Jacks drop Summit opener, 6-4

Friday, March 13

Omaha, Neb. [Ballpark at Boys Town]

1:00 PM

South Dakota State University

7-7, 0

Omaha

8-8, 0

South Dakota State

Omaha

3/13/2015 4:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha scored a pair of unearned runs as part of a three-run sixth inning to lift the Mavericks to a 6-4 victory over South Dakota State in the Summit League baseball opener for both teams Friday afternoon at The Ballpark at Boys Town.

UNO, which has won the last two Summit League regular season titles, improved to 8-8 overall. SDSU dropped to 7-7 on the season.

Omaha cracked the scoring column with two runs in the bottom of the first inning on run-scoring singles by Justin Threlkeld and Ryan Cate.

SDSU tied the game in the top of the third on a two-run double by Tony Kjolsing. Eric Danforth started the rally with an infield single, which was followed by a walk to Paul Jacobson and a base hit by Zach Coppola to load the bases. Coppola was thrown out at home during the next at-bat as he tried to score on a ground ball back to the pitcher.

Danforth gave the Jackrabbits a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth as he led off with a base hit, moved to second on a balk and took third on a bunt single by Coppola before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Kjolsing.

Omaha regained the lead for good in the sixth on a two-run, two-out single through the left side by Daniel Jewett against Jackrabbit starter Adam Bray. Both Alex Mortensen and Threlkeld scored on the play after the inning was extended by a Jackrabbit error. Cole Gruber scored the first run of the inning on a base hit up the middle by Threlkeld.

Bray finished the game with nine strikeouts and only one walk in a losing effort. The senior right-hander surrendered six runs — four earned — on eight hits in falling to 1-2 on the season.

The Jackrabbits closed to within a run in the seventh as Reid Clary delivered a run-scoring double, but Omaha pushed the margin to 6-4 in the home half of the frame when Alex Schultz scored on a wild pitch.

UNO starter Tyler Fox worked the first five innings, striking out one and walking three. Marcus Ethen was credited with the win in relief, while Cole Volkers pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for the save. The three Maverick pitchers combined for only two strikeouts, but recorded 18 of 27 outs on the ground.

Gruber went 3-for-4 to lead UNO's nine-hit attack. Threlkeld and Cate each tallied two hits.

Coppola and Danforth each were 2-for-4 to pace the Jackrabbits., with Danforth scoring twice. Kjolsing was 1-for-3 with three runs batted in.

The two teams are scheduled to play the middle game of their three-game series at 1 p.m. Saturday.

OMAHA 6, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 4
SDSU 002 010 100 4-7-1
UNO 200 003 10x 6-9-1
SDSU: Adam Bray, Andrew Clemen (7) and Reid Clary. UNO: Tyler Fox, Marcus Ethen (6), Cole Volkers (7) and Colin Leif.
W-Ethen (1-0). L-Bray (1-2). Save-Volkers (2)
HR: none.