Jackrabbits drop pair on final day of road trip

Sunday, February 21

Starkville, Miss.

10:30 AM

South Dakota State University

0-3

Florida Atlantic

4-0

South Dakota State

Florida Atlantic

2/21/2016 7:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: SDSU Sports Info

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The South Dakota State University baseball wrapped up its season-opening road trip Sunday with a pair of losses. The Jackrabbits dropped a 4-2 decision to Florida Atlantic Sunday morning, then fell 15-5 in a seven-inning contest to host Mississippi State at Dudy Noble Field.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC 4, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 2
Despite an 11-3 advantage in hits, the Jackrabbits came out on the short end of a 4-2 decision against Florida Atlantic, which ended the weekend undefeated with a 4-0 record.

SDSU scored first on three consecutive hits to open the top of the third inning. Anthony Schneider led off with a ground-rule double down the left-field line, moved to third on a base hit by Paul Jacobson and scored on an infield single by Phil Velez.

The Owls countered with two runs in the home half of the third without the benefit of a hit. Two SDSU errors and a botched play on an infield fly led to the first run, while the second run of the frame scored on a groundout.

Jackrabbit starter Andrew Clemen held FAU without a hit until the fifth inning, when he gave up two more runs. Austin Langham notched the first Owl hit with a one-out single and Stephen Kerr followed with a two-run home run to left.

SDSU first baseman Matt Johnson brought the Jackrabbits to within 4-2 with a solo home run to lead off the top of the eighth.

The Jackrabbits squandered several scoring opportunities throughout the game as they hit into three double plays and stranded 10 men on base.

Clemen, who was making his second career start, struck out three and walked three over five innings. Newcomer Greg Casper struck out two and allowed only one hit over three scoreless innings.

Mark Nowatnick pitched three scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win for Florida Atlantic. Sean Labsan tossed the final two innings to earn the save.

Schneider was 3-for-4 to lead the Jackrabbits at the plate. Jacobson and Velez each notched a pair of hits.

#11 MISSISSIPPI STATE 15, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 5
Mississippi State broke a tie with a six-run third inning and went on to defeat South Dakota State, 15-5, in the weekend finale for both teams. The game was called by the 10-run rule after the Jackrabbits btted in the top of the seventh.

The Bulldogs sent 11 men to the plate against three different SDSU pitchers in the decisive third inning. Ryan Humphreys opened the inning with a double to chase Jackrabbit starter Eldon Evans and Jack Kruger added a two-run single against reliever Ethan Kenkel. Two more runs scored on bases-loaded walks and the final run of the frame scored on one of two Jackrabbit errors in the game.

SDSU opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first on a Matt Johnson sacrifice fly.

Trailing 5-1 going into the top of the third, the Jackrabbits tied the game with four unearned runs. Anthony Schneider scored the first run of the inning when Tony Kjolsing reached on an error with two outs. Cody Sharrow then stepped to the plate and hit his second home run of the weekend, a three-run shot to left off MSU starter Zac Houston that tied the game at 5.

From there, it was all Mississippi State, which scored the final 10 runs of the game. Kruger, who homered in the fourth inning, led the Bulldog offense by going 3-for-3 with three runs batted in and four runs scored. Three other players tallied two hits for MSU, which held a 14-8 advantage in hits.

Schneider was 2-for-4 and scored twice for the Jackrabbits.

SDSU, 0-4 overall, returns to action with four games Feb. 26-28 at the Hughes Bros. Challenge in Wilmington, North Carolina. The Jackrabbits are scheduled to face host UNC-Wilmington in the tournament opener at 4 p.m. Eastern Time (3 p.m. Central) on Friday.

Game 1: Florida Atlantic 4, South Dakota State 0
SDSU 001 000 010 2-11-2
FAU 002 020 00X 4-3-0
SDSU: Andrew Clemen, Greg Casper (6) and Luke Ringhofer. FAU: Nick Swan, Mark Nowatnick (5), Sean Labsan (8) and Tyler Frank.
W-Nowatnick (1-0). L-Clemen (0-1). Save-Labsan (1).
HR: SDSU-Matt Johnson (1); FAU-Stephen Kerr (1).

Game 2: Mississippi State 15, South Dakota State 5 [7 inn.]
SDSU 104 000 0 5-8-2
MSU 416 220 X 15-14-2
SDSU: Eldon Evans, Ethan Kenkel (3), Henry DeCaster (3), Will McAffer (6) and Ian Cote, Luke Ringhofer (4). MSU: Zac Houston, Blake Smith (4), Ryan Rigby (6), Paul Young (7), Ryan Cyr (7) and Elih Marrero.
W-Smith (1-0). L-Evans (0-1). Save-none.
HR: SDSU-Cody Sharrow (2); MSU-Jack Kruger (1).