Bray pitches Jacks past NDSU

Friday, April 10

Erv Huether Field

3:00 PM

South Dakota State University

18-13, 7-6

North Dakota State

8-19, 3-10

North Dakota State

South Dakota State

4/10/2015 7:16:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

Adam Bray hurled a complete game and became South Dakota State's career leader in strikeouts in leading the Jackrabbits to a 5-2 series-opening win over North Dakota State Friday afternoon at Erv Huether Field.

In winning for the 11^th time in 14 games, SDSU improved to 18-13 overall and 7-6 in The Summit League. The Bison dropped to 8-19 overall and 3-10 in league play.

NDSU scored first as Aiden Hook led off the third inning with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice by Paul Funk and came across on a groundout by Andy Wicklund.

The Jackrabbits responded quickly, putting together a two-run home half of the third. Zach Coppola singled and moved to third on a double down the right field line by freshman Luke Ringhofer. Reid Clary and Matt Johnson made it four hits in a row with run-scoring singles to give the Jackrabbits the lead for good at 2-1.

SDSU tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning to knock out Bison starter David Ernst. Two NDSU errors on one play set up Clary and Johnson's second run-scoring singles of the game, with the third run of the frame scoring on NDSU's third error of the inning.

Meanwhile, Bray settled into a groove. The senior right-hander from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, retired 16 consecutive Bison hitters before allowing a single by Juan Gamez with one out in the eighth. An error later in the inning allowed Gamez to score, cutting the margin to 5-2.

Bray entered the ninth tied for the SDSU career strikeouts lead, but struck out the first two batters of the final inning to up his total to 228 and pass Trevor Schulte (226 strikeouts from 1991-94). Bray ended the day with five strikeouts, did not walk a batter and scattered four hits.

Coppola led the Jackrabbits' 10-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Clary was 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, while Johnson ended the afternoon 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

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

NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series, 103-58, including a 32-25 edge in the Division I era (starting in 2005) … Coppola recorded his 14^th multi-hit game of the season and extended his hitting streak to 10 games … Coppola recorded his 23^rd stolen base of the season, moving him into ties for fourth place on the SDSU charts for both single-season and career (46) stolen bases … Bray took over sole possession of second place in career games started with 45, passing Caleb Thielbar (44 starts from 2006-09) … Bray also moved into a tie for eighth place with Billy McMacken (1987-90) for career victories with 19 … the win was No. 99 at SDSU for Jackrabbit head coach Dave Schrage, who is in his fourth season

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 5, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 2
NDSU 001 000 010 2-4-3
SDSU 002 300 00X 5-10-1
NDSU: David Ernst, Brian VanderWoude (4), Trevor Jaunich (8) and Juan Gamez. SDSU: Adam Bray and Reid Clary.
W-Bray (4-3). L-Ernst (1-7). Save-none.
HR: none.