds off the board until surrendering a run in the fifth. Nick Freitas led off the inning with a base hit and scored on Bucky Aona's double to the wall in center field.
The Thunderbirds scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings against SDSU reliever Sam Pieczynski, but Trever Vermeulen came on to record the final four outs and notch his second save of the season.
The Jackrabbits won despite tallying only five hits in the game, but took advantage of seven walks and four hit batters.
Johnson scattered eight hits and worked around three walks in his five innings of work, improving to 4-2 on the season. The senior right-hander struck out one.
Thunderbird starter Kyle Melling pitched four innings and took the loss. Reliever James Crockett did not allow a hit in his four innings on the mound, striking out six and walking four.
In Game 2, Blake went 4-for-4, drove in four runs and hit his 12th home run of the season to pace the Jackrabbit victory.
Blake doubled to lead off the game and scored the first run of the game on a throwing error.
SUU tied the game on a balk in the top of the second inning, but again the Jackrabbits responded with a four-run second inning. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases, and Briggs scored the first run on a wild pitch. Billy Stitz then dumped a single to left field to drive in one run and Eric Cain also scored on the play when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. Blake capped the scoring with a base hit through the left side to plate Stitz.
In the fourth, singles by Ayala, Blake and Lee set the table for Martin, who lined a two-run single to left.
SDSU built its advantage to 11-2 with a four-run fifth inning. Briggs scored the first run of the frame on a throwing error ? SUU's fifth error of the game ? and Blake followed with a three-run home run over the center field fence.
Southern Utah knocked Jackrabbit starter Layne Somsen from the game in the sixth inning, scoring three times on run-scoring singles by Keli'I Zablan and Ray Wright and a sacrifice fly by Tyler Hogge.
The Jackrabbits closed the scoring as Martin opened the sixth inning with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch. Martin's triple was his team-leading fifth of the season and his 200th career hit.
SDSU held a 12-8 advantage in hits. Lee, who had his 12-game hitting streak snapped in the opener, was 3-for-4.
Somsen won his third consecutive decision, striking out five and walking three in five-plus innings.
The two teams close out the regular season Saturday with an 11 a.m. contest at Erv Huether Field.
NOTES: SUU leads the all-time series 4-3 ... the Jackrabbits improved to 12-6 at home this season ... Martin became the 12th player in program history to tally 200 career hits ... Blake moved into second place on the SDSU single-season charts with 19 doubles ? one shy of the school record set in 2008 by Craig Parry ... Briggs walked five times in the doubleheader ... Johnson ran his career record to 10-5
GAME 1: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 7, SOUTHERN UTAH 5
SUU 010 010 110 4-13-0
SDSU 025 000 00X 7-5-0
SUU: Kyle Melling, James Crockett (5) and Justin Neuhart. SDSU: Isaac Johnson, Sam Pieczynski (6), Trever Vermeulen (8) and Tony Martin.
W-Johnson (4-2). L-Melling (7-3). Save-Vermeulen (2).
HR: none
GAME 2: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 12, SOUTHERN UTAH 5
SUU 010 103 0 5-8-5
SDSU 140 241 X 12-12-1
SUU: Alec Reichle, Braden Yardley (4), Kyle Hamman (6) and Garrett Messerly. SDSU: Layne Somsen, Matt Spinar (6), Austin Busse (7) and Tony Martin.
W-Somsen (3-7). L-Reichle (2-6).
HR: SDSU-Joel Blake (12).
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
UTIL
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballBaseball Highlights vs Omaha (05.22.2025)
Thursday, May 22
Baseball Highlights vs Oral Roberts (05.21.2025)
Wednesday, May 21
Baseball Weekly Update (05.19.2025)
Monday, May 19
Baseball Highlights vs Oral Roberts (05.17.2025)
Saturday, May 17