Jacks rally to complete sweep of Fort Wayne

Sunday, March 29

Fort Wayne, Ind.

10 a.m.

South Dakota State University

12-11, 5-4

Fort Wayne

11-12, 2-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
South Dakota State	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	5	8	9	0
IPFW	0	1	0	0	0	4	0	0	2	7	12	5

3/29/2015 3:44:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – South Dakota State rallied for five runs in the top of the ninth inning and held on for an 8-7 victory over Fort Wayne Sunday afternoon to complete a sweep of a three-game Summit League baseball series.

The Jackrabbits, who ran their winning streak to a season-best four games, improved to 12-11 overall and 5-4 in league play. Fort Wayne dropped to 11-12 overall and 2-7 in The Summit League.

Trailing 5-3 entering their final at-bat, the Jackrabbits managed only two hits, but took advantage of two Fort Wayne errors to fuel their game-winning rally. Pinch-hitter Jesse Munsterman opened the inning by reaching on an error. Paul Jacobson followed by being hit by a pitch and Zach Coppola loaded the bases with a bunt single. The first run of the inning scored on a balk, with Jacobson scoring the tying run on a groundout by Luke Ringhofer.

The second Mastodon error of the inning – and fifth of the game – allowed Coppola to score the go-ahead run, and Al Robbins capped the rally with a two-run, two-out single.

Robbins' hit loomed large in the bottom of the ninth as Greg Kaiser hit a two-run home run to pull the Mastodons back within a run. Jackrabbit reliever J.D. Moore retired the next two batters to preserve the Jackrabbit victory.

SDSU led 2-1 after Cody Sharrow scored runs in the second and fifth innings after reaching on a pair of singles.

Fort Wayne gained the lead against the Jackrabbit bullpen in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four times. Lucas Salerno and Jackson Boyce recorded run-scoring singles before Brandon Soat added a two-run single to give the Mastodons a 5-2 lead. Boyce and Soat were among the five Mastodons to notch two of the team's 12 hits.

The Jackrabbits cut the margin to 5-3 in the seventh as Zach Coppola singled, stole second and scored on a base hit by Luke Ringhofer. Coppola was 2-for-3, stole three bases and scored a pair of runs. Newt Johnson and Cody Sharrow also tallied two of SDSU's nine hits.

SDSU starter Ryan Froom struck out a career-high seven batters and walked two over five innings in his first Summit League start of the season. Moore struck out two as he was credited with the win after pitching the final two innings.

The Jackrabbits are scheduled to open the home season Wednesday, hosting Dakota Wesleyan in doubleheader action at Erv Huether Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series 35-9 and was won the last four matchups … the Jackrabbits swept a Summit League series for the first time since sweeping Fort Wayne in a four-game home set in May 2013 … Coppola matched a career high with his three stolen bases and is a perfect 16-for-16 on attempts this season … with five stolen bases on the weekend, Coppola moved into a tie with Brian Scherschligt (1995-98) for ninth place on the Jackrabbit career charts with 39 … Fort Wayne committed 15 errors in the series, compared to three by SDSU … all nine of the Jackrabbits' hits on Sunday were singles … Sharrow extended his hitting streak to seven games, which is currently the longest by any Jackrabbit player

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 8, FORT WAYNE 7
SDSU 010 010 105 8-9-0
IPFW 010 004 002 7-12-5
SDSU: Ryan Froom, Blake Fiedelman (6), Talon Jumper (6), J.D. Moore (8) and Luke Ringhofer. IPFW: Evan Miller, Jake Weber (6), Cody O'Neal (9) and Zak Kellogg.
W-Moore (1-1). L-Weber (1-1). Save-none.
HR: IPFW-Greg Kaiser (3).